2023 WNBA Draft - Monday, April 9

Discussion in 'Women’s Basketball' started by DFW_Horn, Apr 6, 2023.

  1. DFW_Horn

    DFW_Horn 2,500+ Posts

    ESPN with their projected first round of Monday night's draft. Boston to Indiana at #1 plus 2 of her teammates (Beal at 7 also to Indiana and Amihere at 8 to Atlanta). Interesting projection of ISU's Soares at #4 overall to Washington despite the ACL injury and the Mystics already having an impressive young center, Shakira Austin. They have Ashley Joens going 10th. More than a few likely 1st rounders (e.g. - Kitley) opting to use their COVID seasons really impacted the depth of the draft. Some players that would've been taken in the 2nd or 3rd rounds are going to go a round higher which leads me to guess this will be the highest rate of draftees not to make a roster in some time.

    WNBA mock draft: South Carolina trio highlights first round
     
  2. DFW_Horn

    DFW_Horn 2,500+ Posts

    So Soares ended up going 4th to the Mystics as predicted but was then traded to Dallas for a 2024 2nd round pick and Atlanta's 1st Round pick in 2025. That gives Dallas the following players 6' 4" or taller:
    6' 7" C Teaira McCowan
    6' 7" C Kalani Brown
    6' 6" C Stephanie Soares
    6' 5" C Charli Collier
    6' 4" F Awak Kuier
    6' 4" F Satou Sabally

    Brown, like Charli and Kuier, have not made much of an impact in the WNBA. I was sure last season that Dallas would try to move Charli after they acquired McCowan and was obviously wrong. They also traded for PF Natasha Howard in the offseason and drafted (in addition to Soares):
    • Maddie Siegrest - 3rd overall
    • Lou Lopez-Senechal - 5th overall
    • Abby Meyers - 11th overall
    • Ashley Joens - 19th overall
    • Paige Robinson - 31st overall
    I'd be shocked if 3 of the 6 rookies make the team.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
  3. HornView

    HornView 1,000+ Posts

    Soares obviously won’t play this season but I do hope that Siegrest (and especially) Lopez-Senechal make the team (speaking as a Wings fan). They traded my two favorite players away during the offseason (Alisha Gray and Marina Mabry). It certainly won’t bother me if Joens doesn’t make it in Dallas

    Charli continues put up big numbers in Europe, so I’m still hoping that translates to the WNBA. I doubt she’s costing the Wings much money to this point but something has to give eventually if she continues to only get very rare minutes off the bench (she appeared in 17 games and averaged 4.6 mins last season). I don’t see how there could be a #1 pick with less playing time over the first two seasons than Charli and it’s probably not even close
     
  4. brnkj

    brnkj 2,500+ Posts

    I found it very interesting that the Wings drafted Soares with both Tieria McGowan and Kalani Brown on the team. While Brown has yet to find the success in the WNBA that she had in college, at 6'7" she's still a big body with skills. Apparently she's been working hard playing for Athletes Unlimited, finding her game and setting up a WNBA comeback. Meanwhile, McGowan at 6'7" has had a solid pro career so far.

    It appears to me that Dallas has a plan to utilize size under their new coaching staff, and perhaps Soares was drafted as insurance for next season in case one of the existing bigs doesn't work out. I hope McGowan and Brown turn into a good two-headed center. I'm a Wings fan also... and a Mystics fan because of Ariel. I also won't slit my wrists if Joens doesn't cut it in Dallas.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  5. GameOfHorns

    GameOfHorns 250+ Posts

    My understanding is that Dallas ended up with Soares via a trade agreement with the Mystics, per the 04-12 episode of Locked On WBB. Mystics apparently talked her up to peak interest in her stock, then promptly traded her. Seems Washington gets a 2024 second-rounder and a 2025 first-rounder in out of the deal.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  6. brnkj

    brnkj 2,500+ Posts

    Yes that's true and I had forgotten that part.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  7. cynt

    cynt 1,000+ Posts

    I'm glad I didn't renew my season tickets. SMH! I don't understand their vision or direction 4 the Wings organization.
     
