Though prior draft classes have set the standard for what talents exist in women’s basketball, the 2021 class still has talents on all areas of the floor that will drastically change the landscape of teams from last year.
Looking at all available options, here’s what makes the most sense for the first round:
1. Charli Collier (Texas) – Center, Dallas Wings
Though Dallas has the first two picks and it really doesn’t matter the order they go in, Collier made a name for herself as a junior with an average of 19 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, shooting 51.1 per cent from the field. Katie Lou Samuelson’s departure from the Wings left a hole in the backcourt, and Collier’s ability as a two-way player aligns with the nature of play the Wings will be looking for to complement Arike Ogunbowale and Tyasha Harris in the frontcourt.
2. Awak Kuier (Finland) – Power Forward, Dallas Wings
As said before, with the first two picks in the draft, Dallas not only has the ability to take two of the best players available before anyone else, but also address needs on a guard-heavy team. Kuier’s game looks a lot like that of Candace Parker, the 2020 defensive player of the year, and at just 19 years old, Kuier has a lot of room to grow in the league on a young roster – Dallas’ oldest “vet” has only five years’ experience in the league.
3. Rennia Davis (Tennessee) – Small Forward, Atlanta Dream
Though the Atlanta Dream have a solid veteran presence on their team, and rookie Chennedy Carter proved to the world last year that going third overall was simply too low for her talents, the Dream still missed the playoffs and could benefit from a two-way player like Davis. The six-foot-two Davis averaged 17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds, and though her shooting beyond the arc may have been lower than most, players like Carter and Odyssey Sims have that covered.
4. Aari McDonald (Arizona) – Point Guard, Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever are in a bit of a rebuilding stage, losing Natalie Achonwa to the Minnesota Lynx, but picking up key pieces like Danielle Robinson from the Las Vegas Aces. Averaging 20.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and four assists per game while also being named Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the PAC-12, McDonald’s versatility would see her getting a lot of playing time on a team that is still looking for what exactly they want to be in the league – her NCAA championship performance proved why her draft stock should rise.
5. Arella Guirantes (Rutgers) – Shooting Guard, Dallas Wings
Another all-around great player, Dallas runs into the problem of having a pool of talent to choose from in the first round while only being able to hold 12 roster spots, which may pose the question of whether they should get rid of some older talent. Finishing her senior season with 21.3 points, six rebounds and 5.2 assists, she would make an impact on Dallas’ offence as soon as she arrives.
6. Dana Evans (Lousiville) – Point Guard, New York Liberty
Liberty fans have been on an emotional rollercoaster with their team, losing Asia Durr all season last year while rookie phenom Sabrina Ionescu was out the majority of the season after suffering an injury in the third game. Taking Evans is a solid backup choice for Ionescu, who will set the tone with scoring, while Evans — who averaged 20.1 points and 3.9 assists for Louisville — is able to be a playmaker even when she isn’t bringing up the ball.
7. Chelsea Dungee (Arkansas) – Shooting Guard, Dallas Wings
Again, Dallas is in the worst of best-case scenarios having so many first-round picks, with many of their picks either having to go play overseas or wait another year to potentially make their debut. Dallas had the league’s leading scorer in Ogunbowale last year, and Dungee’s 22.3 points-per-game average would only add to their offence, and hopefully get Dallas over the playoff hump they almost reached last year.
8. Kiana Williams (Stanford) – Point Guard, Chicago Sky
When it comes to complete teams, it seems Chiacgo is one that will be scariest this season. With Parker making her return to the hometown team, accompanying an already stellar lineup of players like Allie Quigley, Courtney Vandersloot and Diamond DeShields, Chicago isn’t looking for a starter but rather to add to their depth. With Williams being a solid backup option for Quigley — her 311 career three-pointers the most in program history — Williams would fit nicely in the Sky rotation.
9. Michaela Onyenwere (UCLA) – Small Forward, Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx again are a pretty complete roster, having an even mix of forwards and guards with stars like Napheesa Collier, Crystal Dangerfield, Damiris Dantas and Sylvia Fowles returning, while adding players like Aerial Powers and Kayla McBride. Onyenwere doesn’t necessarily fit into any singular role — at six feet she’s able to play on either side of the court, but would need to sharpen her guard skills on a team like Minnesota to be able to break into an already solid roster that head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve has carefully crafted.
10. Jasmine Walker (Alabama) – Power Forward, Los Angeles Sparks
Though Parker’s departure left a gap in the Sparks’ defence, Walker’s ability as a two-way player — averaging almost a double-double all season for Alabama — would be a nice complement to the Sparks roster, despite already having a pretty loaded team. Los Angeles doesn’t have too many concerns necessarily, despite lacking scoring in their playoff game against Connecticut, with only two players scoring in double digits — something Walker has the ability to do if called upon.
11. DiJonai Carrington (Baylor) – Shooting Guard, Seattle Storm
Reigning champion Seattle Storm are still an incredibly strong roster but did lose many players to free agency, including Alysha Clark, which Carrington’s versatility would be a good substitute for. Even with an average stat line of 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds, Carrington was also a strong defensive force for the Lady Bears and would only add to the two-way depth that Seattle already possesses.
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12. Natasha Mack (Oklahoma State) – Power Forward, Las Vegas Aces
The last of the first round, the Aces are also a pretty complete team who will just be looking to address their depth, something that held them back from a title last year. With Kelsey Plum and Liz Cambage returning, plus MVP A’ja Wilson and Sixth Woman of the Year Dearica Hamby also back, someone like Mack would add to Vegas defensively. She led Division I women’s basketball in blocked shots, averaging four per game, but also averaged 19.8 points and 12.4 rebounds as a senior and could add to their already sharp-shooting lineup.
With many talents still to come in the second and third rounds — like DiDi Richards, Lindsey Pulliam, Shyla Heal, Trinity Baptiste and Aaliyah Wilson — it’s important to note that not even every first rounder may make a WNBA roster this season.
With the success of the NCAA tournament as well as increased viewership in the WNBA’s 2020 season, many have called for more domestic access for players instead of having to go overseas to play.
“I think if we have a very successful season this year, this time next year we can certainly start talking about expansion would look like, how many, and the timeframe over which that would occur,” said WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
“People are willing to invest in the league, whether it’s a corporation or whether it’s a media deal or a new owner, it has all moved in a positive direction and the narrative we have is coming off the success we had in the 2020 season, not only on the court but off the court.”
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