WNBA pre-draft news

[nwhoopfan]

Sjerven to Minnesota.

Kone to New York. That was a huge drop from where she was projected at some point.

 

[DeeHusky]

Yeah, but PG? Allen seems better suited to be a backup. Not sure any of the others fit. Again, they had Allemand, just can't believe they parted w/ her.

Danielle Robinson is probably the starter

 

[nwhoopfan]

They have the GOAT/assist leader, former MVP and champion, and Euroleague Final Four MVP, plus Momma Westbrook.

Unless they are cutting a veteran or two, Westbrook's chances of making the roster are between slim and none.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Danielle Robinson is probably the starter

Okay. More of a small 2 really.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Can't keep up. Fever just picked Ali Patberg.

 

[DeeHusky]

Right it’s hard to even think about basketball with Brittney’s situation; that is heart breaking

 

[Kaizen]

So South Carolina has only 1 so far?

 

[nwhoopfan]

So South Carolina has only 1 so far?

Did they have anyone else available in the draft? Next year will probably look a little different for them.

 

[Orangutan]

Who is their PG? Allen? Hartley? I can't believe they let Allemand go, she looked really good for them 2 years ago.

They got two 1st round picks in the Allemand trade.

And I'm not sure how often Allemand was actually going to play for them. I think it was a very smart trade for Indy.

 

[SCspur]

Did they have anyone else available in the draft? Next year will probably look a little different for them.

4 of 5 starters returning.

 

[Alydar]

Did they have anyone else available in the draft? Next year will probably look a little different for them.

My guess is that Saxton was told she wasn't in the first 2 rounds and decided to come back. She was gone until a few days ago.

 

[stwainfan]

And gets to team with Mercedes again.

 

[Orangutan]

Happy for Dodson to get drafted. Don't think she's a WNBA talent but she can probably carve out a career in Europe if she wants to.

 

[bballnut90]

At first glance I think Indiana won this draft. I like Smith as a prospect more than Howard and think she'll thrive in Indiana at #2. Gives them a star player to build around, and Smith will continue to improve. I also love Engstler at 4, she has all the skills to be a very good pro IMO without any major question marks. Hull at 6 is a little bit of a reach but like Engstler, she's a high energy hustle player that can help elevate the intensity on the court and in practice. Has good size too at 6-1. I also think Queen Egbo at 10 is an aggressive but compelling choice. She has the physical abilities to be a solid pro, just needs to avoid foul trouble and play with more consistency. I think she has the tools to be a solid backup a year or 2 down the line. And drafting Henderson at 20 is a great pick, she's solid on both ends and could compete with DRob/Lindsey Allen for playing time, likely in a backup role.

Other winners were Atlanta and Washington. Atlanta nabs Howard and somehow gets Naz Hillmon in the 2nd round. Naz has her shortcomings but could prove to be the steal of the draft if she works on her perimeter game. She definitely has the physical abilities and motor to be an excellent pro. Washington gets Shakira Austin who has pro skills and should be a solid backup year 1, and nabbing Christyn Williams in the 2nd round is a great value add. Williams has been streaky but should make the roster and could wind up being a solid pro. I don't love trading the 1st pick away but given the 2 they were left with, I thought they made strong picks.

 

[TheFarmFan]

At first glance I think Indiana won this draft. I like Smith as a prospect more than Howard and think she'll thrive in Indiana at #2. Gives them a star player to build around, and Smith will continue to improve. I also love Engstler at 4, she has all the skills to be a very good pro IMO without any major question marks. Hull at 6 is a little bit of a reach but like Engstler, she's a high energy hustle player that can help elevate the intensity on the court and in practice. Has good size too at 6-1. I also think Queen Egbo at 10 is an aggressive but compelling choice. She has the physical abilities to be a solid pro, just needs to avoid foul trouble and play with more consistency. I think she has the tools to be a solid backup a year or 2 down the line. And drafting Henderson at 20 is a great pick, she's solid on both ends and could compete with DRob/Lindsey Allen for playing time, likely in a backup role.

Other winners were Atlanta and Washington. Atlanta nabs Howard and somehow gets Naz Hillmon in the 2nd round. Naz has her shortcomings but could prove to be the steal of the draft if she works on her perimeter game. She definitely has the physical abilities and motor to be an excellent pro. Washington gets Shakira Austin who has pro skills and should be a solid backup year 1, and nabbing Christyn Williams in the 2nd round is a great value add. Williams has been streaky but should make the roster and could wind up being a solid pro. I don't love trading the 1st pick away but given the 2 they were left with, I thought they made strong picks.

+1. Agree with all of this.

 

[eebmg]

Right it’s hard to even think about basketball with Brittney’s situation; that is heart breaking

Hometown solid

 

[Floridaduck]

I like what New York got with Sabally, Kone, and Cubaj., a United Nations of draft picks.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I like what New York got with Sabally, Kone, and Cubaj.

Add in Dolson as a FA, they won't be the smallest team in the league any more. Definitely have gone 180 degrees away from what the previous GM was trying to do.

 

[nwhoopfan]

And gets to team with Mercedes again.

Kinda strange they both went from Willamette Valley in Oregon (Salem and Springfield are rather close) to Tennessee to Seattle in the WNBA, although their paths to ultimately end up there took some different turns.

 

[Orangutan]

Would be a bit worrying if Indiana didn't "win" the draft with 1/3 of the 1st round picks...

My love of mocking the Fever aside, Smith is my favorite player in the draft, I like the Engstler pick, and Henderson could actually make it with them as late as she was drafted.

I don't think Hillmon is a W player, so I'm less keen on Atlanta. Washington had a smart draft as always. Williams can actually make their roster and contribute, which would validate the decision to trade out of #1 a bit.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Would be a bit worrying if Indiana didn't "win" the draft with 1/3 of the 1st round picks...

Now they need to try to win some actual games.

 

[Pinhead]

Can't keep up. Fever just picked Ali Patberg.

And the rook' will be one of the oldest players at Indy's camp!

 

[cancontent]

Kone international player there was a lot of buzz about. Surprised nobody pulled the trigger on her in the 1st Round.

Sjerven to Minnesota.

Kone to New York. That was a huge drop from where she was projected at some point.

I wonder if her knee injury had some teams holding off. The ESPN article about her talks about her having injury recently. Glad to learn the prognosis wasn't as bad as initially feared and that her recovery is a matter of weeks versus a year.