  8. DFW_Horn

    DFW_Horn 2,500+ Posts

    Got to have the tall rebounders to grab 18-20 of Arike’s 30 shot attempts per game. :D
     
    • Funny Funny x 4
    • Like Like x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
  9. brnkj

    brnkj 2,500+ Posts

    Isn't THAT the damned truth?! That's the one thing that makes it difficult for me to watch the Wings games.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  10. HornView

    HornView 1,000+ Posts

    I hate to say it but I enjoyed watching the Wings play at the end of the season and into the playoffs while Arike was out with the injury. Perhaps the new coach will rein her in (if that’s possible).
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
  11. brnkj

    brnkj 2,500+ Posts

    We're on the same page. It's a much more fun game to watch when the ball is being shared. I thought it was stupid to let Mabry go.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  12. brnkj

    brnkj 2,500+ Posts

  13. DFW_Horn

    DFW_Horn 2,500+ Posts

    Much better players with less baggage than Morris have gotten the same treatment in recent seasons. I'm sure you already knew this but just in case some people think this is some sort of unique incident.

    The Dallas Wings have 16 players on their current official roster which means they have to cut 4. I highlighted the one who I think are locks to make the team:
    1. Kalani Brown
    2. Veronica Burton
    3. Charli Collier
    4. Crystal Dangerfield
    5. Diamond DeShields
    6. Jasmine Dickey
    7. Natasha Howard
    8. Ashley Joens (2023 19th overall)
    9. Awak Kuier
    10. Kitija Laksa (contract suspended - will continue to play overseas, Dallas retains her rights)
    11. Lou Lopez Sénéchal (2023 5th overall)
    12. Teaira McCowan
    13. Abby Meyers (2023 11th overall)
    14. Arike Ogunbowale
    15. Satou Sabally
    16. Maddy Siegrist (2023 3rd overall)
    Anyone notice who's missing? Stephanie Soares (2023 4th overall) who they traded for on draft night, giving up their own 2024 2nd round draft pick, and Atlanta’s 2025 1st round draft pick.

    If you want to see a timeline about the commissioner's expansion statements, I really liked the one below. As it stands, 2024 is probably the earliest but Engelbert said this month the list had been narrowed to 20 cities.

    "While that may seem like progress, that number represents a backtrack from last June, when Engelbert said that just 10 to 12 cities remained on the shortlist."

    WNBA expansion: Everything the commissioner has revealed so far
     
    • Like Like x 1
    Last edited: May 11, 2023
  14. DFW_Horn

    DFW_Horn 2,500+ Posts

    @brnkj

    An ESPN article this morning that takes a deep dive into expansion.

    “The Bay Area; Toronto; Denver; Austin, Texas (WTF?); Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Portland, Oregon, were some of the potential sites she mentioned.”

    To my ears, Austin sounds like a terrible option. Yes, it’s a large population area that skews younger but until the Longhorns can evince serious large-scale fan commitment to WBB, I doubt a WNBA team would last 3 seasons.

     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  15. brnkj

    brnkj 2,500+ Posts

    Austin would be a horrible idea for a WNBA franchise
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  16. HornView

    HornView 1,000+ Posts

    Wings waived Abby Meyers
     
  17. HornView

    HornView 1,000+ Posts

    Wings announced they waived Charli Collier and Kalani Brown and have finalized their league maximum of 12 Roster
     
  18. DFW_Horn

    DFW_Horn 2,500+ Posts

    …and Sug makes the final roster for the Mercury. :fiestanana:
     
    • Like Like x 9
  19. Bucksgal

    Bucksgal 500+ Posts

    Well, I can't say that was unexpected. Although, reports are that Charli was doing fairly well overseas, every time I watched her in a Wings game she seemed slow, awkward, and tentative. Kinda like a freshman in college. Sad that she didn't toughen up and progress for the Wings. Perhaps she'll pursue her media career now.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  20. DFW_Horn

    DFW_Horn 2,500+ Posts

    Joyner made the Sparks roster.

     
    • Like Like x 6
  21. HornView

    HornView 1,000+ Posts

    Sug Sutton made the Phoenix Mercury Roster
     
    • Like Like x 4
  22. HornView

    HornView 1,000+ Posts

    Sug Sutton just became the first Phoenix Mercury player to have a triple double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists
     
    • Like Like x 9
    • Winner Winner x 3
    • Hot Hot x 1
  23. Rexy

    Rexy 1,000+ Posts

    I watched the game, she didn't shoot particularly well, but neither was anyone else, so she kept dishing it out, fighting for rebounds, and came out as high scorer with a triple double. I enjoy watching her play
     
    • Like Like x 6
    • Agree Agree x 2

Share This Page