9 Prospects To Follow As We Approach WNBA Draft Night

Projected: First Round

We already knew McDonald was a beast, but like many budding superstars, she took her game to the next level in this year’s NCAA tournament. While it didn’t end the way Arizona wanted, McDonald was sensational this year, averaging nearly 20 PPG. She was also stellar in the rebounding and assists department and is a hustler on both ends of the court. McDonald is a special player, one that is kind of hard to put into words, but if we could pick one word to describe her, it would be fearless. She is unafraid of the moment and hungry. We are looking forward to seeing what she does in the W her rookie season.

Projected: Second Round

Don’t play with Chelsea Perry! Perry had a great college career and racked plenty of awards and honors in her time at UT Martin, including being named the ‘Women’s Basketball Player of the Year’ by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association in 2020. Perry is a scoring and rebounding machine and gets close to a double-double often. Perry has shown consistent improvement every year, puts in that work in the off-season, and it shows.

Projected: Third Round

Aaliyah Wilson has an incredible story, one that involves her battling back from a severe knee injury that she suffered as a sophomore. Knee injuries can be hard to recover from, and it can also be tough to regain your footing after months of being away from the game. Wilson has successfully overcome that hurdle and is a special player on both offense and defense. Wilson did it all for the Aggies this year, leading the team in scoring, blocks, and steals, and is ready to bring that same tenacity to the WNBA. Watch out for Wilson!

Projected: First Round

Barring anything major, Charli Collier is projected to go number one overall and could potentially be joining the Dallas Wings as the newest addition to the team. Collier finished the season averaging roughly 19 ppg, has a nice three-point shot, and the size and athleticism to really dominate in the W. Her post-game is dynamic, and she can really space and spread the floor well to create her own shots. We’re looking forward to seeing her in action this year.

Projected: Second Round

Richards is another young player with an incredible story, overcoming temporary paralysis from a freak collision in October that affected her central nervous system. A serious injury like that could have taken her out for the remainder of the season (and had more serious implications on her overall health), but Richards was miraculously back in action just a little over a month after the injury. Richards is a presence on both ends and an extremely tough player. She can give you a solid 10 points per night, dish out those assists, and regularly gets her teammates involved. Richards is looking forward to her next chapter, and so are we.

Projected: Third Round

Goodman spent a couple of weeks trying to figure out whether or not she would return for one more year with Oregon State but ultimately decided it was time to officially begin her professional career. Goodman led Oregon State in scoring this season, earning many PAC-12 honors during the course of her four-year collegiate career. Goodman does many things well on the floor, and one of her most dangerous skills just might be her range from beyond the arc. This girl can shoot, and that will serve her incredibly well in the pros.

Projected: First Round

Concluding her college career as one of the all-time Louisville greats, the All-American is ready for this next step in her career. Evans is a versatile scorer with an innate clutch factor that is sure to be helpful to whichever team she joins. She is also a near-perfect free-throw shooter, which is super important as well because we all know free throws can be the silent difference maker in close games. Gary, Indiana breeds greatness, and it will definitely be interesting to see where she lands.

Projected: Second Round

Thompson has rightfully secured her spot in Auburn history and is ready to add more entries to her resume as she starts her professional career. Thompson is a double-double machine, with an almost crazy rebounding ability. Simply put, you aren’t getting very many second-chance opportunities with Thompson on the court, and you need to watch her on offense because she can give you 20 quick. 

Off-Topic: Can we acknowledge how creative Thompson’s ‘Last Shade’ campaign was this year? For those unfamiliar, Thompson closed her senior season by rocking a different shade of lipstick every night and became known for her on-court (and off) makeup looks during her time at Auburn. What a fun way to close your college chapter!

Projected: Third Round

Speaking of elite rebounders, N’dea Jones ended her career at Texas A&M's all-time leading rebounder and was a key factor in helping A&M to their first regular-season championship. Jones is another one of those players that consistently brings in double-doubles, and earned two All-American honors this season. A fierce competitor, Jones is definitely one that you should be keeping a close eye on during Thursday night’s draft.