Team Grades for the 2022 WNBA Draft
How did each squad perform on the clock?
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On April 11, the 2022 WNBA Draft ushered in the next generation of stars ready to take the league by storm. Thirty-six players were selected, looking to propel their respective teams to new heights.
Here at Her Hoop Stats, I’ve graded each team’s overall performance from last Monday. You know those teachers you used to hate in high school? The ones that would grade every assignment with a red pen and show no mercy? I’m willing to do that if I have to!
These grades are based on my assessment of how these players’ skills will translate to the next level and also when each draftee was selected. If the player could’ve been chosen at 20th overall but was picked sixth, it might cost you a few points on the grading scale (cough, Fever, cough). Also, I lent more importance to picks in earlier rounds. That is, a “bad” first-round pick will have a greater impact on a team’s draft grade than getting good value in the third round.
Thank you to Em Adler from The Next for creating an awesome big board to help define these prospects’ roles more clearly. Thanks also to the people at CBB Analytics and Pivot Analysis for the tools they offer on their sites, like a prospect’s on/off numbers, shot charts, and how they impact the game outside of the box score.
One more thing before we get started: congratulations to all of the players who were selected or who signed training camp contracts after the event. This is just the first step in their journey to the mountaintop! Let’s get started.
Atlanta Dream: A
No. 1: Rhyne Howard (A+), No. 15: Naz Hillmon (B+)
On April 6, the Dream shocked the basketball world as they traded up two slots to pick first overall in the draft, sacrificing an early second rounder and a first-round pick-swap they owned from the LA Sparks. In an incredibly shrewd move by Atlanta’s front office, they held onto their own 2023 first-round pick and landed the best player in the draft as they selected Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard last Monday.
Howard can do it all on the court, both offensively and defensively. Averaging over 20 points per game for her career, she dazzled scouts nightly with her three-level scoring and event creation on defense, wreaking havoc from the weak side. It’s a no-brainer selection, but it still deserves an A+. In the second round, the Dream shored up their frontcourt selecting Naz Hillmon from Michigan. While her defense may leave a little to be desired, the All-American is a tremendous post scorer that makes her teammates better and presents immediate impact.
Chicago Sky: N/A
The Sky didn’t have a draft pick, but they should be just fine headed into next season.
Connecticut Sun: B
No. 12: Nia Clouden (A), No. 24: Jordan Lewis (C+), No. 36: Kiara Smith (C+)
The Sun dominated the 2021 WNBA regular season, going 26-6, winning a litany of awards, and clinching a double bye into the playoff semifinals with ease. Unfortunately for them, they ran into the eventual champion Chicago Sky, getting ousted in four games as their offense faltered; Connecticut shot just 38.1% from the field in the game they were eliminated.
So, with its first-round pick on Monday, Connecticut snagged Nia Clouden from Michigan State. Clouden burst onto the scene in December when she racked up a program-record 50 points in a double-overtime duel with FGCU. She’s a high-level shooter from the perimeter and a microwave scorer. Paired with a returning Courtney Williams, they can undoubtedly help a Connecticut offense that although ranked fourth in offensive rating, sputtered out at times.
With their other selections, the Sun went with Baylor’s Jordan Lewis and Florida’s Kiara Smith. Lewis had a triple-double for the Bears back in January and is a solid guard who can facilitate and hold her own defensively. This pick gets a C+, though, because I would’ve liked to see Connecticut go with a post player at some point in the draft. Kiara Smith suffered a knee injury back in March; a report from Khristina Williams of Girls Talk Sports TV revealed that she won’t be at training camp and will miss the 2022 season, leading to the C+ given for her selection.
Dallas Wings: A-
No. 7: Veronica Burton (B+), No. 30: Jasmine Dickey (A), No. 31: Jazz Bond (A)
This offseason has already been above average for the Wings, as they’ve re-signed Arike Ogunbowale to a contract extension and traded for Teaira McCowan. On Monday, Dallas got the best point guard in the draft in Veronica Burton and made the most out of their third round selections as well.
