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WNBA Draft 2023 Plus WNBA Draft History

Top PicksHow to WatchDraft FAQMock Drafts Draft History

Now that we’re full swing into the NCAA Tournament and the WNBA season is right around the corner, it’s time to get ready for the WNBA Draft 2023 presented by State Farm. This year’s draft class has a lot to be excited about and plenty of depth.

“Overall the feeling is there are good players [in this draft]. And it’s relatively deep,” Lynx President and Coach Cheryl Reeve said, reports Kareem Copeland in The Washington Post. “The first round will [be] significantly deeper than in the last couple drafts, maybe.”

Washington Mystics Head Coach Mike Thibault also relayed a similar sentiment: “I don’t think there’s a consensus beyond one player this year — who should be two, three, four or five. I don’t think there’s a consensus, but I think if you get a pick in the first round, you’re going to get a player that could play in our league.”

That one player, likely to get drafted first to the Indiana Fever, is South Carolina’s elite finisher Aliyah Boston. Her footwork makes her a dominant post presence, and she’s got stacks of hardware: WBCA Freshman of the Year, 3 X AP first-team All-American, and 3 X Lisa Leslie Award just to name a few of her many awards. Better yet, the 6-foot-5 center is as effective on defense as she is on offense.

“I know once she leaves college women’s basketball, I know for certain we’ll never get what a person she embodies, what a student athlete, what a giver, what someone so strong in faith…She set a high standard for herself, and she puts the work into it. She’s not one of those people who say, ‘I want to be National Defensive Player of the Year’ without the work. And that is really, really different from most young people nowadays – they want it instant gratification.” South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley told reporter Taylor Rooks about this year’s projected top pick. Dawn isn’t the only person giving Aliyah her flowers: 9 year old fan Zaria Corley dropped a rap about her favorite player, and you’ve got to give it a listen.

So today let’s explore the draft order including which team has the first pick, how to tune in to watch live on April 10th, which prospects are eligible, the latest mock drafts featuring top prospects, and even what salary rookies can make. Plus, a cool new camp some recruits might be invited to! Let’s get after it.

2023 WNBA Draft Results

Draft results round 1

1. Fever – Aliyah Boston, Center, South Carolina
2. Lynx – Diamond Miller, Guard, Maryland
3. Wings – Maddy Siegrist, Guard, Villanova
4. Wings – Stephanie Soares, Center, Iowa State
5. Wings – Lou Lopez Sénéchal, Guard, UConn
6. Dream – Haley Jones, Guard/Forward, Stanford
7. Fever – Grace Berger, Guard, Indiana
8. Dream – Laeticia Amihere, Center, South Carolina
9. Storm – Jordan Horston, Guard/Forward, Tennessee
10. Sparks – Zia Cooke, Guard, South Carolina
11. Wings – Abby Meyers, Guard, Maryland
12. Lynx – Maia Hirsch, Forward, France

Draft results round 2

13. Fever – Taylor Mikesell, Guard, Ohio State
14. Sparks – Shaneice Swain, Guard, Australia
15. Dream – Leigha Brown, Guard, Michigan
16. Lynx – Dorka Juhasz, Center, UConn
17. Fever – LaDazhia Williams, Forward, LSU
18. Storm – Madi Williams, Guard, Oklahoma
19. Wings – Ashley Joens, Forward, Iowa State
20. Mystics – Elena Tsineke, Guard, South Florida
21. Storm – Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, Forward, South Florida
22. Sun – Alexis Morris, Guard, LSU
23. Sky – Kayana Traylor, Guard, Virginia Tech
24. Lynx – Brea Beal, Forward, South Carolina

Draft results round 3

25. Fever – Victaria Saxton, Forward, South Carolina
26. Sparks – Monika Czinano, Forward, Iowa
27. Mercury – Destiny Harden, Forward, Miami
28. Lynx – Taylor Soule, Forward, Virginia Tech
29. Mercury – Kadi Sissoko, Forward, USC
30. Liberty – Okako Adika, Guard, USC
31. Wings – Paige Robinson, Guard, Illinois State
32. Mystics – Txell Alarcon, Guard, Spain
33. Storm – Jade Loville, Guard, Arizona
34. Sun – Ashten Prechtel, Forward, Stanford
35. Sky – Kseniya Malashka, Forward, Middle Tennessee State
36. Aces – Brittany Davis, Guard, Alabama

Who has the first pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft?

