The WNBA Draft is in the books! As training camps get underway, many other media members have handed out grades. But, friends, we’re doing awards. In any sport, the draft is a time for excitement where hope springs eternal and it takes years to suss out what draft picks were the best. Awards keep things more fun until the harsh reality of training camp strikes and a lot of players get cut. So let’s look on the bright side today.
Overall Draft Winner: Dallas Wings
When you have three of the top five picks, it’s hard to not win the draft. The Wings improved their future the most of any team in the WNBA by picking Charli Collier, Awak Kuier, Chelsea Dungee, and Dana Evans. Each pick represents a lottery ticket for a WNBA star, and each of the new Wings brings something valuable to the table. Let’s start with the top two picks. Collier, a 6-foot-5 post-oriented big, and Kuier, a 6-foot-4 stretch big, have great potential. They could play together with Collier at center, Kuier at the four and Satou Sabally moving to the three. However, the more likely path seems like tailoring the team’s style to whichever player develops into a star. Kuier could be the perfect center for this team long term due to her ability to space the floor for Sabally and Arike Ogunbowale. But Collier might bolster the team’s league-worst rebounding rate while providing stretch capabilities if her three-pointer develops. Assuming Kuier comes over to the WNBA this year, figuring out the proper way to utilize these two will likely define Vickie Johnson’s first year in Dallas.
Dungee is my favorite pick out of this group. The Wings’ offense cratered from scoring 104.8 per 100 possessions when Ogunbowale was on the floor to 88 points per 100 possessions when the star was on the bench in 2020. While she’s not Arike, Dungee can get to the line at an elite level and create her own shot. She can excel off the bench while also providing another shooter around Arike. Evans is a great value pick with the first selection of the second round, but it will be hard for her to make the squad. If Kuier comes over in 2021, two of the following six players will most likely get cut: Dana Evans, Marina Mabrey, Megan Gustafson, Ty Harris, Bella Alarie and Moriah Jefferson. Still, this is a good problem to have and Dallas certainly improved on Thursday night.
Also considered: Chicago Sky and Los Angeles Sparks
The Immediate Impact Award: Shyla Heal, Chicago Sky
James Wade surprised some by taking Shyla Heal with the 8th overall selection. But the Australian guard could be crucial for Chicago this season. While Heal is just 19 years old, she has five(!) years of professional basketball experience in the Australian WNBL and has shown a great feel for the game. She will also have an opportunity to play next year. The Sky’s net rating plummeted by 29 points per 100 possessions when Courtney Vandersloot was on the bench, which was the largest gap for any one player last season. Sydney Colson, Kahleah Copper and Gabby Williams just couldn’t replicate Vandersloot’s shot creation or style of play. Heal might be able to do so and it could propel Chicago to new heights.
Also considered: Jasmine Walker, Los Angeles Sparks; Rennia Davis, Minnesota Lynx; Kysre Gondrezick, Indiana Fever
The Mike Thibault Memorial Award (for ruining mock drafts): Indiana Fever
The Washington Mystics were not in this draft to ruin mock drafts as they have so often done under Mike Thibault. But not to worry because the Thibault spirit was alive and well in Indiana, which makes sense considering Marianne Stanley spent seven years as Thibault’s assistant. The Fever took Kysre Gondrezick with the fourth pick. While Gondrezick was mocked in the first round in a couple of places, the pick still shocked many viewers. The Fever have plenty of options at the point guard while they lack wing depth. General Manager Tamika Catchings likely envisions Gondrezick as Indiana’s point guard of the future due to her shooting ability and low turnover rate. Catchings followed up this surprise selection by trading Kennedy Burke to Seattle for the 11th overall pick, Aaliyah Wilson, who also went higher than expected. The Fever killed mock drafts everywhere with these picks.
Also considered: Los Angeles Sparks (#10, Stephanie Watts) and Las Vegas Aces (#12, Iliana Rupert)
The Crystal Dangerfield Award (for the second-rounder ready to contribute): Destiny Slocum, Las Vegas Aces
There were so many good second-rounders that it is hard to pick this award. Dana Evans, Destiny Slocum, Natasha Mack, DiDi Richards, Dijonai Carrington, Kiana Williams, Arella Guriantes and the rest of the 2021 second-round picks all have enough talent to play in the WNBA. Most of them will not, so what we’re looking for here is a player with an opportunity to play and a valuable skill set to the team. Destiny Slocum has both in Las Vegas. While she didn’t have the year that many predicted for her at Arkansas, she still shot almost 40% from three and led a fast-paced offense with few mistakes. The Aces played at the fastest pace in the WNBA last year and are pretty thin at backup point guard. While the team could stagger Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray, Slocum offers a straightforward solution to the backup point guard spot with her shooting and style of play.
Also considered: Dijonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun; Kiana Williams, Seattle Storm
The HOW DID THIS PLAYER FALL TO CHERYL REEVE Award: Rennia Davis
Rennia Davis falling to the 9th overall pick was one of the most shocking developments of the draft. The versatile wing from Tennessee went off the board second in our mock draft and seemed like a lottery pick. Of course, she fell right into the arms of Cheryl Reeve and people kind of lost their minds on twitter. In fairness, it’s safe to say that whoever the Minnesota Lynx drafted with the 9th pick would have generated the same reaction. Naphessa Collier (6th, 2018) and Crystal Dangerfield (16th, 2019) have brought the Rookie of the Year trophy back to Minnesota in consecutive years. A lot of commentators would have likely labeled whoever the Lynx selected as the steal of the draft, regardless of who it was. That being said, Davis is clearly the steal of the draft. She has the length to defend almost anyone and the athleticism to get to the rim at will. She will likely get less playing time than Dangerfield or Collier did in their rookie years. But if Davis gets a chance, she might bring home another Rookie of the Year trophy.
Favorite Moment: Michaela Onyenwere’s grandmother
The 2021 draft was the second most-watched WNBA draft in the past 17 years, coming in behind last year’s draft. Turns out putting the thing on ESPN really helps ratings! Luckily, this draft delivered for the casual viewer with amazing moments from top to bottom. No one had more swag than Michaela Onyenwere’s grandma. She wanted her slice of attention when Michaela’s mom got to show her jacket, so grandma got up and started dancing, which shook the camera. It was a fantastic moment in a fantastic draft.
Also considered:Rennia Davis vibing to her own highlight reel; Kysre Gondrezick’s celebration