The GIST: Iowa’s Caitlin Clark officially joins the pros today, as she and thirty-five other standout players will be selected to the WNBA during tonight’s sold-out 7 p.m. ET draft. Time to roll out the orange carpet.
How the draft works: The draft consists of three rounds with 12 picks each. The first four picks were determined by December’s draft lottery, involving the teams that missed last season’s playoffs, with the Indiana Fever securing the top spot.
From there, the remaining eight teams were ordered based on their record, though offseason trades have caused some reshuffling, leading to three franchises having multiple first-round picks.
The top prospects: The Fever are likely to choose Clark with the first pick, pairing her with last year’s only rookie All-Star and No. 1 pick, Aliyah Boston. The excitement is building in Indianapolis.
However, this draft class goes beyond Clark. Either South Carolina champion Kamilla Cardoso or Stanford’s defensive specialist Cameron Brink are expected to be selected at No. 2 by the rebuilding LA Sparks. Get ready for some tall talent.Meanwhile, Tennessee’s standout shooter Rickea Jackson and UConn’s post powerhouse Aaliyah Edwards, along with LSU’s Angel Reese, are highly sought after players.
Zooming out: With only 144 roster spots available, not every player drafted tonight will make it to the start of the season in May. Tonight marks a thrilling first step, but as Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi wisely noted, these college superstars will soon face reality. Get ready for some exciting action.
