WNBA Mock Draft

[Geew1992]

WNBA mock draft: After Boston, which players might hear their names called?

Aliyah Boston looks like a lock to Indiana at No. 1 in April's WNBA draft. Who goes No. 2 to Minnesota, or third overall to Dallas? And which two teams have multiple first-round picks?

www.espn.com

Both Dorka and LLS in the first round!

 

[jdote33]

I like looking at these. What do ppl think of the overall list? Quality of draft?

1. I couldn't believe Siegrist was 11. I'm not a scout or GM, and I'm not sure of a comp that has been super successful in the W but I don't get y ppl are not very high on her. Is it just her defense?

2. Tayanna Jackson from Kansas I think would be a good draft pick. I would probably take her first round.

3. Zia Cooke is underrated imo. She'll have plenty of moments to prove it.

4. Leigha Brown, I think deserves consideration as a first round pick. Like is the gap between Haley Jones and Leigha Brown that wide

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I like looking at these. What do ppl think of the overall list? Quality of draft?

1. I couldn't believe Siegrist was 11. I'm not a scout or GM, and I'm not sure of a comp that has been super successful in the W but I don't get y ppl are not very high on her. Is it just her defense?

2. Tayanna Jackson from Kansas I think would be a good draft pick. I would probably take her first round.

3. Zia Cooke is underrated imo. She'll have plenty of moments to prove it.

4. Leigha Brown, I think deserves consideration as a first round pick. Like is the gap between Haley Jones and Leigha Brown that wide

Siegrist isn't the most athletic, but neither was Larry Bird and she gives me that vibe. Not pretty or flashy, but effective.

 

[Bone Dog]

Siegrist is a very clever scorer and an alert defender. In these respects she is rather like Lou, maybe a bit better scoring along the baseline, not as good from the perimeter. Neither of them is physically imposing for 6'1". I like both of them better than Joens who is more physically imposing at 6'1" and scores effectively but ploddingly. Lou and Maddy understand better the value of quick moves around the rim. One quality all three of them share is grit and determination. Another is that none of them loses their cool on the floor.

 

[bballnut90]

I think it’s a weaker draft. Boston is elite, Miller I see as a great prospect too. After that there are several prospects that i see having upside but aren’t sure things (Jackson, Jones, Horston) and some potential role players. I’m not sure what all the buzz about Osborne is for…I’ve never been very impressed with her as a scorer. Takes a lot of shots at a low percentage. Some good college players like Joens, Kitley and Siegrist but I don’t see any of them thriving in the W.

 

[dws3665]

Have heard several folks suggest that several players mentioned in this piece, notably Boston, are leaning toward staying in college for their COVID years and the guaranteed NIL payoffs they are in line for, rather than move to the WNBA and take a pay cut. Anyone else hearing that?

 

[amb3096]

O

I think it’s a weaker draft. Boston is elite, Miller I see as a great prospect too. After that there are several prospects that i see having upside but aren’t sure things (Jackson, Jones, Horston) and some potential role players. I’m not sure what all the buzz about Osborne is for…I’ve never been very impressed with her as a scorer. Takes a lot of shots at a low percentage. Some good college players like Joens, Kitley and Siegrist but I don’t see any of them thriving in the W.

I think Rickea Jackson and Lou Lopez Senechal have good pro potential and will have solid to very good careers. I'd put them in the same category as Miller. Jones and Kitley are the two that could either be league mainstays or fizzle out after a year or two.

 

[oldhusky]

I think it’s a weaker draft. Boston is elite, Miller I see as a great prospect too. After that there are several prospects that i see having upside but aren’t sure things (Jackson, Jones, Horston) and some potential role players. I’m not sure what all the buzz about Osborne is for…I’ve never been very impressed with her as a scorer. Takes a lot of shots at a low percentage. Some good college players like Joens, Kitley and Siegrist but I don’t see any of them thriving in the W.

I agree, it appears to be a relatively weak draft. Only Boston is a pretty sure thing star. I think Jones is sure to be a long time WNBA player because of her versatile skills, but her mediocre shooting ability limits her up-side. Diamond Miller has unique mobility and quickness for a 6-3 player, but I'm not sure if she fits in as a 3 or a 4 in the league. The rest all seem like prospects with some assets, but also some question marks as to if they will have a long WNBA career or not.

In some ways the salary cap is limiting the number of players in the league. Yes they can have 12, and some teams might do that, but the best contenders have generally found that the most effective use of the cap is to spend the salary that could have been used on a 12th player, on upgrading one or two of their top rotation players and only having 11.

 

[bballnut90]

What makes Haley Jones a significantly better prospect than Grace Berger? They look really similar from my vantage point, though Jones is an inch taller. Both are great playmakers, strong in midrange, have big strong frames and don't shoot well from the outside. Both rebound quite well too for their size. Berger today outplayed Clark IMO and looked like an elite player but doesn't show up high on any draft boards.

 

[Bigboote]

Regarding Jones and Berger: Do WNBA GMs value all-round game more or excelling in an aspect of the game? For my money, Berger is one of the ultimate all-round players -- she's a good scorer, great passer, good rebounder, good defender, and she'll never take her team out of a game doing stupid stuff. I don't see much of Jones at all, but I view her as similar, although she's a great rebounder. Both can probably play the 3 in the W also.