Again, another shoutout to Em Adler, who linked this great article from Dan Olinger explaining Northwestern’s hectic “Blizzard” defense, a 1-1-3 matchup zone that allowed Burton to wreck offensive gameplans throughout her collegiate career. While she likely won’t average four steals per game in the WNBA, Dallas added a reliable facilitator who can pressure the rim and open up the offense for players like Ogunbowale and sharpshooter Marina Mabrey.
In the third round, the Wings landed Jasmine Dickey, a Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year finalist who became the first player since the 2018-19 season to average over 25 points and 10 rebounds a game this past year for Delaware. Then, they followed that up with the selection of Jazz Bond. Bond, a 6’4” wing from North Florida, shot over 38% from three-point land on more than five attempts per contest and averaged 2.5 blocks a game. The only other player to do that in the Her Hoop Stats era was FGCU’s Whitney Knight.
Dallas had a superb draft, landing their point guard of the future, a sharpshooter who can protect the rim, and one of the best mid-major players this decade. Now, if only they’d trade Ty Harris somewhere where she can play!
Indiana Fever: C+
No. 2: NaLyssa Smith (A+), No. 4: Emily Engstler (A), No. 6: Lexie Hull (D), No. 10: Queen Egbo (D), No. 20: Destanni Henderson (B+), No. 25: Ameshya Williams-Holiday (B-), No. 34: Ali Patberg (C+)
Man, the Fever always know how to make the draft interesting. A year after stunning everyone and picking Kysre Gondrezick fourth overall, they had quite the eventful draft this time around. Now, while the overall grade might be mediocre, it’s important to consider that if Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith reaches her absolute ceiling, it won’t really matter what Indiana did in the later stages of the first round. However, I’m still here to judge the Fever on what they did in totality.
Interim general manager Lin Dunn identified the frontcourt as an area that needed improvement, and Indiana hit two home runs with their first two selections. Smith and Louisville’s Emily Engstler are two versatile, disruptive talents who can slot into virtually any scheme and provide an immediate spark on the court. The Fever were off to a riveting start; their next two first round selections, though, were head-scratchers.
Lexie Hull is a sound player who was an important piece for Stanford, but it’s telling when even she was surprised she was selected at sixth overall. Hull shoots the ball well, but she doesn’t pressure the rim and I’m not sure how she’ll hold up defensively at the next level, so it’s not clear to me why the Fever chose her at this spot. Baylor’s Queen Egbo is a great rebounder and she has potential. However, she doesn’t space the floor well (three total attempts from three-point range at Baylor) and her efficiency inside the arc dropped significantly from her sophomore season to now. Also, Kierstan Bell was right there!
Indiana made two great selections in the 20s, drafting the star of the national championship game Destanni Henderson from South Carolina and three-time SWAC Defensive Player of the Year Ameshya Williams-Holliday from Jackson State, the latter being the first draft pick from an HBCU in 20 years. Henderson was a cornerstone on both ends for the best team in the nation, and Williams-Holliday sports a 7’2” wingspan along with preternatural rebounding ability. Lastly, in the third round, the Fever selected Ali Patberg, a star at Indiana who can facilitate and shot nearly 40% from three her first two seasons with the Hoosiers.
Las Vegas Aces: B+
No. 8: Mya Hollingshed (B+), No. 11: Kierstan Bell (A+), No. 13: Khayla Pointer (C+), No. 23: Aisha Sheppard (B+), No. 35: Faustine Aifuwa (B-)
The Aces had a great night last Monday as they walked away with the steal of the draft in Kierstan Bell. The wing from FGCU was projected by many to go in the top five, so to land a player that averaged over 23 points and four stocks (steals + blocks) per game with the penultimate pick of the first round is highway robbery. The two-time Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year gets to play for Hammon herself, and that’s pretty cool if you ask me.
