2020 WNBA Draft class

2020 has been a movie. What movie you may ask? Avengers Endgame. While everything has been effected worldwide the sports world has been hit hardest. The NBA season is still on hiatus, and the future is uncertain.

Due to the Virus, the 2020 WNBA draft was held today April 17th virtually. For fans unfamiliar with the WNBA we will explain the format.

The WNBA draft contains 3 rounds and 36 Picks. As there are 12 teams, in a standard draft teams pick a total of 3 times. Of course, trades happen and because of that, some teams don’t draft until the 3rd round. The WNBA requires players to be 22 so the clash between the NCAA and the WNBA over young talent is non-existent.

The lottery is comprised of the 4 teams that missed the playoffs. Lottery odds are calculated by their combined record over 2 seasons. This makes for a compelling lottery as teams must tank two seasons for the best chances to land the best prospect any given year.

This year’s draft saw the New York Liberty Select, Sabrina Ionescu out of Oregon with the first pick. In her collegiate career, she averaged 17.9 points, 7.8 assists and an absurd 7.5 rebounds. She’s a guard yet her all-around brilliance is no secret. She will be joining the Liberty who posted a 10-24 record which was tied for the 2nd worst record in the League. She along with Kia Nurse should prove to be a fearsome backcourt for years.

Satou Sabally was taken second overall by the Dallas Wings. Sabally had a standout career at Oregon as a forward. The Wings recorded a 10-24 record last season. The Wings have dedicated to a full rebuild as shown by their trading of previous franchise centrepieces, Skylar Diggins and Liz Cambage. In her collegiate career, she averaged 14.5 points, 2 assists and 4 rebounds per game. Drafting Sabally is definitely the first step in what will be a long process towards championship contention.

With the third pick, Lauren Cox was selected by the Indiana Fever. The fever finished the season 13-21. In her senior season, she averaged 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.7 Assists as a standout at Baylor. She should provide a much-needed paint presence for the defensively challenged Fever.

With the 4th Pick, the Atlanta Dream Selected Chennedy Carter out of Texas A&M. In her junior year, she averaged 21.3 points and 3.5 assists per game. She joins a team that just recently posted the worst record in the league at 8-26. Carter could contribute her scoring prowess which any team could use.

The 5th pick saw the Dallas Wings picking another forward. This time instead of Sabtou Sabally the wings selected Bella Alarie from Princeton. In her senior year, she broke the Princeton single-season record for the highest points per game average with 22.8.

With the 6th pick, the Minnesota Lynx selected Mikia Herbert-Harrigan out of South Carolina. This passing year she averaged 13.1 points per game and 5.6 rebounds. The Lynx finished this past season 18 and 16.

With the 7th pick, the Dallas Wings selected Tyasha Harris out of South Carolina. She averaged 12 points and 5.7 assists. She’s joining a stacked young core.

With the 8th pick, the Chicago Sky selected Ruthy Herbard out of Oregon. As a forward, she averaged 17.3 points and 9 rebounds per game. The Chicago Sky finished last season 20-14. Herbard maybe the piece to make them true title contenders.

With the 9th pick, the Liberty selected Megan Walker from Uconn. As a forward at the illustrious UCONN Women’s program Walker showed out. This past season she averaged 19.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

The Mercury selected Jocelyn Willoughby with the 10th pick. The Mercury recorded a 15-19 record last season.

With the 11th pick, we saw the Seattle Storm take the first international prospect of the draft. As it always is with prospects from overseas prospects it will be interesting to see how Kitlija Laska’s game will translate to the league. Hailing from Latvia she will be an intriguing player to watch over the course of the next season.

The first round ended with the New York Liberty selecting Jazmine Jones out of Louisville. She had a solid season averaging 22 points four assists and 3 steals, ideally, she will be a good two way player on the next level.

End of the first round

With the 13th pick, the Liberty selected Kylee Shook, a forward out of Louisville. She averaged 10.1 points and 8 rebounds her last season.

With the 14th pick, Indiana Fever selected Kathleen Doyle out of Iowa. She averaged 18.1 points per game while her tenacity and competitiveness spoke for themselves.

With the 15th pick, the Liberty selected Leaonna Odom from Duke. She averaged 14.3 points 6.2 rebounds her senior season.

With the 16th pick, the Lynx selected Crystal Dangerfield out of Uconn. Danger field averaged 15 points per game and dished out 3 assists.

With the 17th pick, the Atlanta Dream selected Brittany Brewer out of Texas A&M. She averaged 16.6 points and 9 rebounds.

With the 18th pick, the Phoenix Mercury picked Tea Cooper out of Baylor, this season due averaged 13.6 points per game.

With the 19th Pick, the Seattle Storm selected Joyner Holmes out of Texas. Her senior year saw her average 13.1 points per game.

With the 20th pick, the Los Angeles Sparks selected Beatrice Mompremier. She probably won’t get much playtime as a member of a contender. The Sparks finished the regular season 22-12 and fell just short of a championship.

With the 21st pick, the Dallas Wings selected Luisa Geiselsoder out of Germany.

As a foreign center, her predicament will be especially intriguing. Being a mid-late pick she may not get a lot of playtime but with international players, you never know. With the 22nd pick, the sparks selected Leonie Fiebich from Germany. She has a pretty good jumper but the rest of her game is somewhat of a mystery.

With the 23rd pick, the Connecticut Sun selected Kaila Charles from Maryland. she averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a guard. She’sbeen slept on as an all-around prospect as she led the terrapins to a 28-4 record.

With the 24th pick, the Washington Mystics selected Jaylyn Agnew from Creighton. She was the final International prospect of the draft. It will be interesting to see what type of careers thru could pave out for themselves. Foreigners have started to see more success in the NBA so it’s only a matter of time until the WNBA fits that mold.

Round 3

With the 25th pick, the Atlanta Dream selected Mikayla Pivec from Oregon State.

With the 26th pick, the Minnesota Lynx selected Erica Ogwumike from Rice. They acquired the 26th pick Via trade with the New York Liberty.

With the 27th pick, the Atlanta Dream selected Kobi Thornton. She had a stellar season at Clemson so don’t be surprised if teams regret not picking her later.

With the 28th pick, the Fever selected Kamiah Smalls from James Madison University.

With the 29th pick, the Mercury selected Stella Johnson from Rider University.

With the 30th Pick, the Chicago Sky selected Japreece Jean from UCLA. The Chicago Sky finished the season 20-14. With the 31st pick, the Seattle Storm selected. Haley Gorecki from Duke University. With the 32nd pick, Kiah Gillespie was selected by the Chicago Sky. With the 33rd pick, the Las Vegas Aces selected Lauren Manis from Holy Cross.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed the notability of schools decreases as we get deeper within the final round.

With the 34th pick, the Los Angeles Sparks selected Tynice Martin out of West Virginia. With the 35th pick, the Connecticut Sun selected Juicy Landrum from Baylor.

Lastly, with the 36th pick, the reigning champion Mystics selected Sug Sutton from Texas. The exciting thing about the WNBA is that any of these players could become stars.

Players like Taj Mcwilliams-Franklin were selected nearly last and yet became one of the best to ever do it.