Within the 2021 WNBA Draft, the Connecticut Solar bought a dream situation at No. 20 and will add two draft picks to their roster, the Chicago Sky bought precisely what they wanted plus a steal who ought to each make their roster, the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty did each did a strong job and the Indiana Fever adopted up a uninteresting free company interval and not using a residence run within the draft. Listed here are our draft grades for the East:
Connecticut Solar (A-)
Picks: 20. DiJonai Carrington (Baylor Woman Bears), 21. Micaela Kelly (Central Michigan Chippewas), 30. Aleah Goodman (Oregon State Beavers)
We mentioned that DiJonai Carrington falling to No. 20 can be a dream situation for the Solar and it occurred. Connecticut wanted so as to add one other capturing guard to its roster and it bought one that’s 5-foot-11 and might wreak havoc on protection. Her dimension, although not 6-foot-2, and protection will change some of what’s misplaced on account of Alyssa Thomas’ season-ending harm. She can be a primary spherical expertise, so a steal at No. 20. It was an extended shot for Connecticut to get her and the workforce ought to be thrilled.
The Solar have loads of house on their roster with simply seven gamers underneath contract so coaching camp goes to be attention-grabbing for them. Carrington will seemingly make the workforce together with Natisha Hiedeman, Beatrice Mompremier and one different participant. The workforce could not be capable of afford second-rounder Micaela Kelly, who is an outstanding scorer although she was picked far forward of her projection. Sharpshooter Aleah Goodman was third-round pickup for a Connecticut workforce that was 11th in Three-point capturing final 12 months.
Chicago Sky (A-)
Picks: No. eight Shyla Heal (Australia), No. 16 Natasha Mack (Oklahoma State Cowgirls)
The Sky bought what they wanted at No. eight: a backup level guard. They didn’t go for Dana Evans or Kiana Williams, who had been each nonetheless accessible, however you’ll be able to’t knock them an excessive amount of for taking Shyla Heal, who was projected to go early- to mid-second spherical and is a superb all-around level guard. With Natasha Mack at No. 16, they get an influence ahead with shot at making the roster. The Sky solely have 9 gamers underneath contract, so Heal and Mack may very effectively be gamers No. 10 and No. 11 on the roster. Astou Ndour and Brittany Boyd will compete with Mack for that ultimate spot, however props to Chicago for drafting a participant in Mack that was projected to go within the first spherical and undoubtedly isn’t a wasted choose. With Heal, the Sky could now not want Boyd and her four.6 assists per sport and Mack’s ceiling is excessive sufficient to maintain her and add some proficient youth to an in any other case win-now roster. She seemingly will make the roster and will even contribute a bit straight away. It’s shocking she fell to No. 16.
Atlanta Dream (B)
Picks: No. Three Aari McDonald (Arizona Wildcats), No. 15 Raquel Carrera (Spain), No. 27 Lindsey Pulliam (Northwestern Wildcats)
The Dream didn’t have any evident positional wants, so that they had been in a position to take one of the best participant they although was accessible at No. Three. Many had been cut up on whether or not they would take capturing guard Arella Guirantes or small ahead Rennia Davis. They went with level guard Aari McDonald as an alternative, a participant whose draft inventory rose on account of her thrilling run to the NCAA championship sport with Arizona. McDonald will be part of level guards Chennedy Carter and Odyssey Sims on Atlanta’s roster. It was a little bit of shock choose, however total a strong alternative.
The Dream should minimize somebody considerably worthwhile, both guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough or middle Kalani Brown, to create sufficient cap house to signal McDonald. Don’t count on the workforce to half methods with extra worthwhile gamers past that to create space for both Raquel Carrera (the No. 15 choose) or Lindsey Pulliam (the No. 27 choose). These picks are seemingly simply going to finish up being good coaching camp competitors.