The Indiana Fever have the first pick in the WNBA Draft 2023.

The last seven No. 1 overall draft picks were:

  • 2016:  Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm
  • 2017:  Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces (formerly San Antonio Stars)
  • 2018:  A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
  • 2019:  Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
  • 2020:  Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
  • 2021:  Charli Collier, Dallas Wings
  • 2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream

How to watch the 2023 WNBA Draft: TV channel, live streaming

The WNBA Draft 2023 presented by State Farm® will be held on Monday, April 10, 2023. It’ll be in-person at Spring Studios in Tribeca, New York. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will announce the draft picks live on ESPN with exclusive coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The draft will also be available live on the ESPN App.

The formal tip off of the draft night festivities takes place when the invited draft prospects showcase their personalities and unique fashion styles on the WNBA’s iconic “Orange Carpet.” Earlier that day, they’ll visit the iconic Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony to celebrate.

The 2022 WNBA Draft Presented by State Farm averaged 403,000 viewers, up 20 percent from 2021 – so don’t forget to tune in this year!

1. How many players get drafted?

The anticipation is high, the selections are minimal – the WNBA draft has three rounds with 12 picks in each round. So a total of 36 athletes will be drafted.

The WNBA is a hard league to break into because each of the 12 teams can only bring on 12 players during the regular season. And teams can only have 15 players in training camp at one time. Some teams have previously gone with the minimum of 11 players, rather than the maximum of 12, to fit multiple max contracts under the $1.3 million salary cap.

Players picked in the bottom half of the draft from 18th and beyond are the most likely to be cut after camps. But with a ton of teams facing drastically different rosters compared to last season after a wild free agency, rookies really have a chance to compete for training camp spots this year.

One cool opportunity for recruits in April is that Under Armour and Kelsey Plum have teamed up to create Dawg Class for the first time: a three-day camp for nine of the top collegiate women’s basketball guards to help bridge the gap between college ball and the pros. For Kelsey, the quick turnaround to the draft was a stressful process, and her entrance into the WNBA only got more stressful during her tough time in San Antonio. 

“It kind of happened so fast,” Kelsey said to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “These women play college, within a week they’re getting drafted and then they’re in the city that they’re drafted in the next day. Everything happens so much faster. Then you add in other media stuff and you’re trying to sign with maybe a shoe brand. There’s a lot of stuff going on.”

Learn more about making it as a rookie in the league here.

2. What’s the potential schedule like for draft picks?

  • April 30: Training Camp Begins
  • May 5: Pre-season Games Begin
  • May 15: Last Possible Date for Pre-Season Games
  • May 18: Final Roster Cut-down Date: 12 players, 5:00 pm EST
  • May 19:  Regular Season Begins

3. How much do WNBA draft picks make?

Draft picks’ base salaries vary depending on how high each player was drafted. The first four picks in the WNBA draft will earn $74,305 in 2023 reports HerHoopStats. The base salary then decreases to $71,300 for the fifth through the eighth picks and $68,295 for the remaining first-round selections. Learn more about WNBA salaries.

4. Who is eligible to be drafted for the WNBA?

Happening right after the Final Four, future rookies have barely any time to decide — if they’re undecided — about going into the draft if they still have college eligibility remaining. The requirements have to do with your age, remaining college eligibility, and country.

American draft entrants need to be at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and have graduated/be set to graduate from a four-year college within three months of the draft or had their original class already graduated/be set to graduate within three months. Meanwhile, international players need to be 20 years old and not have played US college basketball. Athletes have 48 hours after their last game in the NCAA tournament to make and declare their decision.

What’s the pick order for the 2023 WNBA Draft?

The draft lottery was held on November 11, 2022. Here are the teams that will make the first 12 picks.

  1. Indiana Fever
  2. Minnesota Lynx
  3. Dallas Wings
  4. Washington Mystics
  5. Dallas Wings
  6. Atlanta Dream
  7. Indiana Fever
  8. Atlanta Dream
  9. Seattle Storm
  10. Los Angeles Sparks
  11. Dallas Wings
  12. Minnesota Lynx

Find the full draft order list for 2023 on Across the Timeline.

