WNBA Draft Thread

[MilfordHusky]

What does everyone think about Diamond and Gabby together? It kinds of seems like their personalities might clash. And the commentators don't make it much better when they emphasize that if DD is an elite athlete, Gabby is an ELITE athlete. Lol which I think would effect DD's ego. But going forward, they are very exciting prospects and together should be even better. I know that UConn fans will be forever comparing the two, well as long as they're together.

With Diamond, attitude and work ethic are keys. If she follows Gabby’s lead, she’ll be fine. If not, ....

 

[MilfordHusky]

So you have 3 first round picks AND 2 returning AA, and still lost to ND. Must be the coach's fault

Or the refs.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Seattle went from a playoff team to being in the lottery next year. Can't score if you can't rebound, and nothing was done to remedy that fact.

They picked up Courtney Paris and Natasha Howard in the off season. Paris is a rebounder.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I went to the CT Sun WNBA site and listed on their roster was GABBY WILLIAMS! She was NOT listed on the Chicago Sky Roster!
I can't find any info of a trade from Chicago to CT! I think the WNBA typist/programmer had a secret wish that Gabby would go to the Sun!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Natalie Butler goes #30 to Wings. Z and Butler. Wow

Whether Nat makes the team or not, she can always say she was drafted. She can play at some level of pro ball.

 

[MilfordHusky]

A 6'6" player who can both play in the post and step outside to hit 3s is superstar potential. She's not that now but I think Geno was on the way to getting her there.

You talking about Azura or Natalie?

 

[Shorty Dee]

Congratulations to Gabby, Kia, Natalie and Azura!! I am very happy for Natalie Butler, because I really didn't know if she would get drafted.

 

[Sam.the.Man]

Stevens would've been top 2 or 3 if she stayed another year.

That's doubtful since two of her teammates (Katie Lou & Pheesa) would most likely go before her and then there's at least Kalani Brown and Teaira McCowan too.

 

[Roger G]

I think there is a decent chance that Natalie will stick with Dallas. If you look at their roster, figuring Z plays forward, they could use another center, especially one with her height. She would be a great asset off the bench. She'll continue the scoring and rebounding, that's for sure.

 

[Roger G]

Lynx trade top to 2 picks to Las Vegas for Jill Barta and future pick.

That was kind of strange. Why didn't the Lynx just take Barta with one of their picks if they really wanted her?

 

[nyfanofwbb]

A question (or questions): Is there a list showing who was in the draft? How many actually declare and don't get "drafted". Though I know some will get camp invites. Why only invite 10 to the party and not 12 if that's how many go in first round? Just thoughts I had while watching last night.

 

[mbr33ct]

Tough to go very high when you're 5'3/5'4, unless you're faster than the wind, which she isnt.

"...they call the wind Mariah!"

 

[Bronx23]

Stevens would've been top 2 or 3 if she stayed another year.

I totally agree she would have become a much better player if she stayed another year. But, I doubt there's much of a financial difference there.
Seems she came out for one if a few reasons and the difference in draft # wasn't the important factor.
Either she felt it was time and wanted or needed the money now; she doesn't really want to play inside and / or she want happy with how she was used in the semi-final loss.
All the wishing won't change what was her decision and likely make next year a much tougher one to reach the final four let alone a 12th championship.
Bronx23

 

[LasVegasYank]

<<Whether Nat makes the team or not, she can always say she was drafted. She can play at some level of pro ball.>>

Her future is probably overseas where I think she can make a good living for herself.

 

[Bronx23]

Yes, Kia is good as evidenced by 4 years of starting and being a Canadian Olympian but you are seriously underestimating how good Lexi is. She IS BETTER THAN KIA.

Why is it that many on this thread can’t give credit to other good players and take everything as a slight against a UCONN player if a name is referenced ahead of them? Kia is good but many, many basketball writers and coaches think both Jordin and Lexi are better than Kia and that’s ok. Kia still went in the first round and was taken right after Lexi.

Agree with this post completely!
First and the more important of your points I think is many fans can't see other players strengths and their own players limitations.
Lexi is much quicker, a better ball handler and a true point guard and creator. Kia is an outstanding defensive player but has a bit of issues with super quick offensive players. Kia is an excellent shooter when left open. How anyone watching basketball can't see this amazes me.
It's very impressive that Kia went as high as she did and to NY and can learn from Katie Smith. She will be a solid pro, especially because of all she brings as a person and leader by example.
Bronx23

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Just coming at this this morning, but were three of the selections players on the Czech team that dismantled UConn during their summer tour of Europe? Vadeeva, Musina, and Julia Reisingerová?

And why were they playing on a Czech team when at least the first two were supposedly on Russian pro teams? Anyone know?

 

[meyers7]

WOW did not know Kia Nurse was related to Darnell Nurse of the oilers, are they both related to Mcnabb?

Hmmmm

 

[HopJim]

Stevens would've been top 2 or 3 if she stayed another year.

Not sure I agree. Sometimes in any sport when a player received intense oversight, observers tend to pick at the issues. In any case, why would this have mattered to her?

