After a historic NCAA tournament, women's college basketball's best and brightest took their next step Monday night in the WNBA Draft in New York.
Caitlin Clark started the night by going No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever after helping Iowa to the national championship game in back-to-back seasons.
Clark finished her college career averaging 31.6 points and 8.9 assists per game, both of which led the country.
Stanford's Cameron Brink was next, going to the Los Angeles Sparks, and Kamilla Cardoso from South Carolina went No. 3 to the Chicago Sky.
After an illustrious collegiate career at LSU, Angel Reese was selected by the Sky with the seventh pick, joining Cardoso in the frontcourt rotation.
Kamilla Cardoso was just asked about Angel Reese being drafted to the Sky as well.
“Nobody is going to get any rebounds on us.” #WNBADraft @WNBA @ForTheWin pic.twitter.com/b33rPkWBW3
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) April 16, 2024
It was an incredible evening for the WNBA, with commissioner Cathy Engelbert saying she was “pretty confident” the league will expand to 16 teams by the 2028 season.
Engelbert said Philadelphia, Toronto, Denver, Nashville and South Florida are potential landing spots for expansion teams.
WNBA Draft order
First round
1. Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark, PG, Iowa
2. Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink, PF, Stanford
3. Chicago Sky: Kamilla Cardosa, C, South Carolina
4. Los Angeles Sparks: Rickea Jackson, SF, Tennessee
5. Dallas Wings: Jacy Sheldon, SG, Ohio State
6. Washington Mystics: Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
7. Chicago Sky: Angel Reese, F, LSU
8. Minnesota Lynx: Alissa Pili, F, Utah
9. Dallas Wings: Carla Leite, SG, France
10. Connecticut Sun: Leïla Lacan, PG, France
11. New York Liberty: Marquesha Davis, SF, Ole Miss
12. Atlanta Dream: Nyadiew Puoch, PF, Australia
Second round
13. Chicago Sky: Brynna Maxwell, G, Gonzaga
14. Seattle Storm: Nika Mühl, PG, UConn
15. Indiana Fever: Celeste Taylor, PG, Ohio State
16. Las Vegas Aces: Dyaisha Fiar, G, Syracuse
17. New York Liberty: Esmery Martinez, PF, Arizona
18. Las Vegas Aces: Kate Martin, SG, Iowa
19. Connecticut Sun: Taiyanna Jackson, C, Kansas
20. Atlanta Dream: Isobel Borlase, PG, Australia
21. Washington Mystics: Kaylynne Truong, PG, Gonzaga
22. Connecticut Sun: Helena Pueyo, PG, Arizona
23. New York Liberty: Jessika Carter, C, Mississippi State
24. Las Vegas Aces: Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech
Third round
25. Phoenix Mercury: Charisma Osborne, PG, UCLA
26. Seattle Storm: Mackenzie Holmes, PF, Indiana
27. Indiana Fever: Leilani Correa, PG, Florida
28. Los Angeles Sparks: McKenzie Forbes, SF, USC
29. Phoenix Mercury: Jaz Shelley, SG, Nebraska
30. Washington Mystics: Nastja Claessens, SG, Belgium
31. Minnesota Lynx: Kiki Jefferson, SG, Louisville
32. Atlanta Dream: Matilde Villa, SG, Italy
33. Dallas Wings: Ashley Owusu, SG, Penn State
34. Connecticut Sun: Abbey Hsu, SG, Columbia
35. New York Liberty: Kaitlyn Davis, PF, USC
36. Las Vegas Aces: Angel Jackson, C, Jackson State
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER52 updates
Cassandra Negley
Another sweet moment seeing the Aces draft Kate Martin out of the crowd. Martin attended the draft with Iowa teammate Gabbie Marshall to support Clark. She played for five seasons after redshirting as a freshman and is referred to as "the glue" for doing anything the Hawkeyes needed. Martin's family is not in attendance, but after speaking with ESPN's Holly Rowe she received big hugs from Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder, Anne Nizzi-Clark, Brent Clark and Caitlin's brothers, Colin and Blake. Former Iowa Naismith winner Megan Gustafson is also in Las Vegas. The two missed each other by one year at Iowa.
Yahoo Sports Staff
KATE MARTIN TO THE ACES!!!! #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/1C55qt0mVY
— Aliyah Funschelle (@AliyahFun) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
It's giving proud mom 🫶 #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/65AkMZCOF2
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Cassandra Negley
Dyaisha Fair feels like a fitting pick for Las Vegas. Aces head coach Becky Hammon knows what it's like to be an undersized and overlooked point guard with a will to be great. It could be a great learning opportunity for Fair to play behind Chelsea Gray (who often takes a coach role in practices) and learn from Hammon. She's third on the all-time NCAA DI scoring list.
Yahoo Sports Staff
UConn All-time assists leader Nika Mühl is headed to the Seattle Storm ⛈️ pic.twitter.com/WT5gFbK5gQ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
Paige Bueckers joining in on the “We Want Nika” chants 😂 pic.twitter.com/IXCImhMbAi
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
Alissa Pili's dad was overcome with emotion 🥹 #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/AgW2tEmMaK
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Cassandra Negley
Nika Mühl showed out in that Final Four defensive performance against Caitlin Clark. If she sticks on the Seattle roster, she'll learn behind veteran point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith. Very special moment for her, and clearly for her UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd watching from the gallery.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Plenty of star power in the first round of the #WNBADraft 🤩 pic.twitter.com/BuvuJJKlZZ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
With the Final pick in the first round of #WNBADraft the Atlanta Dream select Nyadiew Puoch 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/5cyprBWs1W
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
It hasn’t even been an hour or so and #CaitlinClark has changed the #WNBA no question what team has the most ticket money this season. The wnba savior has arrived.. #WNBATwitter #WNBADRAFT #Tickets pic.twitter.com/Y5evLKyv6N
— RealaHighVibez (@RealaHighVibez) April 16, 2024
Cassandra Negley
Angel Reese brings it all the way back to high school describing first playing against Kamilla Cardoso, her new teammate. Said she's excited to see the Chicago frontcourt duo against the Los Angeles duo of Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Kamilla Cardoso was just asked about Angel Reese being drafted to the Sky as well.
“Nobody is going to get any rebounds on us.” #WNBADraft @WNBA @ForTheWin pic.twitter.com/b33rPkWBW3
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
Marquesha Davis lands with the New York Liberty 🗽 pic.twitter.com/SiQCu6OIXu
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Cassandra Negley
One important point on the back-to-back international picks by Dallas and Connecticut. Teams will often draft-and-stash these players to bring onto the roster in a later season. They might do it because of a lack of roster room this year or with the knowledge that a player isn't ready to join the WNBA yet while they remain with their Olympic teams or domestic teams.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Back-to-back picks from France in the #WNBADraft
Leila Lacan is headed to Connecticut ☀️ pic.twitter.com/IO0IIzPpCF
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
From France to Dallas for guard Carla Leite 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/xIoSjivcay
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
Three-time All-Pac-12 Alissa Pili is headed to the Lynx👏@alissa_pili | #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/rsAJAx9WMb
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
Angel and Kim Mulkey taking it all in 💛💜 @Reese10Angel | @LSURivals | #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/m2jOfa8IaH
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
Yahoo Sports Staff
"This was more emotional for me."@CaitlinClark22 compared the moment she broke the NCAA scoring record to her being drafted No. 1 overall in the #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/ZEOMfWzrVq
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2024