Top WNBA draft prospects 2023

Beyond Aliyah Boston, we anticipate the first round of picks to include these hoopers. So here’s a quick preview to get acquainted – not in a specific order!

  1. Diamond Miller: This 6-foot-3 versatile guard is a game changer. Named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection and an All-American, she’s dominated all season long with 19.7 points per game at University of Maryland, plus she’s a transition threat. Plus she stays impactful under pressure: in UMD’s second-round NCAA tournament win she had 24 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. UMD coach Brenda Frese acknowledged something that’s made Diamon’s senior season different, after fighting her way back friom a knee injury, is increased trust in her teammates, which led to more passing and assists from her. She averaged three assists per game this season, the most in her time at Maryland.
  2. Haley Jones: Though Stanford fell short in the title run this year, at 6-foot-1, this Cardinal guard brings a trifecta of great decision making, shot creation, and strong defense. She won a National Championship and Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament award already as a sophomore. By the way, she’s also the first college athlete to launch a women’s basketball podcast with The Players’ Tribune: “Sometimes I Hoop.”
  3. Maddy Siegrist: OK we had to highlight the literal best scorer in the nation. The 6-foot-2, two-time reigning Big East Player of the Year, was recently named a first-team All-American, and named a finalist for Naismith Player of the Year Award. She leads the nation in scoring with 29.2 points per game, while shooting 51.9% from the field and averaging 9.1 rebounds.
  4. Grace Berger: This 6-foot-0 playmaker guard helped transform Indiana’s program. Responsible for the program’s first-ever triple-double her sophomore season, she also had the second-most assists and ninth-most points in program history. Miami coach Katie Meier compared her to Dwyane Wade…”She’s really that good,” Meier said. She’s an elite jump shooter with tip-top composure, and has pro-level physicality. 
  5. Lou Lopez Sénéchal: This 6-foot-1 fifth-year senior mid major transfer from Fairfield drove an injury-plagued Uconn team to the Sweet 16, and has averaged 15.3 points per game this season. She’s known as a versatile wing who’s a real threat from behind the arc. She’s also particularly effective off dribble hand offs. And has been named All-BIG EAST First Team and to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.

Explore 2023 mock drafts

  • Winsidr’s mock draft has Aliyah Boston, Diamond Miller, and Rickea Jackson going as the top 3.
  • TheNext’s mock draft has Aliyah Boston, Haley Jones, and Diamond Miller going top 3.
  • ESPN’s mock has Aliyah Boston, Diamond Miller, and Haley Jones going top 3.
  • Just Women’s Sports mock draft has Aliyah Boston, Diamond Miller, and Rickea Jackson going top 3 too.
  • Her Hoops Stats mock has Aliyah Boston, Haley Jones, and Diamond Miller in the top 3.

Who’s entered the WNBA Draft for 2023?

The following is the list of NCAA players who as of today (April 6th – those with * are new additions) have filed for consideration as a candidate for the 2023 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm. Four players have rescinded their prior decisions to opt-in for the draft and have removed their names from consideration: Esmery Martinez (Arizona), Charisma Osborne (UCLA), Sedona Prince (Oregon), Endyia Rogers (Oregon).

