WNBA Mock Draft

[Kaizen]

She hopefully will be drafted by a team where she fits in. Example, Seattle. If not, she'll be released or traded within a few years and sign with a team she can really contribute to. As you posted, Kia should have a very long WNBA career.

I hope Kia can go to Seattle or NYC .

 

[Shades]

They have seen her in International competition, so it isn't a reach, to expect Kia to play both positions in the backcourt in the WNBA.

I’m curious how other people feel about this. I came into this season feeling that Nurse would almost certainly start at PG, and they’d have a stacked starting lineup that included prominent redshirt junior Stevens. Dangerfield is only a sophomore, so it would have been easy enough going by seniority to delegate her to coming off the bench. Despite that, it seems Dangerfield was good enough to not only knock Nurse off PG duties but to delegate Stevens to the bench. This is probably too simple of a way to look at it. There are other dynamics at work, like Nurse can score much better playing off the ball, and Stevens coming off the bench may keep her thinking about the WNBA too soon.

But yeah... is Dangerfield a better PG than Nurse? And if you determine she’s a better PG for this team does that necessarily mean she’s a better PG at the next level?

 

[CTisballers]

She very well might be a better creator then she has shown at Connecticut. I posted this several times, but she plays a very specific role for Connecticut. She may be a much better facilitator than she has shown, but that’s an unknown a GM would be gambling on if they draft Kia and expect her to be a creator.

If we talking about if’s. Than every GM would be taking a gamble on every prospect in the Draft. With her size, IQ and physicality I’m taking her before DD K. Mitchell GM’s would be gambling on those 2 for the fact they turn the ball over a lot, shoot a lot plus DD decision making and K. Mitchell shot selection. Kia is well poised unselfish and just ready for what ever thrown at her. #KiaFan

 

[bballnut90]

If we talking about if’s. Than every GM would be taking a gamble on every prospect in the Draft. With her size, IQ and physicality I’m taking her before DD K. Mitchell GM’s would be gambling on those 2 for the fact they turn the ball over a lot, shoot a lot plus DD decision making and K. Mitchell shot selection. Kia is well poised unselfish and just ready for what ever thrown at her. #KiaFan

Every pick is a gamble to a degree, but I think you're in the small minority of people who'd consider picking Nurse over those 2. I'm not discrediting Kia, she may become an excellent pro, but she's not as strong of a prospect as many others despite having strengths and advantages in some areas.

 

[CTisballers]

Every pick is a gamble to a degree, but I think you're in the small minority of people who'd consider picking Nurse over those 2. I'm not discrediting Kia, she may become an excellent pro, but she's not as strong of a prospect as many others despite having strengths and advantages in some areas.

Your absolutely wrong. If she’s in the top 10 she can easily be pick above them 2. But that’s the reason why the WNBA has a reputation of being a league of a fanatic pace and a whole bunch of TOs because they pick players just because of their name or what team they on. I’ll give you an example. Shoni S from L’ville not even in the league no more mainly because of condition but also she is all about scoring but turns the ball over. I’m not saying Kia is better than those two but I feel she brings more to the table. DD has a bad attitude that plays no D and neither does Kelsey. Defense brings Championships right?? Champions are also unselfish and makes the right decisions on the court which Kia has over both. But your correct I’m no GM so we will see April 12th.

 

[Reypl21]

There's a lot of highlight videos of DD overseas. They only come in the form of one game highlights, and I don't know if they only cover the good games. But she looks like a promising prospect. I'm sure playing against the best competition in the world will straighten her our... slightly lol

 

[psconn]

Kia would be a horrible choice for those first 8 teams in the draft. She's lazy and timid, couldn't guard a chair, or throw a basketball in the ocean.

 

[bballnut90]

Your absolutely wrong. If she’s in the top 10 she can easily be pick above them 2. But that’s the reason why the WNBA has a reputation of being a league of a fanatic pace and a whole bunch of TOs because they pick players just because of their name or what team they on. I’ll give you an example. Shoni S from L’ville not even in the league no more mainly because of condition but also she is all about scoring but turns the ball over. I’m not saying Kia is better than those two but I feel she brings more to the table. DD has a bad attitude that plays no D and neither does Kelsey. Defense brings Championships right?? Champions are also unselfish and makes the right decisions on the court which Kia has over both. But your correct I’m no GM so we will see April 12th.

I don’t agree with any of this argument. I guess we can agree to disagree? We’ll find out soon enough.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Caroline Doty also the same year (2013)

Before them
Lorin Dixon (2011)
Kaili McLaren (2010
Meghan Gardler (2010)
Tahira Williams (2009)
Casey Kerns (2009)
Mel Thomas (2008)
Wilnett Crocket (2006)
Ashley Valley (2005)
Maria Conlon (2004)
Morgan Valley (2004)

It's been awhile.

Of course, several of those players were badly injured and couldn't play at the next level. Mel Thomas's career was short-circuited by a knee injury. I believe that one or more of the Valley sisters also had foot problems that kept them from performing and going on to the pro level. Same with Shea Ralph, one of UConn's best all-time players who was devastated by knee injuries. Her last ACL tear was during the NCAA tournament, the one in which Notre Dame beat a UConn team which had two All-Americans go down with season-ending injuries.

 

[meyers7]

Of course, several of those players were badly injured and couldn't play at the next level. Mel Thomas's career was short-circuited by a knee injury. I believe that one or more of the Valley sisters also had foot problems that kept them from performing and going on to the pro level. Same with Shea Ralph, one of UConn's best all-time players who was devastated by knee injuries. Her last ACL tear was during the NCAA tournament, the one in which Notre Dame beat a UConn team which had two All-Americans go down with season-ending injuries.

