There’s still a lot of uncertainty around the WNBA Draft, which is scheduled for April 15.
Will it be held in person after going virtual last season because of the pandemic? Which college seniors will take advantage of the extra year of eligibility provided by the NCAA’s blanket waiver? Which ones will opt out early? What will the Wings do with their four first-round picks?
Those are just some of the questions that will be answered in the next few weeks. Here’s one version of what might happen in the first round:
1. Dallas Wings: Charli Collier
6-5 | C | Texas The Wings are a team in flux, building around Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally. Collier, who declared for the draft earlier this month, is arguably the best player in this year’s class, doing most of her damage in and around the paint. She draws a lot of fouls, which complements her strong free-throw shooting.
2. Dallas Wings: Awak Kuier
6-4 | PF | Finland The 19-year-old Finnish star is widely viewed as the second-best player in this year’s class and could be an additional interior threat for the Wings. She’s athletic and can stretch the floor.
3. Atlanta Dream: Dana Evans
5-6 | PG | Louisville The Dream have a backcourt duo of Chennedy Carter and Courtney Williams, but with Williams in the final year on her contract, they could look to draft Evans, a do-it-all guard with a big upside.
4. Indiana Fever: Arella Guirantes
5-11 | SG | Rutgers The Fever are a young team in the middle of a rebuild, and Guirantes could help move that process along. She had team highs in points (23), rebounds (six) and assists (5.2) this season and hasn’t even reached her full potential yet.
5. Dallas Wings: Rennia Davis
6-2 | SF | Tennessee Davis is a great two-way player and could be another reliable scoring option for new Wings coach Vickie Johnson. Last season, she led the Vols in points (17.3) and rebounds (8.8).
6. New York Liberty: Jasmine Walker
6-3 | PF | Alabama The stretch four has been a consistent force the last three seasons, leading the Crimson Tide to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999. Walker also broke Alabama’s single-game scoring record with a 41-point night against Clemson.
7. Dallas Wings: Chelsea Dungee
5-11 | SG | Arkansas Dungee had a 38-point performance in a win against Ole Miss and a 37-point night that helped hand UConn its only loss. If the young Wings don’t trade this pick, the All-America Third Team selection could be a good addition.
8. Sky: Aari McDonald
5-6 | PG | Arizona After adding two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker this offseason, the Sky need a backup point guard to complete their team, and McDonald could fill that void. She’s a tenacious defender with proven quickness and keen court awareness. With Courtney Vandersloot as her mentor, she could blossom.
9. Minnesota Lynx: Natasha Mack
6-4 | PF | Oklahoma State Mack is one of the best defenders in college basketball, having led the nation this past season in blocked shots with 4.1 per game. The former junior college star also averaged 20 points and 12.4 rebounds and had the second-most double-doubles in the country with 18.
10. Los Angeles Sparks: Kiana Williams
5-8 | PG | Stanford Williams has led Stanford back to the top of the Pac-12. In 28 games, she averaged 14.5 points while shooting 42% from the field and 36.9% from three-point range. She had only 39 turnovers — 30 fewer than the previous season.
11. Seattle Storm: Evina Westbrook
6-0 | PG | Connecticut The Storm have Sue Bird and Jordin Canada as options at point, but Bird is 40 and was limited to just 11 games last season due to an injury. Going for another point guard makes sense for the Storm, and Westbrook, who averaged 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists this past season, could be a solid option if she declares for the draft.
12. Las Vegas Aces: Didi Richards
6-1 | PG | Baylor After re-signing Liz Cambage and acquiring Chelsea Gray, the Aces are possible favorites to win it all in 2021. Richards, who’s third in the nation in assists (6.3), isn’t considered a true point guard, but her versatility could make her a valuable pick to bolster the Aces’ depth at guard.