NameSchoolPositionHeight
Adebola AdeyeyeKentuckyForward6-2
Okako AdikaUSCGuard/Forward6-0
Jaia AlexanderCoppin StateGuard5-11
Laeticia AmihereSouth CarolinaForward6-4
Ja’Mee AsberryBaylorGuard5-5
Ketsia AthiasIonaForward/Center6-2
Kadaja BaileySt. John’sGuard6-0
Angel BakerMississippiGuard5-8
Elizabeth BalogunDukeGuard/Forward6-1
Malury BatesGeorgiaForward6-3
Diamond BattlesGeorgiaGuard5-8
Brea BealSouth CarolinaGuard6-1
Niyah BeckerWake ForestForward6-2
Robyn BentonKentuckyGuard5-9
Grace BergerIndianaGuard6-0
Caitlin BickleBaylorForward6-1
Essence BookerUNLVGuard5-8
Aliyah BostonSouth CarolinaForward-Center6-5
Sam BreenMassachusettsForward6-1
Chrissy BrownSoutheastern LouisianaGuard5-9
Leigha BrownMichiganGuard6-1
Juana CamilionIonaGuard5-10
Chrislyn CarrLouisvilleGuard5-5
Christianna “Chrissy” CarrArkansasGuard6-1
Jasmine CarsonLSUGuard5-10
Sha CarterFGCUGuard6-0
Gina ContiUCLAGuard5-11
Zia CookeSouth CarolinaGuard5-9
Sidney CooksSeton HallForward/Center6-4
Taya CorosdaleDukeGuard/Forward6-3
Janai CroomsProvidenceGuard5-10
Cherita DaughertySouthern UtahGuard5-10
Christina DengGardner-WebbForward6-0
Asiah DingleFordhamGuard5-6
Liz DixonLouisvilleForward6-5
Rokia DoumbiaUSCGuard5-9
Camille DownsNorfolk StateGuard5-10
Lauren EboNotre DameCenter6-4
Ayana EmmanuelAlabama StateGuard5-9
Jayla EverettSt. John’sGuard5-10
Dulcy Fankam MendjiadeuSouth FloridaForward6-4
Kierra FletcherSouth CarolinaGuard5-9
Brooke FlowersSaint LouisForward/Center6-5
Alex FowlerPortlandForward6-2
Deja FrancisNorfolk StateGuard5-7
Marnelle GarraudVanderbiltGuard5-7
D’Asia GreggVirginia TechForward6-2
A’Niah GriffinEvansvilleGuard6-1
Stephanie GuihonMcNeese StateGuard5-6
Ciaja HarbisonVanderbiltGuard5-6
Destiny HardenMiamiForward6-0
Jazmin HarrisNo. Carolina A&TCenter6-3
Anastasia HayesMississippi StateGuard5-7
Da’Nasia HoodTexas StateForward6-1
Jordan HorstonTennesseeGuard6-2
Ashley JoensIowa StateGuard/Forward6-1
Asianae JohnsonMississippi StateGuard5-8
Haley JonesStanfordGuard6-1
Morgan JonesLouisvilleGuard6-2
Dorka JuhászConnecticutForward6-5
Emily KiserMichiganForward6-3
Dariauna LewisSyracuseForward6-1
Destiny LittletonUSCGuard5-9
Ana LlanusaOklahomaGuard6-0
Lou Lopez SénéchalConnecticutGuard/Forward6-1
Jade LovilleArizonaGuard/Forward5-11
Dara MabreyNotre DameGuard5-7
Chloe MarottaMarquetteForward6-1
Kamaria McDanielMichigan StateGuard5-10
Shaiquel McGruderNew MexicoForward6-0
Rachel McLimoreButlerGuard-Forward5-10
Abby MeyersMarylandGuard6-0
Taylor MikesellOhio StateGuard5-11
Diamond MillerMarylandGuard6-3
Tishara MorehouseFGCUGuard5-3
Alexis MorrisLSUGuard5-6
Sonya MorrisTexasGuard5-10
Amoria Neal-TysorMercerGuard5-6
Trinity OliverWashingtonGuard5-10
Aaliyah PattyTexas A&MForward6-3
Shaina PellingtonArizonaGuard5-8
Lasha PetreePurdueGuard6-0
Destiney PhiloxyMassachusettsGuard5-7
Elisa PinzanMarylandGuard5-8
Ashten PrechtelStanfordForward6-5
Cate ReeseArizonaForward6-2
Taylor RobertsonOklahomaGuard6-0
Paige RobinsonIllinois StateGuard5-11
Victaria SaxtonSouth CarolinaForward6-2
Bre’Amber ScottTexas TechGuard5-11
Myah SellandSouth Dakota StateForward6-1
Maddy SiegristVillanovaForward6-2
Kadi SissokoUSCForward6-2
Ahlana SmithMississippi StateGuard5-9
Brittney SmithGeorgiaForward6-3
Madisen SmithWest VirginiaGuard5-5
Stephanie SoaresIowa StateForward/Center6-6
Taylor SouleVirginia TechForward5-11
E’Lease StaffordMissouri-Kansas CityGuard/Forward6-0
Asia StrongSyracuseForward6-2
Cameron SwartzGeorgia TechGuard5-11
Myah TaylorMississippiGuard5-7
Kayana TraylorVirginia TechGuard5-9
Elena TsinekeSouth FloridaGuard5-7
Haley Van DykeWashingtonForward6-1
Audrey WarrenGeorgiaGuard/Forward5-9
Keishana WashingtonDrexelGuard5-7
Kaela WebbFGCUGuard5-6
LaDazhia WilliamsLSUForward6-4
Madi WilliamsOklahomaForward5-11
Zakiyah WinfieldBuffaloGuard5-7
Bendu YeaneyOregon StateGuard5-10

