With the 2022 WNBA Draft lower than per week away, it’s formally time to launch up projecting where basketball’s brightest younger stars shall be competing this summer season.
The Indiana Fever, with WNBA pioneer and championship-winning head coach Lin Dunn now serving as the team’s standard supervisor, could net four picks in the predominant spherical, making them the team with the most alternative to produce by diagram of the draft. The Atlanta Dream will also net but some other so that you just can add building blocks to their rebuild with the No. 1 overall net in the draft.
Without additional ado, right here is Swish Allure’s legitimate 2022 WNBA Mock Draft, total with predictions and analysis for all three rounds and all 36 picks.
1. Atlanta Dream: Rhyne Howard, G/F (Kentucky)
Howard has been surrounded by an charisma of stardom since early in her collegiate profession, and three first-team All-American decisions would counsel that she’s more than ready to enjoy an affect in the experts. At 6’2, Howard has astronomical size as a perimeter participant, and whereas it’s straightforward to specialize in her scoring (20-plus parts per game in three-straight seasons), she could enjoy plays out of the net-and-roll and has a high ceiling as a abet defender. Merely put, Howard is the style of elite skills a team — the Dream, in this case — can produce around for years but to come.
2. Indiana Fever: NaLyssa Smith, F (Baylor)
Listed at 6’4, Smith is a extremely bodily vitality ahead who has an athletic advantage over the overwhelming majority of her particular individual matchups. An excellent face-up game and a relentless motor enjoy Smith fairly a handful on the boards and at the rim; her senior averages of 22.1 parts and 11.5 parts per game amounted to surely one of many most attention-grabbing particular individual seasons in Baylor history, and if the Fever net her at No. 2 overall, they’ll be getting a quality play finisher whose game has even more room to develop as a legitimate.
3. Washington Mystics: Shakira Austin, C (Ole Gallop over)
A two-time All-SEC first-teamer, Austin dragged a rebuilding Ole Gallop over program into relevance upon her switch from Maryland. With a big wingspan and appropriate lateral dash for her size, Austin can defend the paint as effectively as comfortably change onto perimeter gamers, and at 6’5, she’s going to elevate her glorious half of rebounds (28.2 p.c defensive rebounding fee as a senior). Possibly the most keen aspect of her game is how smoothly she handles the basketball as a center; Washington doesn’t net worthy in phrases of two-manner bigs, so Austin would enjoy an true building block for future Mystics teams.
4. Indiana Fever: Kierstan Bell, F (FGCU)
Bell scored virtually 1,100 parts in exact two seasons at FGCU, almost today proving to be a supreme slot in the Eagles’ 3-point-heavy offense. She operated mainly as a dinky-ball ahead there, feasting on Atlantic Solar competition en route to a pair of conference participant of the three hundred and sixty five days awards. Even supposing Bell’s position is regularly varied on whichever WNBA team she lands on, there’s no query she has both the skill and the body to be a winning pro, and the Fever’s most modern commitment to overhauling their roster counsel that they wouldn’t mind taking a flier on a participant with Bell’s athletic ceiling.
5. Recent York Liberty: Emily Engstler, F (Louisville)
Engstler enjoyed a profession renaissance at Louisville, thriving as a roaming defender in the Cardinals’ extremely-aggressive man-to-man intention. Constant with Her Hoop Stats, she changed into the most attention-grabbing rotation participant in Division I to legend a procure fee of at the least 5 p.c and a block fee of at the least seven p.c; no other participant, going the entire manner help to the 2009-10 season, has ever met both of these thresholds. The Liberty ranked 10th in the WNBA in forcing turnovers final season, and whereas Engstler couldn’t be astronomical ample to defend the taller centers in the league, her defensive instincts and activity would nonetheless be extremely valued in Recent York.
