Your WNBA 2023 Mock Draft

[Bigboote]

I feel a need to defend Mackenzie Holmes. She's not just another Big 10 undersized post who scores at a high clip. She's an elite defender and a good help defender. She added a three-point shot between her sophomore and junior years specifically to become a viable stretch-4 in the W.

Any GM who sleeps on her does so at their own risk. As long as she can stay healthy (missed several games last year and wasn't quite the same/not fully recovered late in the season), I think she's a can't-miss.

 

[WFFL]

Mackenzie Holmes will be drafted . Whether she makes a team or not is the question .

 

[GoChips20]

I feel a need to defend Mackenzie Holmes. She's not just another Big 10 undersized post who scores at a high clip. She's an elite defender and a good help defender. She added a three-point shot between her sophomore and junior years specifically to become a viable stretch-4 in the W.

Any GM who sleeps on her does so at their own risk. As long as she can stay healthy (missed several games last year and wasn't quite the same/not fully recovered late in the season), I think she's a can't-miss.

This. Elite defender. High motor. Consistently productive offensively.

One of my favorite underrated players in the nation.

 

[WFFL]

This. Elite defender. High motor. Consistently productive offensively.

One of my favorite underrated players in the nation.

Very Underrated and likeable she's a force to be wreckoned with in the Big Ten , but the WNBA is not the Big Ten . I will keep an eye out on her this season and see how she does. Do the Hoosiers play any top 10 teams outside the big ten this season ? I would like to watch her go up against the Bostons , Lee's , Key's & Brinks.

 

[KY Card Fan]

Some of these kids have an extra covid year and with NIL it may be more lucrative to stay in college.

I know a few that exhausted their extra year and don’t really have a choice.

I've seen the "more lucrative to stay in college" argument many times and I just don't see how that happens for the top players. The national companies that are giving them NIL money won't stop doing that when they turn pro. Sure, players might lose some local endorsements but how big can those be? The big money is coming from companies like Gatorade (Bueckers), Adidas (Hailey Van Lith), etc. and that will carry over to the WNBA.

The players for whom it's more lucrative to stay in college as long as possible are most likely the mid-level to low-level pro prospects whose post-college basketball opportunities may be limited. They might be inclined to stay and receive whatever NIL is available.

 

[WFFL]

I've seen the "more lucrative to stay in college" argument many times and I just don't see how that happens for the top players. The national companies that are giving them NIL money won't stop doing that when they turn pro. Sure, players might lose some local endorsements but how big can those be? The big money is coming from companies like Gatorade (Bueckers), Adidas (Hailey Van Lith), etc. and that will carry over to the WNBA.

The players for whom it's more lucrative to stay in college as long as possible are most likely the mid-level to low-level pro prospects whose post-college basketball opportunities may be limited. They might be inclined to stay and receive whatever NIL is available.

Agreed , i feel some people are under the assumption that these NIL deals will disappear once they turn pro lol no they will still be apart of the salary including the professional small lump sum salary .

 

[Dillon77]

Any GM who sleeps on her does so at their own risk. As long as she can stay healthy (missed several games last year and wasn't quite the same/not fully recovered late in the season), I think she's a can't-miss.

Mackenzie Holmes will be drafted . Whether she makes a team or not is the question

This. Elite defender. High motor. Consistently productive offensively.

One of my favorite underrated players in the nation.

I posted about Megan Gustafson in one of the WNBA threads about how she took her (very successful) approach in college and found it wasn't quite enough to stick at the pro level. But she always worked hard, hustled and was a good teammate while expanding her game.

MacKenzie Holmes reminds me of MG in a number of ways. From all reports, she works hard and harder in IU practices. Suspect she might have a few cuts here and there, but wouldn't bet against her eventually making it at the next level.

Speaking of grit, Mac plays with Grace Berger who just may be one of my favorite combo guards in the country. My only concern with Berger is whether she's quick enough. However, she's technically precise and tough as hell. Improve her range a bit and perhaps she can pull a Marina Mabrey...

 

[WFFL]

I posted about Megan Gustafson in one of the WNBA threads about how she took her (very successful) approach in college and found it wasn't quite enough to stick at the pro level. But she always worked hard, hustled and was a good teammate while expanding her game.

MacKenzie Holmes reminds me of MG in a number of ways. From all reports, she works hard and harder in IU practices. Suspect she might have a few cuts here and there, but wouldn't bet against her eventually making it at the next level.

