WNBA pre-draft news

[BRS24]

(mods - delete, combine, rename if you see fit)

Thought I'd start a thread about the draft - news, trades. etc, instead of hiding it in other draft-related threads, especially after the trade announced today. Here's the first update as to who will be attending the draft:



Hoping that Christyn, Evina, and Olivia are all together on campus with families.

 

[nomdoux]

Perhaps the league polled GM’s to determine likely 1R picks.

I see all but Burton & Clouden as likely 1st’s.

Maybe our UConn trio decided to watch together or with their families in light of possibility/probability that each may not make this cut & fall to 2R.

 

[Jmsdawg]

My prediction for “steal of the draft” is CW. I think she is Taylor made for the WNBA, much like CD, and whatever team gets her will get a real gem!

 

[Carnac]

Perhaps the league polled GM’s to determine likely 1R picks.

I see all but Burton & Clouden as likely 1st’s.

Maybe our UConn trio decided to watch together or with their families in light of possibility/probability that each may not make this cut & fall to 2R.

Very possible. The WNBA does not want an "Aaron Rodgers" type scenario to occur. If you remember, Rodgers sat and sat and sat during the 2005 NFL draft. Ofthe 6 players invited to attend the draft, he was the last player selected. He endured a slide all the way down to the 24th pick.

 

[GoChips20]

(mods - delete, combine, rename if you see fit)

Thought I'd start a thread about the draft - news, trades. etc, instead of hiding it in other draft-related threads, especially after the trade announced today. Here's the first update as to who will be attending the draft:



Hoping that Christyn, Evina, and Olivia are all together on campus with families.

Burrell, Burton, and Clouden over Williams?!

 

[eebmg]

Perhaps the league polled GM’s to determine likely 1R picks.

I see all but Burton & Clouden as likely 1st’s.

Maybe our UConn trio decided to watch together or with their families in light of possibility/probability that each may not make this cut & fall to 2R.

When Crystal Dangerfield fell to the second round, she said it was the worst feeling but fueled her.

 

[Cuango]

(mods - delete, combine, rename if you see fit)

Thought I'd start a thread about the draft - news, trades. etc, instead of hiding it in other draft-related threads, especially after the trade announced today. Here's the first update as to who will be attending the draft:



Hoping that Christyn, Evina, and Olivia are all together on campus with families.

Unsure why Henderson is on that list? Most sources I have seen say she is unlikely to be a first round pick? I guess I need to expand my reading list. She seems to (to me) too small and does not shoot well enough (unless she’s playing UConn in the title game) to warrant a first round pick.

 

[nomdoux]

Unsure why Henderson is on that list? Most sources I have seen say she is unlikely to be a first round pick

Recency bias mostly, with coveted specialties off bench like quickness, scoring burst, & defense.

Flip Destanni & Christyn’s NC game stats & CW goes mid 1R while DH falls to mid/late 2R.

 

[shiverz45]

Unsure why Henderson is on that list? Most sources I have seen say she is unlikely to be a first round pick? I guess I need to expand my reading list. She seems to (to me) too small and does not shoot well enough (unless she’s playing UConn in the title game) to warrant a first round pick.

Henderson has been projected late first round to early second round since the beginning of the season, depending on the mock draft you viewed. Her performance against UConn only helped her status. As far as her shooting, she shot over 40% from 3 point range the last 2 years. This was written before the tournament:

South Carolina point guard Destanni Henderson could be a WNBA Draft steal​

Among three mocks, Henny is predicted anywhere from a late first-round to early second-round WNBA Draft choice. And from the evaluations, that’s not an indication of her skill or her generally as a player.

How the WNBA draft lottery in December shook out has affected how Bleacher Report, ESPN and Winsider see the draft in April unfolding. Teams with higher picks have other needs that a true point guard.

 

[Carnac]

Henderson has been projected late first round to early second round since the beginning of the season, depending on the mock draft you viewed. Her performance against UConn only helped her status. As far as her shooting, she shot over 40% from 3 point range the last 2 years. This was written before the tournament:

South Carolina point guard Destanni Henderson could be a WNBA Draft steal​

Among three mocks, Henny is predicted anywhere from a late first-round to early second-round WNBA Draft choice. And from the evaluations, that’s not an indication of her skill or her generally as a player.