6. Indiana Fever: Nyara Sabally, C (Oregon)
Sabally’s profession at Oregon changed into dinky to exact two seasons due to multiple ACL accidents, but when wholesome, she confirmed several of the same abilities that made her older sister Satou a can’t-omit WNBA prospect — handling the ball and ending plays in transition, in explicit. Even supposing Sabally is more dinky to the low post, she’s hundreds expert around the basket, taking pictures 62.2 p.c there (Synergy Sports activities), and she’s regarded extremely in international basketball circles, having competed for the German national team since 2015. The Fever net ample first-spherical picks to net but some other right here and hope Sabally pans out.
7. Dallas Wings: Destanni Henderson, G (South Carolina)
The Wings don’t seem to need worthy on paper, but it surely’s that you just’ll want to presumably assume that they switch on from surely one of Moriah Jefferson or Ty Harris sooner rather then later, by which case Henderson would be a very good alternative. An on a typical foundation out of doorways shooter (40.5 p.c on 3-pointers as an upperclassman) with a penchant for making astronomical plays, Henderson could presumably slot in next to any other Wings guard and make a contribution either as a level guard or an off-ball chance.
8. Minnesota Lynx: Elissa Cunane, C (NC Dispute)
Cunane has been the point of hobby of an NC Dispute program that has persistently been surely one of many country’s easiest in most modern seasons. The fulcrum of the Wolfpack’s four-out, one-in offense, Cunane has comely footwork in the post and could enjoy at the rim with either hand, even supposing the likelihood of her developing a decent 3-point shot (42-of-100 on 3-pointers over the past three seasons) could presumably presumably be more attention-grabbing to pro coaches; Sylvia Fowles shall be calling it a profession after the 2022 WNBA season, so the Lynx could presumably presumably be having a detect so that you just can add frontcourt depth right here.
9. Los Angeles Sparks: Christyn Williams, G (UConn)
Williams is a 5’11 guard with a extremely efficient awful and is surely one of many better two-manner perimeter gamers in the category. The winner of the 2022 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award given to the nation’s easiest taking pictures guard, Williams excels at slashing to the ring and shot effectively above 50 p.c on 2-pointers in every of her four seasons at UConn. The Sparks net hundreds of dynamic ball handlers on their roster, and Williams would enjoy an true complement to that critical individual vitality.
10. Indiana Fever: Veronica Burton, G (Northwestern)
A three-time Huge Ten Defensive Player of the three hundred and sixty five days who accumulated 394 steals in four collegiate seasons, Burton changed into most regularly tasked with carrying the lion’s half of the playmaking for an offensively dinky Northwestern team; even even supposing she plays with the push wished from WNBA point guards, she wouldn’t be overtaxed in Indiana, and her ability to position of abode the tone of a game on defense would be a welcome addition to a backcourt that lacks a level-of-assault defender.
11. Las Vegas Aces: Rae Burrell, G/F (Tennessee)
Burrell’s extremely-anticipated senior season bought off to a rocky launch up when she sustained a leg wound, one which stored her out for an true chunk of the season and dinky her athletically after she returned to the court docket. Even supposing this positively afflict Burrell’s draft stock, she’s restful noteworthy of but some other in the leisurely first spherical; as a 6’1 soar who shot 40.2 p.c on 3-pointers as a junior, Burrell would fit effectively on an Aces roster that’s currently immediate on perimeter gamers.
12. Connecticut Solar: Sika Kone, C (Mali)
Extensively regarded as surely one of many tip international prospects in the category, Kone averaged a formidable 19.7 parts and 14.8 rebounds per game for Mali in the 2021 U19 Ladies’s Basketball World Cup. Kone is exact 19 years venerable and her game remains to be raw, but her international assign makes her a prime candidate to be drafted and “stashed,” in particular if the most contemporary knee wound she suffered whereas taking half in in Spain retains her out for the launch of the 2022 WNBA season. In Connecticut’s case, she’d be a low-chance net for a team that isn’t in any other case in a situation so that you just can add worthy by diagram of this three hundred and sixty five days’s draft.