I get the impression that W GMs kind of value scoring more highly than I would, but am interested in others' points of view.

 

[jdote33]

What makes Haley Jones a significantly better prospect than Grace Berger? They look really similar from my vantage point, though Jones is an inch taller. Both are great playmakers, strong in midrange, have big strong frames and don't shoot well from the outside. Both rebound quite well too for their size. Berger today outplayed Clark IMO and looked like an elite player but doesn't show up high on any draft boards.

Both were pretty special yesterday. I think Grace has been injured a bit this year so she had a 'yall must've forgot ' type performance. If she's healthy I think she can definitely play her way to the first round.
And Jones was great as well. I know all players have these performances, but when Haley's shot is off, she looks underwhelming. It's also usually when Stanford loses. But when she is shooting well from mid range, she looks like a top 5 pick. Even though she is only 6'1 I tend to think of her as more of a power forward with guard like skills. Maybe it's cuz she rebounds so well. So idk, it seems more unicornish than Grace Berger who is 6 ft playing point guard. Grace is a bit better in the mid range, and from 3, and she plays pretty physical as well. Just Jones is a bit bigger, so maybe that's y she gets the nod. It's a great question though.

 

[Bone Dog]

Have heard several folks suggest that several players mentioned in this piece, notably Boston, are leaning toward staying in college for their COVID years and the guaranteed NIL payoffs they are in line for, rather than move to the WNBA and take a pay cut. Anyone else hearing that?

I haven't heard any rumors like that. Plus, I'd think the risk of injury in college might be a disincentive to stay for that extra year.

 

[jdote33]

What a difference a week makes. It would be great if this was written with insight from GM's.

WNBA mock draft: Villanova's Siegrist soars into lottery pick

Trades and big performances from college players are shaking up the draft board. High-scoring Maddy Siegrist climbs seven spots, and Brea Beal makes her debut.

www.espn.com

 

[southofnorth]

What a difference a week makes. It would be great if this was written with insight from GM's.

WNBA mock draft: Villanova's Siegrist soars into lottery pick

Trades and big performances from college players are shaking up the draft board. High-scoring Maddy Siegrist climbs seven spots, and Brea Beal makes her debut.

www.espn.com

Brea Beal at 7th is shocking to me

 

[The deacon]

Brea Beal at 7th is shocking to me

She's an excellent defender at various positions and has become a competent shooter, plus she's coming from a winning environment. I'd love to have her on my team.

 

[The deacon]

Siegrist is a very clever scorer and an alert defender. In these respects she is rather like Lou, maybe a bit better scoring along the baseline, not as good from the perimeter. Neither of them is physically imposing for 6'1". I like both of them better than Joens who is more physically imposing at 6'1" and scores effectively but ploddingly. Lou and Maddy understand better the value of quick moves around the rim. One quality all three of them share is grit and determination. Another is that none of them loses their cool on the floor.

Sorry I just kind of skipped by some of your points earlier, Bone Dog.

It's an interesting comparison between Maddy and Lou, and one that I'll bet Lou would be seriously flattered by. Maddy might not be as good from the perimeter, but it's darned close, 46 percent from three for Lou and 41 percent for Maddy. Maddy's 54 percent overall shooting is quite a bit ahead of Lou's, which has slipped lately likely due to physical wear and tear. Even from the line, while Lou is one of the nation's best, Maddy's pretty close at 85 percent.

As for both being 6'1", Villanova lists Maddy at 6'2" and she's a 9.4 per game rebounder, well above Lou's pay grade. The eye test when I saw both from courtside in Hartford told me Maddy plays much bigger due to her shooting style.

I believe Maddy, Lou and Joens will all make the WNBA, obviously depending on what team takes them. At least with Maddy and Lou, any team would be getting a quality young woman, and that counts for something. I just don't know enough about Joens.

 

[JellyBean]

There are some really good picks in these mock drafts. Just curious to see where these players land. Dallas with three first round picks is going to be interesting in their direction they take.

 

[TC22]

Brea Beal at 7th is shocking to me

Beal was 3/4 from 3 tonight and Cooke was 5/7 from 3. Florida packed the paint and watched the show.

 

[jdote33]

There are some really good picks in these mock drafts. Just curious to see where these players land. Dallas with three first round picks is going to be interesting in their direction they take.

The sad part is it will be hard for some to make a roster.
Some teams with limited draft picks would be great fits for young players, like Phoenix and Seattle. Whereas teams like the Fever and Wings have multiple first round picks but already have 10+ players signed to their roster.
I like both Zia Cooke and Brea Beal as both prospects. Brea Beal has good size and she's a winner Ppl say she can't score. I don't think she's had double figure attempts in a game all year. I look at it totally different. That she went from being a 20 pt a game scorer in high school to someone completely dedicated to defense for the betterment of the team. Betnijah Laney and Rebekah Gardener to me are good comps, but they also are pretty unique as far as how their career paths went. Zia Cooke looks pretty unguardable to me. I know her efficiency has never been great, but I think she's pretty unguardable. I'm really surprised she is not on these lists.