Discover WNBA Draft history

Travel back in time and check out the full history of the WNBA Draft, including interesting videos, articles, and even fun quizzes, from every year the draft has taken place. See great first pick reactions, mock drafts, and stats for every player ever drafted! Plus check out the top 10 WNBA Draft steals of all time, and the greatest WNBA Draft picks ever.

WNBA Draft results 2022

Rhyne Howard goes No. 1 to Dream: Two-time SEC Player of the Year Rhyne Howard of Kentucky tonight was selected by the Atlanta Dream with the first overall pick of WNBA Draft 2022 presented by State Farm®. Rhyne, a three-time AP All-America First Team selection, averaged 20.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists as a senior. In each of the past three seasons, she was a finalist for the Dawn Staley Award as the nation’s top guard and the Cheryl Miller Award as the best small forward. Rhyne led the Wildcats to its first SEC Tournament title since 1982, upsetting No. 1-ranked South Carolina, as she received the MVP award for the tournament. Atlanta acquired Rhyne after acquiring the first pick in the WNBA Draft through a trade with the Washington Mystics for the No. 3 and No. 14 overall picks.

“She can provide scoring, she can provide defense, and I think she can be one of two-to-three key pieces that can be on a contending team,” new Atlanta Dream general manager Dan Padover said. “She’s going to have to grow and get better, but the ceiling is absolutely there for her to be one of those foundational pieces on a championship-level team.”

With the No. 2 overall pick, the Indiana Fever selected Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith. The two-time Big 12 Player of the Year was a finalist for the Naismith Women’s National Player of the Year after averaging 22.1 points and 11.5 rebounds, both of which led the Big 12. The senior won back-to-back Katrina McClain Awards as the nation’s top power forward and set a Baylor record with 25 double-doubles this season, which ranked third in the nation.

With the third pick, the Mystics selected Shakira Austin of Ole Miss. A two-time All-America Honorable Mention, the center was a semifinalist for the Lisa Leslie Award as the nation’s best center each of the last two seasons. Shakira led Ole Miss in scoring, rebounding and blocks per game for the second consecutive season and was on the 2022 John R. Wooden Award ballot for the nation’s top player.

The Fever used the fourth pick to select forward Emily Engstler of Louisville. A transfer from Syracuse, the Queens, NY native was a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award as the nation’s best small forward and a semifinalist for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year award. The senior led the ACC in steals (2.7 spg) and was third in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and was an All-ACC First Team and All-Defensive Team selection. 

With the fifth pick, the New York Liberty, selected Nyara Sabally of Oregon. The two-time All-Pac-12 selection was a finalist for the 2021-22 Katrina McClain Award while leading Oregon in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg). The German native is the younger sister of Satou Sabally, who was the second-overall selection by the Dallas Wings in the 2020 WNBA Draft.

The Fever used the sixth and 10th picks – its third and fourth selections of the first round – on guard Lexie Hull of Stanford and center Queen Egbo of Baylor, making Indiana the first team in WNBA history to make four picks in the first round. Lexie, a three-time All-Pac-12 Team selection and two-time Pac-12 All-Defensive Team pick, helped lead Stanford to the Final Four while leading the team in steals. A two-time finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award as the nation’s best center (2020, 2021), Queen averaged 11.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game this season and helped Baylor win the national title as a freshman.

With the seventh pick, the Dallas Wings selected Northwestern guard Veronica Burton.  The four-time Big Ten steals leader was an AP All-America Third Team selection this season and a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the best Division I point guard.  Veronica is only the second woman to earn three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, along with current Atlanta Dream coach Tanisha Wright.

