While the start of the 2020 WNBA season is still up in the air due to COVID-19, the draft still went on as scheduled Friday, April 17. However, instead of an in-person draft with players waiting to hear their names being called to join one of the league’s 12 teams, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert will be announcing the selections virtually with several of the top prospects being available via video conferencing to hear their reactions.
Before the draft even got started, though, there was already some trade action earlier in the week. In a three-team trade, the New York Liberty traded longtime star Tina Charles to the Washington Mystics for their No. 12 pick in the first round of the 2020 draft. The Dallas Wings were the third team involved, trading Tayler Hill, the ninth overall pick and a 2020 second-round pick to the Liberty for future draft capital in return. The trade now gives the Liberty two more first-round picks in addition to the No. 1 overall pick they already had.
The Liberty were widely expected to select Oregon star point guard Sabrina Ionescu with the top pick, and while there was some consensus over who could follow Ionescu in the next few picks, anything can happen on draft night as we have seen. So follow along with us below as we break down each first-round pick, and assign draft grades as the selections come in.
Round 1
1. New York Liberty: Sabrina Ionescu — Oregon — 5-11, Senior, Guard
2019-20 stats: 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 9.1 assists — 51.8 / 39.2 / 92.1
Ionescu has been the consensus No. 1 pick in the draft since she decided to return for her senior year at Oregon. She’s hailed as a generational talent capable of turning a franchise around. In college Ionescu established herself as a dynamic point guard with elite shooting and pick-and-roll skills, with tremendous court vision to put her teammates in the best position to succeed. Grade: A
2. Dallas Wings: Satou Sabally — Oregon — 6-4, Junior, Forward
2019-20 stats: 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists — 46.4 / 33.8 / 79.2
Sabally decided to forgo her senior year of college to enter the WNBA Draft, and the decision to do so is paying off. Standing at 6-4, Sabally is athletically gifted for someone her size and is an ideal floor spacer for a team looking to add versatility to its roster. At Oregon, she put up 16.2 points and 6.9 rebounds alongside Ionescu. She can handle the ball well, but also get down in the post to defend and grab boards in a small-ball lineup. Grade: A
3. Indiana Fever: Lauren Cox — Baylor — 6-4, Senior, Forward/Center
2019-20 stats: 12.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.6 blocks– 46.3 / 33.3 / 61.4
Cox is a traditional post-up big, who averaged nearly three blocks a game at Baylor. Her game doesn’t extend far outside of the post, but she’s an efficient scorer in the paint and is a stout defender on the other end of the floor. The downside is her injury history in college, as she’s dealt with foot and knee injuries throughout her career. Grade: A
4. Atlanta Dream: Chennedy Carter — Texas A&M — 5-7, Junior, Guard
2019-20 stats: 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists — 45.2 / 25.3 / 72.9
Perhaps the most electrifying prospect in this year’s draft, Carter made a name for herself as one of the best scorers at the college level. Carter’s elite handles make her a tough assignment on the perimeter, and her strength makes her nearly impossible to stop at the rim. Scoring is her strength, but she’ll need to develop on defense and as a passer to have a long career in the WNBA. Grade: A
5. Dallas Wings: Bella Alarie — Princeton — 6-4, Senior, Forward
2019-20 stats: 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 blocks — 47.4 / 35.6 / 74.4
For someone of her size, Alarie is extremely skilled in several facets of the game. She has the potential to become a super effective stretch four in the league, as long as she continues to develop her 3-point shot. She’s already a dominant force down low, and if she can hit her mid-range jumpers at a higher clip, she’ll be considered a steal in the draft at this position. Grade: A
6. Minnesota Lynx: Mikiah Herbert Harrigan — South Carolina — 6-2, Senior, Forward
2019-20 stats: 13.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks — 50.6 / 43.5 / 83.5
The South Carolina senior burst onto the scene this season after taking on a much bigger role. A fierce competitor, her activity and effort on the defensive end has never been in question, but she’s a bit undersized as a post player. She will need to show her improved 3-point shooting from this season is real. Grade: B
