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The draft lottery is on Sunday. The team that gets to set the tone with the first pick in the draft will be announced by the sports network.
The four teams in the lottery are the Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics and Dallas Wings.
The cumulative records of the two most recent regular seasons are used to calculate lottery odds. With a record of 12-42, the Fever have the most chances to land the top pick and are guaranteed at least the third pick.
There are some draft-eligible juniors, such as Kansas State center Ayoka Lee and Florida Gulf Coast guard Kierstan Bell, who might enter the mix in subsequent updates.
Injuries and the fact that they need more time to develop as pro players were some of the reasons why the 2021 WNBA rookies struggled to make an impact.
There are some prospects with high ceilings this season, but they are not guaranteed franchise-changing players like A'ja Wilson.
Let's see how the first round might look. The first four picks are listed in order of their odds.
The first round.
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1. Rhyne Howard is from Kentucky.
The senior has the skills. Does she have the mindset and consistency to be a franchise-changing player? The Fever have never had a top pick. Lauren Cox, Indiana's pick at No. 3 overall in 2020, was released last season and went to Los Angeles. Kysre went on a personal leave of absence after playing in 19 games.
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2. NaLyssa Smith is from the Atlanta Dream.
Her double-double average shows that her explosion around the basket is electric. Smith is asking about her face-up game. She is 3-of-10 from the 3-point range this season. The Dream is trying to remake itself after a challenging past few years under a new coach and general manager.
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3. Washington Mystics: Shakira Austin.
Austin's scoring average and shooting percentage are both down from last season, but that might be because she's trying to expand her range. It's necessary to enter the WNBA. She is a very good defensive player, with 2.3 blocks and 2.3 steals per game.
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4. The Dallas Wings have a Michigan player.
Hillmon has become one of the more consistent scoring forwards in the college game, and she has shot over 50% from the field during her career. There are questions about how effective she will be. The Wings' post game needs more guards, and Hillmon's ability to spread the floor could make him a good fit.
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5. NC State's Elissa Cunane is from New York Liberty.
Cunane is a strong presence on the low block who has shot over 50% from the field and over 80% from the line in her career. Cunane shoots the 3-pointer just enough to be an asset at the next level. Cunane is a strong defensive player. She could give the Liberty strength and size.
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6. Dallas Wings: Rae Burrell.
In the Lady Vols' season opener, Burrell suffered a knee injury and hasn't played since. Tennessee said it isn't a torn anterior cruciateeum but has not said what the injury is. There might be more clarity next week. The 6-1 wing, who averaged 16.8PPG and 4.6RPG last season, has shown when healthy that she has a level of talent that is comparable to the W.W.
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7. Destanni Henderson is from South Carolina.
Henderson is expected to return. Her ability to run the point, get to the rim and shoot from behind the 3-point line makes her a good candidate to join the Sky.
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8. The Minnesota Lynx have Evina Westbrook.
At 6'2”, Westbrook has good size for a true perimeter player and already has the maturity level of a pro. The most consistent and calming presence has been Westbrook. Her ability to find ways to help the Huskies is shown in her 10.86 PPG, 4.1RPG and 4.1 APG. The players chosen from Connecticut have worked well for the team.
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9. The Seattle Storm is named after Iowa State's G.
Joens is a scorer with a 20.2 point per game, and she leads the Iowa State team in rebound with 8.6. The obvious comparison for Joens is that of a former Iowa State player, who is a 6-1 guard/forward. The past two seasons with the Lynx have been a niche for Carleton, who didn't make much impact as a rookies in 2019.
AP Photo/Eric Gay.
10. Christyn Williams is from Connecticut.
The up-and-down nature of Williams' performance has been frustrating for her. Williams is a guard with speed and size who can play downhill. Williams is a game-changer when she's hitting 3-point shots and defensively. If Williams is still available, the Fever might not want to pass on her.
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11. Veronica Burton is from Las Vegas.
Burton is a two-time Big Ten defensive player of the year and he is a tough guard. She has averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 rebound, 4.5 assists and 3.2 steals in her career and could be a good addition for the Aces, who fell short in the semifinals this past season.
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
12. Lexie Hull is from the state of Connecticut.
The 6-1 Hull can do everything well and she could give the Sun another 3-point option.