The Las Vegas Aces used the eighth and 12th picks of the first round on Colorado forward Mya Hollingshed and Florida Gulf Coast guard Kierstan Bell.  Mya, a fifth-year senior and three-time All-Pac-12 selection, was All-Pac-12 First Team in 2022 while leading Colorado in scoring and rebounding. Kierstan is a two-time winner of the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award and was an AP All-America Honorable Mention selection the last two seasons.

At No. 9, the Los Angeles Sparks chose Rae Burrell of Tennessee. The senior from Las Vegas earned 2022 All-Tournament Team honors and was an All-SEC Second Team pick in 2021.

With the 12th pick, the Connecticut Sun selected Nia Clouden of Michigan State. A two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection, the senior guard set a Michigan State single-game record with 50 points this season and was a semifinalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation’s best point guard.

In the second round, the Mystics selected guard Christyn Williams at No. 14, the first of three Connecticut players selected in the round, alongside guard Evina Westbrook to Seattle and forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa to Los Angeles. The Storm traded the draft rights to No. 18 pick Lorela Cubaj of Georgia Tech to the Liberty for New York’s 2023 second-round pick. The Fever made its fifth overall selection of the draft with the 20th pick, selecting guard Destanni Henderson, who led South Carolina to a national championship win over Connecticut with a game-high 26 points.

WNBA Draft Results 2022

Explore 2022 WNBA mock drafts 

  • ESPN’s first 2022 WNBA mock draft has 6-foot-2 guard Rhyne Howard and double-double average 6-foot-4 NaLyssa Smith duking it out over the No. 1 spot overall.
  • Bleacher Report’s first mock draft has NaLyssa Smith going to the Mystics in spot 1, and Rhyne Howard going to the Fever.
  • The WNBA also took look at some of the latest mock draft projections across the board for the opening round.
  • Check out HerHoopStats‘ Gabe Ibrahim’s latest mock draft following the Atlanta and Mystics trade for the number one pick, in which NaLyssa Smith goes first to Atlanta.
  • Meanwhile Fansided has Rhyne Howard going first to Atlanta in their latest mock. Don’t forget multiple WNBA sources told The Next they believe Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard will come off the board first when Atlanta makes its selection.

2022 WNBA Draft entrants

The WNBA announced that 108 players from colleges and universities have formally filed for inclusion as candidates for the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm, scheduled for April 11 at Spring Studios in New York (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET). 

Since the NCAA granted, in 2021, every winter sport student-athlete an additional year of NCAA eligibility as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, intercollegiate women’s basketball players – even those who are finishing their senior year or graduate studies – may have remaining NCAA eligibility after the 2021-22 season. Accordingly, the WNBA and the WNBPA previously agreed on an opt-in process for NCAA players who are otherwise eligible for the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm. 

Players whose college teams are still active will have 48 hours following the conclusion of their final game to renounce their remaining NCAA eligibility and declare themselves available for the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm.

Players who have exhausted all NCAA eligibility, including the additional year granted due to Covid-19, are not required to renounce in order to be available.  Eligible international players (as that term is defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement) also are not required to opt in to the 2022 WNBA Draft in order to be selected.

Following is an initial list of players who have filed for consideration as candidates for the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm.

108 NCAA players who have declared for the WNBA draft 2022
WNBA draft 2022 players
WNBA draft 2022 athletes
WNBA draft 2022 players list

The select prospects who will be attending WNBA Draft 2022 presented by State Farm include:

Shakira Austin (Ole Miss): A two-time All-America Honorable Mention selection at Ole Miss, Austin was one of 15 players on the ballot for the 2021-22 John R. Wooden Award as the nation’s top player and a semifinalist for the Lisa Leslie Award as the nation’s best center.  The 6-5 Fredericksburg, Va., native earned all-conference honors first in the ACC with Maryland and then in the SEC with Ole Miss, which she helped improve from 7-23 the year before her arrival to 23-7 this season.

Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast): Bell, a 6-1 guard and the winner of the 2020-21 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award, was a finalist for the same honor in 2021-22 as well as for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award as the nation’s best shooting guard.  An AP All-America Honorable Mention selection the last two seasons, the native of Alliance, Ohio helped FGCU earn the ASUN Conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2021-22.  She averaged 24.3 points in 2020-21 and 22.8 points in 2021-22.