Speaking of grit, Mac plays with Grace Berger who just may be one of my favorite combo guards in the country. My only concern with Berger is whether she's quick enough. However, she's technically precise and tough as hell. Improve her range a bit and perhaps she can pull a Marina Mabrey...

I like Berger !!!! She's tough and gritty !! She needs to work on her shooting though she takes a lot of shots and misses the majority.

 

[Dillon77]

I like Berger !!!! She's tough and gritty !! She needs to work on her shooting though she takes a lot of shots and misses the majority.

She's roughly a 45% career shooter from the field, but her three-point shooting overall average is under 30 percent, so she's got to work on that. Her FT % is up to 74% or so, which is good, because she goes to the line frequently: 146 times last year.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Berger kind of reminds me of Brittany McPhee, who hasn't come close to finding a home in the WNBA.

 

[Bigboote]

I think Holmes and Terri Moren may have gone to school on what's happened to Gustafson in the W. As I pointed out earlier, Holmes is an elite defender, which Gustafson never was. But she's developed a three-point shot, which is think is a deliberate attempt to make her more marketable for the W.

I think Berger is more skilled than McPhee. I think she's more akin to Lexi Hull. There are a couple of key differences -- Grace doesn't have the three-point shot, but she does have a WNBA-ready frame, which Lexi doesn't. Berger also has as good a midrange game as there is in the NCAA. The similarities: They're both basketball Swiss-army knives. Both are savvy and scrappy and just have a nose for loose balls.

 

[nwhoopfan]

McPhee was plenty scrappy, also had a decent midrange game and was effective scoring in the lane despite not having exceptional length and being a bit wispy. 3 point shooting wasn't her strong suit. Her Sr. year stats were remarkably similar to Berger's. Not saying they're the exact same player, but I definitely saw some similarities.

McPhee in turn reminded me a bit of Jamie Weisner. She at least got a cup of coffee in the W, but just barely.

Anyway, many many very good college players just don't stick in the W, just the way it goes. Some find a niche, but many don't.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Okay @Bigboote , how about this one? Kathleen Doyle. Another jack of all trades guard from the Big 10, very scrappy, productive player. Washed out of the W after just one season.

I'm not saying Berger won't make it, only that I can think of a bunch of at least in the same ballpark type of players who didn't.

 

[WFFL]

You have to be a special talent that can make an immediate impact your rookie season to actually stick and make a WNBA team. College players who are tweeners or that are not a 3 way skilled player normally are drafted out of sympathy and to have their name called on draft night , but most GM's know they wont make the team .

 

[WFFL]

Welp with Ayoka Lee out for the season she's staying another year so she will most likely be the first post taken in 2024 if not Cameron Brink .

 

[visitingcock]

Welp with Ayoka Lee out for the season she's staying another year so she will most likely be the first post taken in 2024 if not Cameron Brink .

Makes me sad.

 

[Bigboote]

Okay @Bigboote , how about this one? Kathleen Doyle. Another jack of all trades guard from the Big 10, very scrappy, productive player. Washed out of the W after just one season.

I'm not saying Berger won't make it, only that I can think of a bunch of at least in the same ballpark type of players who didn't.

I haven't said at any point that I think Berger is a sure thing, and don't think she is.

 

[VA Huskie]

Welp with Ayoka Lee out for the season she's staying another year so she will most likely be the first post taken in 2024 if not Cameron Brink .

Brink would go before Lee… IMHO.

 

[bballnut90]

Welp with Ayoka Lee out for the season she's staying another year so she will most likely be the first post taken in 2024 if not Cameron Brink .

I think Brink is the far more intriguing prospect. Much better athlete, runs the floor extremely well, can hit from the perimeter, good handles, elite defender...she picks up way too many fouls but in 2 years I think she'll be in contention for #1 overall, though it'll be competitive with Clark and potentially Bueckers too.

 

[WFFL]

I think Brink is the far more intriguing prospect. Much better athlete, runs the floor extremely well, can hit from the perimeter, good handles, elite defender...she picks up way too many fouls but in 2 years I think she'll be in contention for #1 overall, though it'll be competitive with Clark and potentially Bueckers too.

Brink continues to put on the weight like she has the past few seasons i see her being a lottery pick . One of the most underrated defensive players in the country with a nice offensive skillset .