 

[HopJim]

I think there is a decent chance that Natalie will stick with Dallas. If you look at their roster, figuring Z plays forward, they could use another center, especially one with her height. She would be a great asset off the bench. She'll continue the scoring and rebounding, that's for sure.

Agreed. Have seen a couple of their games and Nat got lucky with who picked her. What their bench needs Nat has.

 

[OldAlum]

Nice tweet from Cori Close to Stewie:
You were right @bre_stewart30 (when I saw you at the F4) ! I am so glad she is with y’all. Take good care of her for us. She can pass the rock. She’ll find you.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Whether Nat makes the team or not, she can always say she was drafted. She can play at some level of pro ball.

"Former UConn center Natalie Butler, who used her final year of eligibility as a graduate transfer at George Mason University, was taken in the third round of Thursday night's WNBA Draft by Dallas, the first player from Mason to be drafted. "It is incredibly satisfying to know all your hard work paid off," Butler said in a story on the school's website. "The fact I was able to get drafted was awesome and humbling. I'm incredibly grateful the Dallas Wings want me to be a part of their training camp." . In Free Throws section of artcle: Potential Texas A&M graduate transfers eye UConn

 

[Vowelguy]

Mercedes goes #20.

 

[UConnCat]

Mercedes goes #20.

#22.

Oregon State's Marie Gulich taken ahead of Russell. I'm sure no one predicted that before the start of the season.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I just came from both the CT Sun & Chicago Sky websites and both have corrected the Gabby Williams error she's on the SKY site and off the Sun site!
Someone woke up and smelled the coffee!

 

[Roger G]

A question (or questions): Is there a list showing who was in the draft? How many actually declare and don't get "drafted". Though I know some will get camp invites. Why only invite 10 to the party and not 12 if that's how many go in first round? Just thoughts I had while watching last night.

They used to invite more and sometimes they wouldn't go in the first round and it would get very awkward. It happened to Tiffany Hayes and, when it happened to Allison Hightower, they kept zooming in on her again and again. It was kind of cruel. They backed away from doing the zooming in by the time it happened to Tiffany, but it was still pretty tough to watch. I think it put a bee in her bonnet though.

 

[eebmg]

I think there is a decent chance that Natalie will stick with Dallas. If you look at their roster, figuring Z plays forward, they could use another center, especially one with her height. She would be a great asset off the bench. She'll continue the scoring and rebounding, that's for sure.

Any comments on Dallas's 2nd rd (#18) pick PG Loryn Goodwin of OKSU . Is she direct competition with Saniya? I guess her good stint in Israel gives her a very big advantage .

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I think there is a decent chance that Natalie will stick with Dallas. If you look at their roster, figuring Z plays forward, they could use another center, especially one with her height. She would be a great asset off the bench. She'll continue the scoring and rebounding, that's for sure.

I do not see it at all, with no disrespect to Butler. She was great against non-P5 competition, and she had a very fine college career. But with Liz Cambage back, Dallas is only likely to keep two centers on its roster, unless another player can rotate between the 4 and the 5 - which Natalie cannot do. Butler is up against 2017 first round pick Evelyn Akhator and 2017 first round pick Breanna Lewis. Both Akhator and Lewis made the roster last year, with Courtney Paris. But Dallas was lacking at PF outside of Glory Johnson - and even ran lineups with Johnson at center. Teresa Plaisance is likely to make the roster because even though she is a 5 who cannot defend the 4, she is a legitimate three-point threat (though had a down year at 34 percent last year) and produced quite a bit (almost 8 ppg, which is good when you consider the number of shots taken by Diggins, Johnson, Gray, Davis, Christmas-Kelly, etc.).

If I had to speculate on Dallas's roster, it would go like this:

Starters:
PG - Skylar Diggins
SG - Allisha Gray
W - Karima Christmas-Kelly (or Aerial Powers)
PF - Glory Johnson
C - Liz Cambage

Bench:
W - Aerial Powers (or Karima Chistmas-Kelly)
SG - Kaela Davis
F - Azura Stevens
C - Teresa Plaisance (even though her W bio lists her as a forward, she is a center with range, as she cannot defend the 4)
F - Kayla Thornton

That leaves two rosters spots (WNBA teams can carry a maximum of 12 players). The final two spots will be a competition among Saniya Chong, Evelyn Akhator, Breanna Lewis, Loryn Goodwin, and Natalie Butler (plus anyone else that Dallas brings into camp).

Right now, my list of projected starters and bench players does not have a backup point guard. This is where Saniya Chong has an edge (especially after spending one year in Fred Williams' system in Dallas). That means there is one spot remaining for which Butler can vie, and she is doing so against two other players at her same position who each have had one year in the Wings's system.

 

[Vowelguy]

#22. .

DUHHHHHHHHHHH. It's not like I havent taken a zillion math & analytic classes. Sure 12+10 = 20.

Oregon State's Marie Gulich taken ahead of Russell. I'm sure no one predicted that before the start of the season.