How the WNBA draft lottery in December shook out has affected how Bleacher Report, ESPN and Winsider see the draft in April unfolding. Teams with higher picks have other needs that a true point guard.

I love the NFL!! I also love the WNBA. I’ll watch both drafts, but I admit after the 15th pick in the first round of the NFL draft, I won’t know most of the players. Not so with the W’s draft.

 

[DefenseBB]

Unsure why Henderson is on that list? Most sources I have seen say she is unlikely to be a first round pick? I guess I need to expand my reading list. She seems to (to me) too small and does not shoot well enough (unless she’s playing UConn in the title game) to warrant a first round pick.

Wait, what? Of all the names on that list, you zeroed in on Henderson? What has Rae Burrell done? Heck even Rae is considered better than Burton or Clouden. Kirsten Bell? The WNBA continues to perplex me (and not in a good way).

They have 3 rounds of picks, 36 in total and about 18 will actually make a roster. Could even be less this year that will make a team.

The good news for me is, with all the NIL money mostly being thrown at the WCBB players, Paige, Azzi and others can make money staying in school than leaving for the "W". Lest not forget, next spring will be the year Paige turns 22 and will be WNBA draft eligible. I don't think she will leave and the NIL money certainly helps our cause but still....

 

[sun]

Unsure why Henderson is on that list? Most sources I have seen say she is unlikely to be a first round pick? I guess I need to expand my reading list. She seems to (to me) too small and does not shoot well enough (unless she’s playing UConn in the title game) to warrant a first round pick.

Aari McDonald of Arizona from the FF game against UConn last year was drafted 3rd overall and she's listed as 5'6".
IIRC Aari was signed by Gatorade to a sponsorship deal which means she's getting some big bucks.

Aari McDonald Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More | WNBA

Checkout the latest stats of Aari McDonald. Get info about her position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on WNBA.com

www.wnba.com

 

[nwhoopfan]

What makes people think the money players are getting from NIL will all just disappear when they go pro? If they are attractive to businesses/advertisers now, wouldn't they still be later? As a pro you get a salary, plus whatever endorsement deals you can manage. And no classes to have to attend.

It remains to be seen, but I tend to think the best of the best, who are probably all highly competitive, are not going to delay the beginning of their pro careers.

 

[nastynatty]

What makes people think the money players are getting from NIL will all just disappear when they go pro? If they are attractive to businesses/advertisers now, wouldn't they still be later? As a pro you get a salary, plus whatever endorsement deals you can manage. And no classes to have to attend.

It remains to be seen, but I tend to think the best of the best, who are probably all highly competitive, are not going to delay the beginning of their pro careers.

I 100% agree with this take. Highly popular players like Paige and Azzi who have the opportunity to make the big bucks now in college through NIL are going to see similar opportunities when they hit the pros. I don’t see their popularity dying down much when they get to the pros because they were already popular in high school and then college just amped it up a bit. I expect the pros to amp it up a bit more.

I honestly can’t imagine a world where Paige takes advantage of her COVID year. The only possible reason is if she doesn’t get a NC in the next two year. No way she’s leaving without one. However, I think her chances of getting one next year and definitely her senior year are pretty high. Some people are speculating about her leaving after her junior year because she is draft eligible but I don’t see that happening either. She worked too hard to convince Azzi to come to UConn to only play one full year with her (this year basically didnt count).

 

[huskyhaven]

Perhaps the league polled GM’s to determine likely 1R picks.

I see all but Burton & Clouden as likely 1st’s.

Maybe our UConn trio decided to watch together or with their families in light of possibility/probability that each may not make this cut & fall to 2R.

 

[Aluminny69]

So, if a player declares for the WNBA, they can not go back to their college if they are not drafted?

Current List of complete list of NCAA players who have filed for consideration as a candidate for the 2022 WNBA Draft

 

[Centerstream]

So, if a player declares for the WNBA, they can not go back to their college if they are not drafted?

