The WNBA Draft is at 7pm tonight on ESPN. Louisville has one player (Dana Evans) participating in this year’s draft. Last year Louisville had 2 players (Jazmine Jones and Kylee Shook) drafted back to back.
Before the conference tournaments, Dana Evans was thought of as the 3rd-best prospect in the draft. With so many player having great tournaments and getting more exposure, Evans has appeared to slip a little in every mock draft. The 1st and 2nd picks are pretty much set. Picks 3-8 is where I think the draft will get shook up and teams may reach for a player that they really want.
Dallas has multiple picks in the first round. The Wings own 4 of the first 13 picks in the draft. They are looking to add a lot of youth to their roster, much like the Liberty have done in last year’s draft. The Wings are most likely going to with Charli Collier and Awak Kuier with the top two picks.
1) Dallas Wings:
ESPN: Charli Collier
Yahoo! Sports: Charli Collier
CBS: Charli Collier
My Thoughts: A no brainer. Collier is potentially the starting block for a Dallas team that needs help across the board and on the backboard.
2) Dallas Wings:
ESPN: Awak Kuier
Yahoo! Sports: Awak Kuier
CBS: Awak Kuier
My Thoughts: Dallas will continue to sure up the glass by getting perhaps two of the best prospects in this year’s draft. The first and second picks were understandable, picks 3-8 could make some heads spin. Picks 3-8 will be a combination of two things; team needs and who teams feel is the best available.
3) Atlanta Dreams:
ESPN: Arella Guirantes
Yahoo! Sports: Rennia Davis
CBS: Rennia Davis
My Thoughts: Don’t be surprised if you see a trade at this spot for a pick in next year’s draft. If the Dream decide to use this pick, I think Tennessee’s Rennia Davis and Rutgers’ Arella Guirantes. Does Atlanta decide to pair a legit scoring guard with Chennedy Carter? Then Guirantes is their pick. Or do they decide to add a versatile forward in Rennia Davis?
4) Indiana Fever:
ESPN: Rennia Davis
Yahoo! Sports: Aari McDonald
CBS: Aari McDonald
My Thoughts: Teaira McCowan made some moderate strides last season in only her 2nd in the league. With that being said, the Fever can decide to either build depth in their front court and on the wings or add a point to pair with their young post player McCowan. Aari McDonald can both help run the show in Indiana and stretch the floor with her ability to shoot the 3-ball. While Arella Guirantes is a bigger guard and more of a scorer, she’s my pick for the Fever at this spot if the Dream don’t take her with the pick before.
Dana Evans Probability: 2%
5) Dallas Wings:
ESPN: Aari McDonald
Yahoo! Sports: Natasha Mack
CBS: Arella Guirantes
My Thoughts: Dallas is back at it again, I really believe they will draft Mack out of Oklahoma State. Mack is the perfect contingency plan for Dallas as they’ll most likely allow Kuier to stay overseas as she continues to develop. Mack isn’t a slouch by any stretch of the imagination. She’ll come in and make her presence known defensively almost immediately. Those were my thoughts before Dallas traded away their 7th-overall pick. With this being the Wings’ last pick in the first round, I can’t see the Wings passing up on one of the hottest names of the tournament. It’s got to be Aari McDonald here for the Wings. However, if Mack falls to the Wings with 1st pick in the second round, she’ll definitely be their choice.
Dana Evans Probability: 8%
6) New York Liberty:
ESPN: Dana Evans
Yahoo! Sports: Dana Evans
CBS: Jasmine Walker
My Thoughts: I would be elated to have Dana selected by the New York Liberty and they become the East Louisville New York Liberty (too soon? Ok, my bad, I’m a little sorry.) It really all depends on how they think Asia Durr is doing physically and what their long term plan is for former #1 pick Sabrina Ionescu. If they want to move Sabrina to the 2-guard and have a combo guard with playmaking and good 3-point shooting playing the one, then Dana Evans should be their top choice. If they want to open up the floor with their wing players to give Ionescu more room to work and maneuver, then the 6’3 Walker is the clear pick here.
Dana Evans Probability: 55%
7) LA Sparks:
ESPN: Chelsea Dungee
Yahoo! Sports: Jasmine Walker
CBS: Chelsea Dungee
My Thoughts: With the Sparks trading for the 7th-overall pick, it let’s you know how much they value getting a point guard with this pick. With Dallas perhaps taking the best two prospects in the draft in point guard McDonald and Evan’s off the board, I think the Sparks will most likely draft Chelsea Dungee.
8) Chicago Sky:
ESPN: Kiana Williams
Yahoo! Sports: Arella Guirantes
CBS: Dana Evans
My Thoughts: I don’t want to say desperately, but Chicago needs to draft a point guard here. I highly doubt Dana Evans will be on the board after the 6th pick, but if she is this is the move for the Sky. Dana will be able to get valuable minutes as the backup point guard, while learning from Courtney Vandersloot. It also wouldn’t hurt that Dana Evans’ hometown of Gary, Indiana isn’t too far away from Chicago. The best available point guard might be Kiana Williams at this spot.
Dana Evans Probability: 35%
9) Minnesota Lynx:
ESPN: Jasmine Walker
Yahoo! Sports: Michaela Oneyenwere
CBS: Natasha Mack
My Thoughts: The madness and unpredictability of picks 3-8 has passed. Now the rest of the draft can begin to take shape and have some predictability. Realistically, Walker is off the board. So, the smart pick for the Lynx would be Natasha Mack. Why Mack you may ask? As stated earlier, she is probably the best defensive post player in the draft. With an aging Sylvia Fowles, Mack has got to be the choice here.
10) LA Sparks:
ESPN: Natasha Mack
Yahoo! Sports: Kiana Williams
CBS: Kiana Williams
My Thoughts: Watch out for Michaela Oneyenwere here at this spot. With the Sparks potentially addressing the need for more shooting with their earlier pick, Oneyenwere will most likely be the best available player on the board at the 10th pick.
11) Seattle Storm:
ESPN: Michaela Oneyenwere
Yahoo! Sports: Chelsea Dungee
CBS: Shyla Heal
My Thoughts: Sue Bird is one of the greatest to ever lace them up in the WNBA, but father time is undefeated for a reason. I truly believe Kiana Williams will be off the board, so maybe the Storm take the overseas route and allow Bird to groom her predecessor.
12) Las Vegas Aces:
ESPN: DiJonai Carrington
Yahoo! Sports: DiJonai Carrington
CBS: Michaela Oneyenwere
My Thoughts: The Aces are in need of front court depth and a strong wing player. Natasha Mack might be available here, but DiJonai Carrington would be a solid pick up for the Aces.
Selfishly, I’d love Dana to be drafted at 6th by the New York Liberty and join former Louisville teammates Durr, Jones, and Shook. However, I think being drafted 8th by the Chicago Sky will be better for her longterm career.
