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Eric MoodyESPN
A brand new wave of expertise entered the WNBA Monday night time as 36 gamers had been chosen to 12 groups in the course of the 2023 WNBA Draft.
Their arrival may change the course for a lot of franchises as the brand new season begins on Might 6, and from the brand new junior class there are eight gamers who stand a powerful probability of constructing a right away contribution to ladies’s fantasy basketball this season.
Table of Contents
Ryan Howard, Atlanta Dream
The Dream is within the midst of the longest playoff drought in franchise historical past and is in dire want of playmakers with 9 unrestricted Free Brokers from 2023. Amongst them is Courtney Williams, who led the crew in PPG, APG, and RPG final season. Atlanta will solely return 35% of its factors, 31% of its assists and 34% of its rebounds from final season, so Howard must fill the void. Howard was an excellent Kentucky finisher and shooter and led the Wildcats in factors, triples, steals and blocks throughout its first season. She left Lexington second in common scoring (19.9 PPG), third in her three-point profession (214), third in 3-point discipline aim share (38.1%) and eighth in stealing per sport (2.3). It needs to be straightforward for Howard to adapt to the skilled sport.
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Nalissa Smith, Indiana Fever
Smith joins a crew that has received simply 12 video games up to now two seasons and has a file 40-116 over the previous 5 seasons. Protection was a serious downside for the state of Indiana. Final season, Fever ranked final within the league in defensive ranking and had her internet ranking (offensive ranking minus defensive ranking) minus 12.5. Baylor Smith’s statistical workgroup and ability set is an ideal match for the WNBA. She had probably the most embellished seasons in Baylor ladies’s basketball historical past and averaged 22.1 PPGs with 11.5 RPGs. Smith completed her first season rating twenty fifth in double double positions (13), discipline targets scored (217), discipline aim share (56%), free throw makes an attempt (154), free throws made (122) and complete factors (559). ). Whereas Smith has a powerful submit sport, she wants to enhance from submit arc and may have each probability of succeeding with a powerful function in Fever.
Niara Sabali, New York Liberty
Liberty ranked subsequent to final within the Offensive RPG (6.2), contributing to her low-league PPG probability of 8.1 seconds. New York additionally struggled in protection, permitting essentially the most factors on any crew’s plate final season. Sabally can have a right away affect in these areas. She was sixth in aim scoring (15.4 PPG) and third in rebounding (7.8 RPG) in final Pac-12 season in addition to sixth in blocks (1.4 BPG) and fifth in discipline aim share (52.7%).
Ray Burrell, Los Angeles Sparks
Though the Sparks have a really robust efficiency, the addition of Burrell solely enhances their skill to file from the ocean. Burrell is a flexible ranger who can stretch the ground. She scored 1,131 factors and had 458 rebounds whereas capturing 40.2% from the sphere throughout her school profession with Tennessee. Whereas a knee damage saved Burrell on the sidelines for a part of final season, she returned to the SEC and NCAA tournaments and has averaged 16.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG and three.2 APG over her final 5 video games.
Queen Igbo, Indiana Fever
As I discussed above, the fever had a plethora of brilliant wants heading into this draft. Egbo runs the ground properly and is an ideal match for a crew that desires to play extra rhythm this season. The Egbo averaged 11 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 1.8 BPG throughout her first season at Baylor. The chemistry she’s had with Smith for the previous 4 seasons should proceed at Baylor, Indiana.
Nia Clawden, Connecticut Solar
The Solar has discovered its substitute for Brian Jan in Clouden, who completed her four-year profession at Michigan State because the No. 2 all-time chief in profession factors (1,882), main her crew to attain in every of the previous three years. She averaged 20.0 PPG throughout her first season, together with 4.2 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.2 SPG, whereas scoring a finest 39.6% from behind the arc. The teaching workers in Connecticut will assist her shortly adapt to the skilled sport.
Lexi Hull, Indiana Fever
The Fever needed energetic younger gamers who may play protection, and Gap match that mould. She was a shock choose in Monday night time’s draft because the third of 4 first-round gamers in Indiana, however Fever believes in what she brings to the court docket. Hull averaged 12.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.0 APG and a couple of.2 SPG in her first season at Stanford and is a gifted guard who can praise Kelsey Mitchell, Victoria Vivians and Bria Hartley.
Elisa Conan, Seattle Storm
Konan’s exit from the primary spherical was surprising. It began 101 of 125 video games in NC and averaged 15 PPGs and eight.0 RPGs over 4 seasons. Konan is the varsity’s all-time chief in free throws made (513), ranks fifth in rebounds (987), sixth in profession factors (1855) and seventh in doubles (34). She has first-round pedigree however is in a crew that ranked second in scoring (85 PPG) final season. If the 6-foot-5 Cunane could make the checklist, she has the potential to make a reputation for herself within the league.
