In probably one of the most anticipated WNBA Drafts of all time, the Phoenix Mercury selected Baylor’s Brittney Griner with the number one overall pick.
Griner leaves college basketball as one of the most dominant players to play the women’s game. She ranked first all time in blocked shots with 748, which topped the men’s total also as Griner overtook Mississippi State’s Jarvis Vernado’s 564.
The 6’8 center easily led the nation in dunks with 18, contributing to 54.5 percent of the 33 dunks performed by women’s players this past season. Griner also finished second in points scored with 3,283 and in 148 games played with the Lady Bears, she reached double-figure scoring numbers 146 times.
The Chicago Sky selected the nation’s leading scorer as a junior Elena Delle Donne out of Delaware with the number two pick. The 6’5 guard/forward ends her college career as the fifth leading scorer in NCAA history with 3,039 points.
The Tulsa Shock selected enthusiastic 5’9 guard Skylar Diggins from Notre Dame with the third pick. Diggins exits the Fighting Irish as their career leader in points and steals. She also ranks second in assists.
The top three were pitted as the “3 to see”, and no doubt they were obvious choices, a true class above during their time in women’s college basketball. As for the rest of the lottery: it remained a mystery as to where the “supporting cast” to the main three would end up.
Ohio State’s Tayler Hill was the fourth pick of the Draft, going to the Washington Mystics, owners the WNBA’s worst record last season at 5-29 while the New York Liberty drafted Kelsey Bone from Texas A&M with the fifth pick and Oklahoma State’s Toni Young, seventh. Seattle Storm, who will be without Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird this season, both due to injury selected Tianna Hawkins with the sixth pick.
The San Antonio Silver Stars selected 6’4 center Kayla Alexander from Syracuse as the eighth pick, while the Indiana Fever chose 5’9 guard Layshia Clarendon from Cal as their ninth selection.
The first round of the 2013 WNBA Draft concluded with the Los Angeles Sparks taking Kentucky’s A’dia Mathies 10th. Connecticut drafted UConn forward Kelly Faris 11th and Minnesota picking Nebraska’s Lindsey Moore.
The WNBA, complete with a new image and new logo will start its 17th season on May 24.
