The Indiana Fever have four picks in the first round and seven picks overall in the draft. Monday's draft is once. The next phase of the Fever will begin.
Lin Dunn, the former Indiana head coach who took over as the franchise's general manager in February, said that they were going to rebuild with young players.
The first round of the draft is Monday. They have three more in the second and third rounds. This is a new challenge for the coach, who was in charge of the Indiana Fever when they won the 2012 title. She hoped that she would be able to help the former star of the show in the rebuild.
In February, Catchings stepped down, and the architect for the team that hasn't had a winning record since 2015 was moved to that position. They had losing records in five of the last six seasons.
For a chance at $5,000, answer questions about where the future stars of the WNBA will end up. Pick your favorites.
Stanley, who is entering her third season with the team, hopes to give Indiana a change in identity. This draft is needed to help ignite that.
I have a three-year plan in my mind. We are thin there. There is no reason why I can't get some bigs that can run and score.
The two basketball players who will be in the Basketball Hall of Fame in the year 2022 have known each other for 40 years and both have had success in the college and pro games. Since Catchings retired as a player, the last time the Fever went to the playoffs, Indianapolis has been in a state of disrepair.
The last few years have not worked and there have to be changes. Let's go in a different direction. We have not valued defense the way we should have. I toldMarianne that I need to get her some more talent.
I think the fans are disappointed. The fans have been waiting for better. They think they will be in the playoffs. The owners and fans care about the franchise. We need to put a better team on the floor.
She has not been coy about her thoughts on the pick. She thinks Rhyne Howard and NaLyssa Smith will be the top two picks, but she isn't sure which order they will go. She will be happy to get either player because she wasn't willing to make a trade with Washington to move up to the No. 1 spot.
I would be happy with either Howard or Smith. I would be happy with Ole Miss. If Atlanta takes Howard, we will take Smith as well.
I think Howard and Smith are franchise players. We can build this franchise around either of them. I love them both.
With the top pick, the Dream could be the same team as the Fever, who have five selections overall.
This is the final mock draft by ESPN.
The guard is a senior.
Howard could be a problem in the pro game just as she was in college. She averaged more than 20 points per game this season. She is big enough to post up against most defenders, and her 284 career 3-pointers show she can be lethal from the perimeter. Howard should seize the chance to become a signature player for the franchise if she is indeed the player Atlanta was hoping to get.
The 6-foot-4 forward is a senior.
Both Howard and Smith have good skill sets. Smith seems to be a better fit for the Fever, who are in need of post help and more energy on defense. Smith had her best defensive season as a senior, and would embrace guarding the best players, according to the coach. Smith averaged 22.1PPG and 11.5RPG this season, and while she is known for scoring in the paint, she believes her range will keep growing.
Ole Miss center is 6-foot-5
At the NBA level, Mike Thibault was a true scout, something he did for a long time. He doesn't show his cards when talking before the draft. He might go in a different direction than Austin. She could have an All-Star future if he goes with Austin. She was a force on interior defense for the Rebels and can be a force for Washington.
Louisville has a 6-foot-1 senior.
If ever a player looked like a Lin Dunn type, it was the scrapper Engstler. New York could take her at No. 5 if they used a lottery pick to get her. She helped lead Louisville to the program's fourth women's Final Four in her one season at the school. She averaged 11.9 points per game and 9.4 points per game, and her constant energy and ability to disrupt the passing lanes could help the defense.
The center/forward is a redshirt junior.
We have had her projected as a lottery pick before. The post played just 47 games for the Ducks because of injuries, and she wasn't able to practice much. She averaged 14.2PPG and 7.5RPG in college, and her potential is huge. She might decide that she is worth the risk and take her fourth. The Liberty could pick her.
The center is a senior at NC State.
There is a wide range of opinions on Cunane, who finished her career at NC State with an average of 14.8 PPG and 7.9RPG. Is she ready to play? Can she get stronger? Will she go later in the first round? Are you going to fall out of the first round? Cunane could be a good pick because of the need for size and good chemistry. She made 112 3-pointers in college, and that is a legitimate weapon for her. She is a hard worker who will fill any roll she is asked to play.
The guard/forward is a senior.
The Wings could use more size and depth at the wing position. She had a more impressive junior season because of her injury. The Wings have several offensive threats and a completely healthy Burrell might be one of them.
The center is 6 feet 3.
The deal with Minnesota to get two more picks might lead to one being spent on Kone. She is only 19 so her impact might be small. Her long-range potential could give the team more depth on the interior.
The guard for Florida Gulf Coast is a junior.
Bell, who started her college career at Ohio State, averaged 23.6 points and 9.4 points per game in two seasons at Florida Gulf Coast. She is a pure scorer and her size and strength could add some muscle to the perimeter offense.
South Carolina is a guard.
Henderson helped the Gamecocks win the national championship. If Henderson is available, they might not pass on her. She can be a sparkplug on both offense and defense as a point guard.
Michigan has a 6-foot-2 senior.
Hillmon is a tough-minded player who is going to help any team. There is concern over her lack of shooting range, but she could expand her game at the professional level. Aja Wilson has done that and that could be a big boost for Hillmon.
The guard is 5-foot-11.
Williams is a promising guard who might find her stride as a pro. She went 1-of-7 from the field for two points in the national championship game, but the team struggled. Williams has shown the capacity to be dangerous when the spotlight isn&t on her, and it wouldn't need to be with the Sun.
13 Veronica Burton is from Las Vegas.
There are 14. Evina Westbrook is a player for the Washington Mystics.
15. The Atlanta Dream is F, Connecticut.
16. Georgia Tech's Lorela Cubaj is a member of the Los Angeles Sparks.
The Seattle Storm was named after Michigan State's Nia Clouden.
18. Seattle Storm: Jade Melbourne.
19 Queen Egbo and C are from the Los Angeles Sparks.
20. Maya Dodson is from Notre Dame.
21. Lexie Hull is from the Seattle Storm.
22. Staiti is from Georgia.
There is a new date for this. LSU's KhaylaPointer is a member of the Las Vegas Aces.
24. Mya Hollingshed is from Colorado.
25. Jordan Lewis is a member of the Indiana Fever.
26. Jackson State's Ameshya Williams-Holliday is a member of the Phoenix Mercury.
27. Kianna Smith is from Louisville.
There is a new date for this. Reka Dombai is from Hungary.
29. The New York Liberty is named after a person from Maryland.
30. Texas Tech's F is Vivian Gray from Dallas Wings.
31. The Dallas Wings are named after a person named Joanne Allen-Taylor.
There are 32. The Phoenix Mercury has a person named Jasmine Dickey.
33. Hannah Sjerven is from South Dakota.
34. Virginia Tech's Aisha Sheppard is the G.
35. Macee Williams is from IUPUI.
36. Texas A&M's Kayla Wells is on the Connecticut Sun.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