Current List of complete list of NCAA players who have filed for consideration as a candidate for the 2022 WNBA Draft

I am replying based on something I read earlier this week, most likely (99% chance) here on the BY. It was concerning players declaring for the draft. It specifically said that the players were giving up any remaining college eligibility if they declared.
It also is stated in the link you posted.

 

[BRS24]

"Today’s moves bring the total number of NCAA players who have renounced their remaining NCAA eligibility to make themselves available in the pool of prospects to 108."

G - 62
F - 29
C - 10
G-F - 6
F-G - 1

UCLA - 4
Duke - 4
TCU - 3
Baylor - 3
Louisville - 3
Dayton - 3
NC State - 3
Texas A&M - 3
Connecticut - 3
Indiana - 3
LSU - 3

 

[TheFarmFan]

What makes people think the money players are getting from NIL will all just disappear when they go pro? If they are attractive to businesses/advertisers now, wouldn't they still be later? As a pro you get a salary, plus whatever endorsement deals you can manage. And no classes to have to attend.

It remains to be seen, but I tend to think the best of the best, who are probably all highly competitive, are not going to delay the beginning of their pro careers.

One word: exposure.

WNBA finals:

ESPN said the WNBA league attracted 417,000 total viewers for Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury.

NCAA Finals:

The game had 4.85 million viewers, making it "the most-watched college basketball game on ESPN (men or women) since 2008," tweeted ESPN's Flora Kelly. Viewership peaked at 5.91 million.

For better or worse, NCAA women's basketball draws more eyeballs and attention. The most striking thing from the Bird and DT championship game chat was their mentioning that some college players already have NIL deals worth more than pro ballers. I suspect it will level off once advertisers realize college players aren't worth the gaudy sums these initial NIL deals are going for, but for now, that's the landscape. Indeed, when they asked Stewie if she'd come back for a fifth COVID year, she said never, but then when they mentioned the NIL deals being potentially better in college, she was like, "actually maybe I would!"

 

[BRS24]

From Winsider -
LAST SHOT UNIVERSITY: THREE WNBA-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS THAT MADE AN IMPRESSION DURING THE FINAL FOUR

Destanni Henderson - "Henderson saved her biggest collegiate game for her last ... teammate Henderson was equally vital to the Gamecocks’ success.

Emily Engstler - "With size, speed, and skill, Engstler is a true match-up nightmare, a tweener able to effectively guard players of any size."

Evina Westbrook - "Once touted as a possible lottery pick in the 2021 draft, Evina Westbrook chose to return to UConn for the 2022 season ... in the Final Four matchup against Stanford, she showed that she has the skills to contribute at the next level even when coming off the bench ... When entering the WNBA, many rookies have to adjust to no longer being the top playmaker on their team. In the Final Four matchup against Stanford, Westbrook showed that she already has that skill—the ability to transition from a starter to a bench player on a top team while maintaining similar productivity."

 

[FormerCTrez]

Unsure why Henderson is on that list? Most sources I have seen say she is unlikely to be a first round pick? I guess I need to expand my reading list. She seems to (to me) too small and does not shoot well enough (unless she’s playing UConn in the title game) to warrant a first round pick.

I understand your thought process. However, Henderson just played in the last WCBB game. She played against UCONN. She did show up. And her team won the big prize. I would've love to see my beloved Huskies names on the list above, and am slightly annoyed that they're absent. But, I can only hope for another Crystal Dangerfield rookie season from them. UCONN fan!

 

[BRS24]

Wooowee. All those mock drafts and team draft boards, just like the movie Draft Day are now blown up

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Wooowee. All those mock drafts and team draft boards, just like the movie Draft Day are now blown up

Don't get this at all.

 

[eebmg]

Lynx / Aces trade. Lynx give up 1st and 2nd round pick to Aces for 2023 picks. Reeve saying in effect, no one in this draft can help the Lynx based on current roster. . There goes a UConn friendly port

 

[BRS24]

Don't get this at all.

I'm not a WNBA expert, so on the surface, looks like LV is loading up this year with 5 picks, and MN is looking ahead to next year.