Full disclosure: Life here on the East Coast unfortunately doesn't allow me to watch as much Pac-12 basketball as I would like to. So, when the Aces drafted Mya Hollingshed eighth overall, I was confused, especially since she wasn’t slotted in the first round in any of the mock drafts I saw. However, I deferred to Em’s big board and everything made sense. A 6’3” forward who shot almost 40% from 3 this year? Strong rebounding and outstanding help defense? A Maxi Kleber/Natasha Howard comparison?? Sold. These skills just seem easier to translate to the league compared to those of Lexie Hull, which leads to the difference in grading.
With their next three selections, the Aces went with two LSU Tigers and Virginia Tech’s Aisha Sheppard. Sheppard probably could’ve gone in the first round last year, so landing her late in the second is great for Las Vegas. Khayla Pointer will be rejoining her aunt/former head coach Nikki Fargas and she is a great all-around player, but you have to wonder if Destanni Henderson was the better pick at the time. Faustine Aifuwa is a credible rebounder and rim protector, which is about as much as you can ask for at the end of the third round.
Los Angeles Sparks: B+
No. 9: Rae Burrell (B+), No. 16: Kianna Smith (B), No. 19: Olivia Nelson-Ododa (B+), No. 27: Amy Atwell (B)
Los Angeles has been busy this offseason, trading Gabby Williams (congrats to the Euroleague Finals MVP!) for Katie Lou Samuelson, signing Jordin Canada and Liz Cambage, and acquiring budding star Chennedy Carter from the Atlanta Dream. After a rough season last year, this is a squad primed for playoff position.
With 15 players being the limit for training camp, the Sparks are currently at 20 including the draftees. 5 players are arriving late to camp, however, so they’re at the 15-player limit for now. Essentially, some tough decisions for the front office are on the horizon. Being drafted is an opportunity in itself, and each player the Sparks selected offers a unique strength. First-round pick Rae Burrell had a disappointing senior season at Tennessee, yet her scalability on offense and promising junior season indicate a high ceiling.
Louisville’s Kianna Smith and Hawaii’s Amy Atwell provide spacing for a team that ranked in the bottom third of the league in three-point percentage, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa from UConn should stick in the league as an above-average defensive option at center. The Sparks have undergone some major roster overturn, but this is a team ready to get to the next level.
Minnesota Lynx: C+
No. 22: Kayla Jones (C+), No. 28: Hannah Sjerven (C+)
Last Monday was an interesting one for Minnesota. The Lynx went into the draft without much cap space or wiggle room, meaning they had to hit on the margins. Also, Cheryl Reeve said that the Lynx would only carry 11 players on their roster this season, including Napheesa Collier who is away on maternity leave. So, while their draft selections might not make the final roster, they still have an opportunity to present themselves as replacement player options once the season gets underway.
Minnesota double-dipped with two frontcourt selections, drafting NC State’s Kayla Jones and Hannah Sjerven from South Dakota. Jones is more than capable from three-point range and is quite versatile on the defensive end. Sjerven shined on the national stage, leading the Coyotes to the Sweet 16 to cap off her collegiate career.
New York Liberty: B+
No. 5: Nyara Sabally (B), trade for No. 18: Lorela Cubaj (B), No. 29: Sika Kone (A+)
The Liberty had a roller coaster of a 2021 season, starting off 5-1, trading wins and losses before enduring a catastrophic 1-11 stretch toward the end of the regular season. Somehow, they were able to squeak into the playoffs and gave the eventual runners-up Phoenix quite the scare. Nevertheless, last season was one with learning experiences and growing pains.
Now, with a new head coach in Sandy Brondello, some veteran experience with the acquisition of Stefanie Dolson, and a healthy Natasha Howard and Betnijah Laney, this team is expected to not only compete for a playoff spot but actually make a deep run.