Eh, not several. Thomas recovered enough to play professionally overseas, but not well enough in the WNBA. Morgan Valley had some problems with plantar fasciitis, but I don't think that's what kept her from being drafted.

Shea was drafted. But couldn't play. And actually she tore her ACL in the Bird at the Buzzer game in the BE Championship.

 

[HopJim]

I'm surprised how high they have Gabby going. She's a phenomenal athlete with a great motor, drive and BBIQ, but she's is the epitome of a 'tweener.' I wonder how she'll do at the next level where the gap in athleticism between her and her opposite is reduced. Don't get me wrong, I wish her well and want her to succeed, but I am surprised that she'd be off the board at #3.

FWIW, though Kia may not be as athletic as some, she is a smart kid who will have a long WNBA career before she eventually becomes the prime minister of Canada.

Good thoughts. While Gabby is certainly a tweener, Kia is perfectly suited to play against the bigger pro guards. Kia provides great outside shooting and fantastic defense-good match for pro offense and defense. Suspect Gabby will need to play small forward and has limited shooting potential (although I love how her 12-15 foot jump shot is going in lately). Gabby has done well in college against bigs but has often needed double team help. Won't be possible in pros.

 

[CL82]

Good thoughts. While Gabby is certainly a tweener, Kia is perfectly suited to play against the bigger pro guards. Kia provides great outside shooting and fantastic defense-good match for pro offense and defense. Suspect Gabby will need to play small forward and has limited shooting potential (although I love how her 12-15 foot jump shot is going in lately). Gabby has done well in college against bigs but has often needed double team help. Won't be possible in pros.

I was thinking of my post while watching the game. Gabby certainly looked good against Aja didn't she?

 

[Orangutan]

Don't expect any of these to declare (I suppose Stevens and Turner are most likely) but food for thought:

 

[Lynx23]

Kia would be a horrible choice for those first 8 teams in the draft. She's lazy and timid, couldn't guard a chair, or throw a basketball in the ocean.

Plus I read somewhere on the BY a few weeks ago that she never passes the ball to Lou.

 

[BostonFan]

Its too bad Gabby has developed a reliable mid-range game. Will cost her a WNBA career.

 

[Lynx23]

Other players drive in the lane and kick it out or beat their defender off the dribble. Kia doesn’t. The other players on UCONN create open shots where Kia is usually the recipient of them. For a combo guard prospect, she hasn’t shown great passing ability or that she can make plays for herself or others. The other 4 starters have shown stronger passing skills and ability to create.

And yet she's somehow an Olympian and starting PG for the Canadian National Team. Go figure. Seriously, if you watched the Pan Am Final against the U.S. team (Stewie et al) several years ago when she lit the court up for 33 points it was apparent she could do all these things. Why not at UCONN? Well several posters have stated that she's just a role player for UCONN, perhaps even yourself. Well, maybe she's just abiding her role. After the Pan Am games I thought for sure we'd see a more offense-minded Kia but I guess it just wasn't in the cards. I do believe that if the coaches instructed her to assert herself on offense more often she would take more shots. But the UCONN way is about team chemistry and sharing the ball, and looking for the great shot rather than the good shot. I think she's very selfless in this regard where some posters have a tendency to focus more on her perceived weaknesses. The bottom line is, when she leaves UCONN, not only will she be a good, maybe very good, WNBA player, but she'll participating in the next Olympics as a starter, a PG no less, something that is not a strong likelihood for any of her current teammates at this point in their careers (not ruling out the future, of course).

 

[MilfordHusky]

I’ve watched Canada play in several games and am not sure Kia was a true point. If she was, maybe she was their best option. At UConn, Crystal is the best option.

In the game when Canada beat the U.S., I believe that Kia played a fair amount of one-on-one basketball and got several and-ones by driving to the hoop. Even Moriah and Stewie couldn’t stop her.

 

[bballnut90]

And yet she's somehow an Olympian and starting PG for the Canadian National Team. Go figure. Seriously, if you watched the Pan Am Final against the U.S. team (Stewie et al) several years ago when she lit the court up for 33 points it was apparent she could do all these things. Why not at UCONN? Well several posters have stated that she's just a role player for UCONN, perhaps even yourself. Well, maybe she's just abiding her role. After the Pan Am games I thought for sure we'd see a more offense-minded Kia but I guess it just wasn't in the cards. I do believe that if the coaches instructed her to assert herself on offense more often she would take more shots. But the UCONN way is about team chemistry and sharing the ball, and looking for the great shot rather than the good shot. I think she's very selfless in this regard where some posters have a tendency to focus more on her perceived weaknesses. The bottom line is, when she leaves UCONN, not only will she be a good, maybe very good, WNBA player, but she'll participating in the next Olympics as a starter, a PG no less, something that is not a strong likelihood for any of her current teammates at this point in their careers (not ruling out the future, of course).

Agree with much of this post. Thing is, we really haven’t seen any footage of her creating plays for others at Connecticut. I didn’t see that game or the last Olympics so I cannot attest to that, but if she shows off more rounded offensive game in the pros it’ll be a pleasant surprise for whoever lands her. When you evaluate draft prospects, you have to take strengths/weaknesses into consideration. Kia has a lot of strengths, perhaps the best being her defense and the fact that she literally never takes bad shots. I think she should be a solid pro, i just don’t see her as a top 5 pick.

 

[msugrad00]

Big T is having a blast in Starkville so I see her staying at MSU and have a dominating senior season. MSU next season:
G- Jaz Holmes(5'7" Sr.)
G- Myah Taylor(5'7" RFr.)
G- Danberry(5'8"Sr.)
W- Bibby(6'1" So.)
C- Big T(6'7"Sr.)
Best center in the country surrounded by one of the most athletic backcourts in the country. Good luck scoring against that team