Rae Burrell (Tennessee): A 6-1 guard-forward from Las Vegas, Burrell overcame an early-season leg injury this season to average 12.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 22 games for the Lady Vols.  Burrell capped her final season at Tennessee by earning All-Tournament Team at the NCAA Wichita Regionals.

Veronica Burton (Northwestern): The 5-9 Burton, a finalist for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year honor, joined current Atlanta Dream coach Tanisha Wright as the only women to earn three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors.  The four-time Big Ten steals leader also was an AP All-America Third Team selection this season and a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the best Division I point guard.  A native of Newton, Mass., her late grandfather, Ron Burton, was the first-ever draft pick of the New England Patriots.

Nia Clouden (Michigan State): A 5-8 guard, Clouden garnered All-Big Ten First Team honors in 2020-21 and again this season. A starter at Michigan State from the first game of her freshman season, the Baltimore native paced the Spartans in points per game in her final three seasons, lifting her scoring average from 14.5 to 18.7 to 20.0 points in that span.  She set a Michigan State single-game record with 50 points against Florida Gulf Coast this season en route to being one of 10 semifinalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award as Division I’s best point guard.

Elissa Cunane (NC State): Nicknamed “Big Smile,” the 6-5 Cunane was a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award as the nation’s best center the past three seasons and an AP All-America Second Team selection the last two years. She helped the Wolfpack win the ACC Tournament crown in her hometown of Greensboro, N.C., each of the last three seasons, earning tournament MVP honors in 2021 and 2022.  Cunane also helped NC State earn four consecutive trips to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Emily Engstler (Louisville): A transfer from Syracuse ahead of this season, Engstler excelled for Louisville, becoming one of five finalists for the Cheryl Miller Award as the nation’s best small forward and one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year honor.  The 6-1 forward from Queens, N.Y., was an All-ACC First Team and All-Defensive Team pick in 2021-22, a year after being named Co-Sixth Player of Year.  She finished this season atop the ACC charts in steals (2.7 spg) and ranked third in rebounding (6.7 rpg).

Destanni Henderson (South Carolina): A 5-7 guard from Fort Myers, Fla., Henderson propelled South Carolina to the 2021-22 national championship with a game-high 26 points in the title game win over Connecticut.  In Henderson’s final season with the Gamecocks, she was one of 15 players on the ballot for the John R. Wooden Award as the National Player of the Year.  She was also a finalist for the Dawn Staley Award as the best Division I guard and for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation’s top point guard.

Naz Hillmon (Michigan): The most decorated player in the history of the Wolverines’ women’s basketball program, Hillmon was an AP All-America First Team selection this season and the 2020-21 Big Ten Player of the Year.  The Cleveland native and four-time All-Big Ten First Team honoree was a finalist for both the Katrina McClain Award as the nation’s best power forward and the John R. Wooden Award as the National Player of the Year.  A 6-2 forward, Hillmon averaged more than 21.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in each of the past two seasons.

Rhyne Howard (Kentucky): The 6-2 Howard was the SEC Player of the Year in 2020-21 and 2021-22.  In each of the past three seasons, the versatile Chattanooga, Tenn., native was a finalist for multiple National Player of the Year honors as well as for the Dawn Staley Award as the nation’s top guard and the Cheryl Miller Award as the best small forward.  She is the ninth player ever to be a three-time AP All-America First Team pick, joining Alana Beard, Brittney Griner, Chamique Holdsclaw, Sabrina Ionescu, Maya Moore, Courtney Paris, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson.  Howard averaged at least 20 points each of the last three seasons.

Nyara Sabally (Oregon): A native of Berlin, Germany, the 6-5 forward is the younger sister of Satou Sabally, the Dallas Wings forward and No. 2 selection in the 2020 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm.  After missing the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons due to injury, the younger Sabally was an All-Pac-12 selection the past two seasons and a finalist for the 2021-22 Katrina McClain Award as the nation’s top power forward.  This season, she led Oregon in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg).

NaLyssa Smith (Baylor): Smith, a 6-4 forward, won the Wade Trophy as the nation’s best player in 2020-21.  In each of the past two seasons, she earned the Katrina McClain Award as Division I’s best power forward, was selected as the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and was named to the AP All-America First Team.  This year, the Converse, Texas native was again a finalist for multiple National Player of the Year honors after pacing the Big 12 in scoring (22.1 ppg) and rebounding (11.5 rpg).

