2023 WNBA Draft: Boston, Miller, Siegrist go 1, 2, 3; Joens, Beal fall
Right here’s a recap of the 2023 WNBA Draft:
1) Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever)
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert mentioned the phrases after which it was official. All of us anticipated Boston to go right here. She brings elite protection and inside scoring to Indiana. Will she be among the many better of the most effective No. 1 picks of all-time although?
2) Diamond Miller (Minnesota Lynx)
Minnesota didn’t attempt to change legendary middle Sylvia Fowles with this choose or go after a degree guard. As a substitute, the Lynx did what was anticipated and picked the most effective participant accessible. Miller is a No. 2 choose that lots of people are enthusiastic about.
3) Maddy Siegrist (Dallas Wings)
Siegrist climbed up mock drafts within the weeks main as much as the draft and made it three picks in a row the place ESPN’s finest participant accessible was taken. So nonetheless no surprises. Siegrist was the most effective scorer on the school degree on this yr’s draft. We’ll see if she will be able to translate to enjoying the three or 4 within the WNBA at 6-foot-1.
4) Stephanie Soares (Dallas Wings by way of commerce with Washington Mystics)
It was a little bit odd to see the Mystics seem to step on Shakira Austin’s toes with this choose, however then it was revealed that they traded the choose to Dallas. We’ve seen a small pattern measurement from Soares on the Division I degree, however her skillset offers her a excessive ceiling.
5) Lou Lopez Sénéchal (Dallas Wings)
What if Lopez Sénéchal turns into the most effective professional scorer from this draft class? It may occur. So not completely stunning that the Wings took her right here, three spots forward of Eric Nemchock’s SB Nation mock draft and 6 spots forward of ESPN’s mock draft.
6) Haley Jones (Atlanta Dream)
Jones was for a very long time the projected No. 2 choose within the draft. She waited about so long as we anticipated to listen to her identify when her precise draft night time rolled round. It is a big-name choose for the Dream at No. 6. Jones is a former Ultimate 4 Most Excellent Participant.
7) Grace Berger (Indiana Fever)
Indiana went with the in-state choose, taking Berger from Indiana College. Each SB Nation and ESPN had Brea Beal of South Carolina going right here. Beal ended up falling all the best way to No. 24. Berger isn’t the flashiest participant to take right here, although she might be higher offensively than Beal, who would have been extra of a defensive choose.
8) Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream)
Amihere went precisely the place ESPN anticipated and one spot forward of Nemchock’s projection. In our Dream preview, we talked about that the Dream may not take a standard middle at 6 or 8 as a result of Soares could be unavailable, which she ended up being. As a substitute they might go together with somebody who has middle top however extra versatile abilities, because the sport is shifting away from conventional facilities anyway. At 6-foot-4, Amihere has the flexibility to play level guard.
9) Jordan Horston (was ESPN’s 4th-best participant accessible at begin) (Seattle Storm)
We noticed the three finest accessible gamers go 1, 2, 3, however needed to wait till No. 9 for the fourth-best to go. Seattle will need to have been completely satisfied to see Horston nonetheless accessible as a result of she is a degree guard and the Storm are in fact attempting to switch Sue Chook.
10) Zia Cooke (Los Angeles Sparks)
Cooke was very emotional when she heard her identify known as at No. 10. Round New 12 months’s, ESPN requested a bunch of faculty gamers to offer their resolutions and considered one of Cooke’s was to go within the High 4 within the draft. Cooke had since seen her identify drop to No. 13 on each the SB Nation and ESPN mock drafts. It appeared like she was relieved to nonetheless go within the first spherical.
11) Abby Meyers (SB Nation-projected No. 20 choose) (Dallas Wings)
Meyers was the primary surprising choose of the night time, and it will need to have made Maryland Terrapin and Princeton Tiger followers completely satisfied. Nevertheless, the Wings took three gamers forward of her and a more-heralded offensive weapon in Ashley Joens after her. So it could be powerful for Meyers to make the roster.
12) Maïa Hirsch (Minnesota Lynx)
The Lynx addressed their middle want right here. Hirsch is 6-foot-5 and might stretch the ground along with her 3-point shot. She was thought of among the best gamers accessible on this draft and each Nemchock and ESPN had her going to the Lynx at No. 16.