 

[sweetspot]

Pretty easy to guard someone who can't shoot better than 40% from 3 even when they're usually wiiiiide open.

 

[JellyBean]

The sad part is it will be hard for some to make a roster.
Some teams with limited draft picks would be great fits for young players, like Phoenix and Seattle. Whereas teams like the Fever and Wings have multiple first round picks but already have 10+ players signed to their roster.
I like both Zia Cooke and Brea Beal as both prospects. Brea Beal has good size and she's a winner Ppl say she can't score. I don't think she's had double figure attempts in a game all year. I look at it totally different. That she went from being a 20 pt a game scorer in high school to someone completely dedicated to defense for the betterment of the team. Betnijah Laney and Rebekah Gardener to me are good comps, but they also are pretty unique as far as how their career paths went. Zia Cooke looks pretty unguardable to me. I know her efficiency has never been great, but I think she's pretty unguardable. I'm really surprised she is not on these lists.

I agree. Watching Indiana/Michigan game and looking at seniors on both teams and no question players like MacKenzie Holmes. Emily Kiser, Leigha Brown, and Grace Berger are solid players in terms of skill set. Some players bring different elements to a team. The key and the thing that worries me is going to be what WNBA drafts these players and will they get minutes on the floor.

MacKenzie Holmes is gifted! Her footwork is off the charts. She can use either hand to get her shot off. Mid-range game is decent and will only get better. Her low post game is solid. She could be a huge plus to any team in the WNBA. The big question is going to be, will she get valuable minutes on the floor.

Grace Berger reminds me of a Katie Douglas from back in the day. Same with Leigha Brown and Emily Kiser. They have that toughness on offense and defense that could really help a team at the next level. Just hate to see them just sitting on the bench or floating from team to team for a few games here and there.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Holmes is returning for her 5th year.

 

[jdote33]

I agree. Watching Indiana/Michigan game and looking at seniors on both teams and no question players like MacKenzie Holmes. Emily Kiser, Leigha Brown, and Grace Berger are solid players in terms of skill set. Some players bring different elements to a team. The key and the thing that worries me is going to be what WNBA drafts these players and will they get minutes on the floor.

MacKenzie Holmes is gifted! Her footwork is off the charts. She can use either hand to get her shot off. Mid-range game is decent and will only get better. Her low post game is solid. She could be a huge plus to any team in the WNBA. The big question is going to be, will she get valuable minutes on the floor.

Grace Berger reminds me of a Katie Douglas from back in the day. Same with Leigha Brown and Emily Kiser. They have that toughness on offense and defense that could really help a team at the next level. Just hate to see them just sitting on the bench or floating from team to team for a few games here and there.

I like Holmes a lot. I know she will be back next year but I too was thinking about her as a prospect for the W. I think my concern is her size, as she seems to be only 6'3. I love her postgame but Im not sure if it's as effective against bigger and stronger players. You also pointed out her range which is decent but limited . I was thinking of someone like Megan Gustafson, who was dominant in college but sortve struggled in the W. And she kills every off-season overseas but had a tough time finding her niche as a somewhat undersized big.
Kiser, I like a lot as well. Just extremely solid. Can shoot a bit. Very strong and mobile enough to play the 4 or 5.
Leigha Brown I praise a lot but I was actually disappointed in her performance last night. Her having a big game was the only way Michigan had a shot. I also think she deserves to be in draft discussions. But she seemed to get frustrated a lot last night, and was sortve taken out of her game. Credit Indiana though as they are a pretty good defensive team.

 

[TC22]

A lot of these players will get a chance. If they get drafted and then get waived they are free to get picked up by any team, like Westbrook did last year. They just have to bide their time and hope they'll get a chance. For some it may take playing AUSports or overseas for a season and get an invite back.

Being able to play defense is often the difference between getting a chance and getting cut. If you don't play defense you better be a heckuva shooter...see Kelsey Plum.

 

[JellyBean]

I like Holmes a lot. I know she will be back next year but I too was thinking about her as a prospect for the W. I think my concern is her size, as she seems to be only 6'3. I love her postgame but Im not sure if it's as effective against bigger and stronger players. You also pointed out her range which is decent but limited . I was thinking of someone like Megan Gustafson, who was dominant in college but sortve struggled in the W. And she kills every off-season overseas but had a tough time finding her niche as a somewhat undersized big.
Kiser, I like a lot as well. Just extremely solid. Can shoot a bit. Very strong and mobile enough to play the 4 or 5.
Leigha Brown I praise a lot but I was actually disappointed in her performance last night. Her having a big game was the only way Michigan had a shot. I also think she deserves to be in draft discussions. But she seemed to get frustrated a lot last night, and was sortve taken out of her game. Credit Indiana though as they are a pretty good defensive team.

Excellent points and Megan Gustafson is one of my many examples that I bring up every chance I get to talk about players who take their games to the next level overseas but here in the states, they can't because they don't get a lot of playing time but they could be very valuable to a team in the WNBA.