Just Women’s Sports has a full scouting report for the top 50 prospects in the 2022 class.

2021 WNBA Draft picks

2021 WNBA first-round draft picks
2021 WNBA draft picks
2021 WNBA draft picks
2021 WNBA second round draft picks
2021 WNBA third round draft picks
2021 WNBA draft picks 31 through 36

1997 WNBA Draft

1997 was the first WNBA draft. It had three different types of drafts as the WNBA had to build all of its rosters. 

1998 WNBA Draft

Two expansion teams joined the league so there was also an expansion draft and an allocation draft this year to go along with the traditional draft. 

1999 WNBA Draft

More WNBA expansion took place. So there once again was an expansion draft. Players from the American Basketball League were also added to the WNBA family. 

2000 WNBA Draft

Another year of expansion another year of multiples drafts. The new millennium begun with a third year of WNBA basketball and a third year of growth.

2001 WNBA Draft

This was the first draft where this only one draft! Just the traditional draft of college players becoming professional WNBA players. No expansion draft whatsoever. 

2002 WNBA Draft

This draft had notable stars such as Sue Bird selected in the first round. It also featured the first time the WNBA implemented a draft lottery to select the teams who would pick at the top of the draft. 

2003 WNBA Draft

The 2003 WNBA Draft had a dispersal draft along with a traditional draft. Due to two teams folding and two teams moving to new cities. The draft was also reduced from four rounds to three. 

2004 WNBA Draft

Another dispersal draft occurred in 2004 for the Cleveland Rockers who no longer existed after the 2003 season. 

2005 WNBA Draft

2005 was a traditional draft with just the selection of college players eligible being selected. The first pick overall was Janel McCarville.

2006 WNBA Draft

The 2006 draft marked the tenth WNBA draft of all time. A tremendous accomplishment for a new league that has fought and persevered through th years to continue to grow and succeed.

2007 WNBA Draft

2007 featured another dispersal draft due to the Charlotte Sting folding. 

2008 WNBA Draft

Notable players such as Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles were drafted in 2008 adding more star power to the WNBA.

2009 WNBA Draft

There was another dispersal draft due to Houston Rockets folding. This 2008 draft marked the thirteenth WNBA Draft in the league’s history. 

2010 WNBA Draft

This was the first draft of the new decade. Interesting fact: the Sacramento Monarchs folded after the draft was over so their picks were just eliminated. 

2011 WNBA Draft

No teams dissolved this year so it was just a traditional draft. Maya Moore was drafted at number one. 

2012 WNBA Draft

2012 draft featured new stars like Nneka Ogwumike and Devereaux Peters.

2013 WNBA Draft

The draft was the league’s first-ever primetime draft telecast on April 15th on ESPN2 and ESPNU. The draft featured the “three to see” players which were Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner, and Skylar Diggins-Smith.

2014 WNBA Draft

The draft lottery was shown during primetime on SportsCenter on December 10, 2013. At this point the WNBA draft was growing into a bigger and bigger event. 

2015 WNBA Draft

Jewell Lloyd went number one and left school a year early. This was extremely rare at the time and is something we will be seeing more and more of.

2016 WNBA Draft

2016 marked the twentieth year of the WNBA – a tremendous accomplishment for the W. Another historic thing happened during the draft: Three UCONN players were selected in the first round. An incredible testament to the development and quality of players coming out of UCONN.

2017 WNBA Draft

The 2017 Draft featured no UCONN players in the first round and had a lot of PAC 12 love with players drafted from Washington, Oregon State, and Stanford.

2018 WNBA Draft

In 2018 UCONN came back with a vengeance having three players selected in the first round of the draft.

2019 WNBA Draft

The 2019 WNBA draft took place at the Nike New York Headquarters. Round One was televised on ESPN 2 with round two and three being televised on ESPN U

2020 WNBA Draft

The 2020 WNBA Draft was unlike any other. Due to the coronavirus pandemic it was held completely virtually. The WNBA and ESPN did a fantastic job working through all the challenges of running an all virtual draft. 

2021 WNBA Draft

The Dallas Wings selected Charli Collier of Texas and Awak Kuier of Finland with the first two picks in the 2021 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm.

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