I would guess that if you had asked W coaches each year about future top 10, if not top 5, picks, Russell would've been mentioned every time. A pretty stunning fall.

 

[the Q]

DUHHHHHHHHHHH. It's not like I havent taken a zillion math & analytic classes. Sure 12+10 = 20.




I would guess that if you had asked W coaches each year about future top 10, if not top 5, picks, Russell would've been mentioned every time. A pretty stunning fall.

That also could just make her a nice 2nd round steal.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Not sure I agree. Sometimes in any sport when a player received intense oversight, observers tend to pick at the issues. In any case, why would this have mattered to her?

@HopJim 's comment was in response to @vowelguy 's statement that Stevens would have been selected #2 or #3 had she stayed another year at UConn.

MY TAKE:

-- I understand Indiana taking Mitchell. The Fever were last in the WNBA in scoring and now have a vacancy in the backcourt with January being traded to Phoenix. Plus, Indiana had been scouting Mitchell for a lot longer.

--Indiana's roster has some very nice complementary parts - Candice Dupree (on the downside of her career, but still has a great face-up game at the four), Erica Wheeler (can pass and can get hot scoring the ball), Shenise Johnson (can all do things well - scoring, passing, rebounding - but not great), Tiffany Mitchell (athletic SG who can score), etc.

--But there is no STAR. There is no alpha player. And while there are players like Tiffany Mitchell and Wheeler who can create their own shots, they are not efficient at making them. Indiana, as TEAM, shot 42.9 percent from the floor and 30.9 percent from three. Those are bad numbers.

--Kelsey Mitchell provides the ability to create her own shot better than anyone on the Fever's roster. She and Wheeler would be combo guards who both can pass, which should help get more open shots for other Fever players (given the fact that Tiffany Mitchell and Shenise Johnson both hit at least 92 percent from the line, it suggests that they have the ability to become better shooters overall from the floor and from three).

AS TO STEVENS:

-- Azura has as much upside as anyone in the draft, right up there with Diamond DeShields (DD has all of the raw gifts, but has not had any coaching for skills improvement whatsoever since high school; Stevens had two years in UConn's system, one as a player).

-- I am STUNNED that Chicago did not take Stevens at #3 or #4. I said it on this forum that Chicago's ideal draft would be to get Gabby Williams and Azura Stevens in the first round.

-- The Sky have the best three-point shooting backcourt in the WNBA, with Vandersloot and Quigley. What they need (among other things) is a wing who can slash, defend, and be a secondary facilitator/passer. That *IS* Gabby Williams.

-- Stefanie Dolson is the physical post with three-point range whose game will best complement Stevens; Dolson and Stevens can run the high/low, can step out for mid-range and three-point shots so the paint is clear for a player like Williams to slash. Plus, Gabby and Stevens have built in familiarity and chemistry having played in Geno Auriemma's system, with which Stef Dolson has plenty of familiarity as well.

-- Amber Stocks is a relatively young head coach and GM, turning 40 last year. This is her first head coaching gig. She spent 6 years as an assistant with Xavier, but left in 2009. She was not coaching in college or the WNBA until she spent two years as a Sparks assistant (during the latter of which, LA won the WNBA title). DeShields is a player that will require a forceful hand, as she did not have the Xs and Os, individual instruction, or best training on how to play within the team concept at UNC and Tennessee. In many ways, she is as raw in that department as she was when she entered college, though she claims her year in Turkey on the professional level helped her develop.

-- But DeShields will need to adjust to the possibility that she is not the first, second, or even third best player on the team coming out of the gate. Can she be effective when the ball is not in her hands? She is not a great rebounder at her height, and she has never shown a commitment on the defensive end of the floor.

-- Not only am I stunned that Chicago passed on Stevens (especially because the team lost Jessica Breland in free agency and Stevens would have been PERFECT for the Sky), but I am stunned that Seattle did as well. NOW, this could have occurred due to a lack of scouting, in the sense that teams were not focused on Stevens thinking she would not be entering the draft. But that is the fault of the franchises.

-- Seattle took Jordin Canada. Yes, Seattle needs a backup point guard to replace Sue Bird. But Canada is undersized, and she is not the best fit next to Jewel Loyd, who is a more ball dominant shooting guard. Lexie Brown is bigger, a more consistent shooter, and a better defender. But Stevens was the best overall prospect on board.

-- Seattle started 6-2 Crystal Langhorne at center last year, and she will be 32 this year. Yes, Seattle got Courtney Paris and Natasha Howard in the offseason. But Paris turns 31 this year and is coming off an injury-plagued season. Howard is a great athlete who has shown flashes, but she was losing minutes to 36 year old Plenette Pierson last year. And Howard is best as a four, not as a five, which makes her a not-so-great fit next to Breanna Stewart.

FINAL POINT:

-- Dallas got a STEAL in Stevens - the steal of the entire 2018 WNBA Draft. Teams may not have been prepared, from a scouting standpoint, for Stevens to declare early, but they should have been (need to scout players not just in their senior seasons).