New York Liberty (B)
Picks: No. 6 Michaela Onyenwere (UCLA Bruins), No. 17 DiDi Richards (Baylor Woman Bears), No. 25 Valerie Higgins (Pacific Tigers), No. 29 Marine Fauthoux (France)
The Liberty stole Michaela Onyenwere away from the Los Angeles Sparks, who could have traded as much as get the UCLA ahead. Nonetheless, LA ended up with the higher shooter and larger participant in Jasmine Walker anyway. Onyenwere continues to be a strong choose and is battled-tested from enjoying within the Pac-12. She may turn into an ideal WNBA participant. We thought New York would take Natasha Mack at No. 6 to assist its frontcourt. Onyenwere may nonetheless be thought of a frontcourt participant however won’t give the Liberty the scale and shot-blocking that Mack would have given them. It’s additionally attention-grabbing that New York went with non-Three-point shooters with each of their first two picks, the opposite being DiDi Richards of Baylor. The Liberty wish to shoot a number of threes — that’s their workforce technique. However they had been in search of enchancment on protection, which was a good suggestion. Richards, like Onyenwere, is battle-tested (Large 12/perennial championship contender) and said herself that she is an entire WNBA participant if she will discover her offense. The Liberty did not take and any energy forwards or facilities, rounding out the draft by choosing Valerie Higgins of Pacific and Marine Fauthoux of France, each forward of the place they had been projected.
Put up-Draft: Liberty GM, Jonathan Kolb and Coach Walter Hopkins share their emphasis on including defensive gamers and the #6 total choose, @monyenwere_, shares her pleasure to proceed to develop her sport! pic.twitter.com/k6JCFD1FCc
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) April 16, 2021
Indiana Fever (C-)
Picks: No. four Kysre Gondrezick (West Virginia Mountaineers), No. 11 Aaliyah Wilson (Texas A&M Aggies)*, No. 19 Distinctive Thompson (Auburn Tigers), No. 24 Trinity Baptiste (Arizona Wildcats), No. 26 Chelsey Perry (UT Martin Skyhawks), No. 31 Florencia Chagas (Argentina), No. 33 Maya Caldwell (Georgia Woman Bulldogs)
*acquired in commerce with Seattle Storm
The Fever, who missed the playoffs final 12 months and had one of many least-impressive free company durations, went rogue with their highly-important No. four choose, at the least within the eyes of most, by taking Kysre Gondrezick, who was projected to go at No. 17 by Swish Attraction and at No. 29 by ESPN. Nonetheless, let’s take a second to contemplate simply how good a participant Gondrezick is. She averaged 19.5 factors and four.5 assists as a senior at West Virginia and led the Mountaineers to an ideal season within the Large 12.
However, the Fever may have had a taller, extra bodily guard in Arella Guirantes (many groups may have; she fell all the best way to No. 22). In addition they may have taken Rennia Davis of Tennessee, a flexible small ahead who can guard a number of positions. We’ll see if their gamble on Gondrezick works out.
If the Fever’s second choose was larger than No. 19, they could have waited to get Gondrezick. It’s comprehensible, in the event that they wished her that badly, that they took her at No. four as a result of, regardless that some mock drafts had her going after 19, she was a big-name participant and an exceptional scorer in faculty. With 19, the Fever went with a a lot safer choose: Distinctive Thompson of Auburn. Thompson was projected to go at No. 15 in each the Swish Attraction and ESPN’s mock drafts and you’ll be able to depend on her rebounding.
One factor Indiana has going for it’s loads of cap room. They, not like many groups, can afford to signal a 12th participant. And by buying and selling Kennedy Burke for the No. 11 choose (Aaliyah Wilson of Texas A&M), the Fever have simply 10 gamers underneath contract. Hi there to a roster spot for Gondrezick after which one other for both Wilson or Thompson. And Kathleen Doyle’s roster spot definitely isn’t a lock both, leaving the door open for the remainder of Indiana’s draft picks to at the least compete.
Trinity Baptiste was picked forward of her projection at No. 24, however, like Aari McDonald, was spectacular throughout Arizona’s run to the nationwide championship sport. Chelsey Perry of UT Martin was a steal at No. 26 after which Florencia Chagas of Argentina (No. 31) and Maya Caldwell of Georgia (No. 33) weren’t anticipated to get drafted however Indiana took them.