7. Dallas Wings: Tyasha Harris — South Carolina — 5-10, Senior, Guard
2019-20 stats: 12.0 points, 5.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds — 42.6 / 38.4 / 85.7
Harris is a pass-first point guard, but don’t underestimate her scoring ability. She’s just as much a shooting threat as she is one passing. The South Carolina senior takes care of the ball and has been touted for her leadership in college, but most importantly she’s shown steady improvement over the course of her college career. She improved her 3-point shooting from 30.7 percent her junior year to nearly 40 percent the following year and improved as a playmaker each season. Grade: A
8. Chicago Sky: Ruthy Hebard — Oregon — 6-4, Senior, Forward
2019-20 stats: 17.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1 block, 1.2 steals — 65.1 / 0.00 / 68.9
Hebard has no outside shot, which might limit her ceiling a bit coming into the league, but she’s an ultra-efficient interior scorer — 1.24 points per possession and shot 68.5 percent from the field as a senior — and knows how to play in the pick-and-roll. She’s smart, works hard and has experience fitting in alongside other talented players. Grade: B
9. New York Liberty: Megan Walker — UConn — 6-1, Junior, Forward
2019-20 stats: 19.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists — 47.7 / 45.1 / 82.1
As surprising as it was for Walker to declare for the WNBA Draft early, she is coming off her best college season to date. Her elite shooting ability on the wing makes her one of the most intriguing players in this draft, and her size is beneficial for teams looking to add length to their defense. She was one of the top-20 scorers in the nation last season, and even though some thought she could’ve used another year of development under Geno Auriemma at UConn, she’ll have the chance to contribute to a team immediately. Grade: A
10. Phoenix Mercury: Jocelyn Willoughby — Virginia — 6-0, Senior, Guard/Forward
2019-20 stats: 19.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists — 45.1 / 41.6 / 87.0
Willoughby led the ACC in scoring last season and will be the first Virginia player to get drafted since 2010. She has great size on the wing, and her ability to score from all over the court makes her an intriguing prospect. Grade: B
11. Seattle Storm: Kitija Laksa — South Florida/TTT Riga — 6-0, Guard/Forward
2019-20 stats: 21.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists — 39.9 / 38.2 / 96.5 (junior season)
Laksa tore her ACL a few games into the 2018-19 season, and instead of returning for an extra year with a medical redshirt she decided to turn pro and return to her native Latvia. She’s a wing who can really shoot, and that’s always going to earn you a look. Grade: B
12. New York Liberty: Jazmine Jones — Louisville — 6-0, Senior, Guard
2019-20 stats: 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists — 53.9 / 37.8 / 76.3
Jones is an incredible athlete and had a breakout season in her senior year at Louisville. After three seasons in which she didn’t average above 10 points a game, she put up 14 points on a nightly basis while significantly improving her 3-point shooting over the course of her career. Grade: B-
Round 2
13. New York Liberty: Kylee Shook — Louisville — 6-4, Forward
14. Indiana Fever: Kathleen Doyle — Iowa — 5-9, Guard
15. New York Liberty: Leaonna Odom — Duke — 6-2, Forward
16. Minnesota Lynx: Crystal Dangerfield — UConn — 5-5, Guard
17. Atlanta Dream: Brittany Brewer — Texas Tech — 6-5, Forward
18. Phoenix Mercury: Te’a Cooper — Baylor — 5-8, Guard
19. Seattle Storm: Joyner Holmes — Texas — 6-3, Forward
20. Los Angeles Sparks: Beatrice Mompremier — Miami — 6-4, Forward
21. Dallas Wings: Luisa Geiselsoder — Germany — 6-3, Forward
22. Los Angeles Sparks: Leonie Fiebich — Germany — 6-4, Forward
23. Connecticut Sun: Kaila Charles — Maryland — 6-1, Guard
24. Washington Mystics: Jaylen Agnew — Creighton — 5-11, Forward
Round 3
25. Atlanta Dream: Mikayla Pivec — Oregon State — 5-10, Guard
26. Minnesota Lynx (via trade with New York Liberty): Erica Ogwumike — Rice — 5-9, Guard
27. Atlanta Dream: Kobi Thornton — Clemson — 6-2, Forward
28. Indiana Fever: Kamiah Smalls — James Madison — 5-10, Guard
29. Phoenix Mercury: Stella Johnson — Rider — 5-10, Guard
30. Chicago Sky: Japreece Dean — UCLA — 5-7, Guard
31. Seattle Storm: Haley Gorecki — Duke — 6-0, Guard
32. Chicago Sky: Kiah Gillespie — Florida State — 6-2, Forward
33. Las Vegas Aces: Lauren Manis — Holy Cross — 6-1, Forward
34. Los Angeles Sparks: Tynice Martin — West Virginia — 5-11, Guard
35. Connecticut Sun: Juicy Landrum — Baylor — 5-8, Guard
36. Washington Mystics: Sug Sutton — Texas — 5-8, Guard
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