The Liberty selected Nyara Sabally and Sika Kone, and they traded a 2023 second rounder for Georgia Tech’s Lorela Cubaj to end the night. Sabally is a solid player and a good passer; there’s some untapped potential there. However, the argument can be made that Kierstan Bell was a better option here, and there’s a chance that the Liberty were so dead set on drafting Emily Engstler that this selection was a reactionary one. Also, general manager Jonathan Kolb revealed this past Friday that Sabally won’t suit up for the team in 2023, so this news impacts the grade somewhat.
Cubaj is a great get for the team, providing defensive versatility and playmaking that would be valuable to all 12 teams in the W. As for Kone, the Malian post was projected by a few mock drafts to go in the first round. For some reason, she slid all the way to the middle of the third. Nevertheless, Kone’s potential is tantalizing, and she’s an intriguing draft-and-stash option for the future. Five Out Basketball’s Peter Kilkelly is a fan, and so am I. Great draft for the Liberty.
Phoenix Mercury: B
No. 26: Maya Dodson (C+), No. 32: Macee Williams (B+)
Phoenix didn’t have a draft pick until the third round, when they selected Maya Dodson from Notre Dame. Dodson was recently a major story in college basketball after the NCAA denied her appeal for a sixth season of eligibility on April 7. The ND Insider explains her plight in more detail, but nevertheless, the Mercury landed a good shot blocker and paint presence.
Six picks later, they drafted Macee Williams, a four-time Horizon League Player of the Year out of IUPUI. Williams finished sixth in the nation in win shares, and second behind only Aliyah Boston in win shares per 40 minutes. Williams dominated the competition night in and night out and was a great value pick for the Mercury. All in all, the 2021 Finals runners-up secured two insurance plans in the low post, and they are all the more important given Brittney Griner’s situation in Russia.
Seattle Storm: B
No. 17: Elissa Cunane (B), No. 21: Evina Westbrook (B+), No. 33: Jade Melbourne (B-)
After a slight scare in free agency, the Storm have brought the band back together. Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, and Sue Bird will all be back with the team in 2022. Considering they haven’t lost a playoff series with a healthy Stewart since 2017, the trio’s return completely shifts the hierarchy of the league back in Seattle’s favor.
Two-time All-American Elissa Cunane from NC State was the first selection for the Storm at 17th overall. While she has some limitations on defense, Cunane is an adequate pick-and-pop threat from the perimeter and a top-notch finisher at the rim. If she cleans up the inconsistencies on the defensive end, I can see the worth she offers at the next level.
UConn’s Evina Westbrook has become quite the divisive player for WNBA Twitter, but there’s clear benefits in a wing who can theoretically guard multiple positions, handle the ball, and knock down threes. For Australia’s Jade Melbourne, she’s an intriguing draft-and-stash option for next year in what could be a post-Sue Bird era.
Washington Mystics: A-
No. 3: Shakira Austin (A), No. 14: Christyn Williams (B+)
The Mystics might’ve aggravated more than a few fans when they traded out of the No. 1 slot, but I’ve learned not to doubt anything Mike Thibault does at this point. Also, they still landed a couple of darn good players with the selections of Shakira Austin and Christyn Williams.
Austin is an above-average defender, anchoring a Rebels squad that ranked 17th in HHS defensive rating. This tweet from Pivot Analysis details just how much she can alter a game on that end of the floor.
Offensively, she showcased some nice touch in the post this season, along with the occasional dribble pull-up. At 6’5”, she’s a wealth of potential waiting to be unlocked.
Williams might have had a rough performance in the national championship game, but we shouldn’t let one bad night affect our perception of a player. She’s dependable on defense, and on the other end, she should excel in an off-ball role playing with talents like Natasha Cloud and Elena Delle Donne.
So, there you have it. These were my draft grades for each pick made by the 11 teams that participated in the draft last Monday. Just like these teams’ front offices, some of my opinions are bound to be incorrect, so I’m looking forward to how these players perform at the next level for many years to come. Follow along with us all season as we track their progress!
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