13. Minnesota Lynx: Jade Melbourne, G (Australia)
An up-and-coming younger guard who shall be a key cog in Australia’s national program for years but to come, Melbourne has net-and-roll chops as both a scorer and a playmaker, as evidenced by her most modern play in the U19 World Cup (12.6 parts and 3.4 assists per game as the Aussies received a bronze medal). Gentle exact 19 years venerable, she makes sense for the Lynx to draft and stash, as Minnesota received’t net worthy room on its 2022 coaching camp roster.
14. Washington Mystics: Nia Clouden, G (Michigan Dispute)
A rating-first point guard who is efficient at both ending at the rim (61.3 p.c taking pictures) and taking pictures the prolonged ball (39.6 p.c on 5 3-point makes an attempt per game as a senior), Clouden could presumably very effectively trudge greater than this, but if she’s restful readily obtainable at No. 13, the Mystics could presumably restful net a detect. Washington has hundreds of sturdy perimeter defenders to pair with Clouden, such as Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins, and her off-the-jump scoring ability would add a handy dimension to Washington’s offense.
15. Atlanta Dream: Naz Hillmon, C (Michigan)
Belief to be one of many most attention-grabbing scorers in Huge Ten history, Hillmon afraid the conference as an upperclassman, averaging more than 22 parts and 10 rebounds per game in her final two seasons as a Wolverine whereas taking pictures virtually 60 p.c from the bottom. As a center who made the overwhelming majority of her self-discipline goals out of post-united statesand putbacks, Hillmon’s height (6’2) and lack of defensive stats could presumably reason her to bound a bit in the draft, but she’s also more athletic than she’s given credit for, so we’ll take into legend how worthy of her game translates and which WNBA team is a believer.
16. Los Angeles Sparks: Hannah Sjerven, C (South Dakota)
Sjerven grew to vary into heads in the 2022 NCAA Match, main South Dakota to its first-ever event favor and Sweet 16 appearance whereas more than maintaining her enjoy against a couple of of the larger names in the category, such as Austin, Smith, and Hillmon. The three-time Summit League Defensive Player of the three hundred and sixty five days has an on a typical foundation low-post game and a developing 3-point shot, and even supposing she’ll already be turning 24 years venerable this summer season, her appeal as a fundamentally sound astronomical who can make a contribution to a team exact away would enjoy her a true net in the mid-2d spherical.
17. Seattle Storm: Khayla Pointer, G (LSU)
Pointer put up big all-around numbers as a fifth-three hundred and sixty five days participant, averaging 19.6 parts, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, even supposing her significant power remains her ability to construct up to the rim off the dribble. Given Sue Bird’s impending retirement and the Storm’s contemporary lack of a prolonged-length of time alternative, it’s realistic to imagine they’ll draft at the least one point guard in 2022; Pointer would be an true decision if she’s restful on the board at No. 17.
18. Seattle Storm: Kianna Smith, G (Louisville)
Smith almost today changed into an integral half of Louisville’s success after transferring from California. An on a typical foundation play finisher, Smith can assault closeouts with steadiness and poise, and she ranked in the 92nd percentile in midrange taking pictures efficiency (Synergy Sports activities) as a redshirt senior. At 6’0, she’d be a solid decision if Seattle desires one other perimeter shooter with some height.
19. Los Angeles Sparks: Mya Hollingshed, F (Colorado)
Hollingshed is in all likelihood the purest “stretch astronomical” in the 2022 draft class. A lean 6’3 ahead with a refined prolonged-differ jumpshot, Hollingshed strikes admire a guard and shoots admire one, too, pulling down 39.6 p.c of her 3-point photos as a senior. She’ll have to accumulate stronger to net worthy of an affect inner the perimeter at the WNBA stage, however the Sparks already net hundreds of that with Nneka Ogwumike and Liz Cambage, and Hollingshed’s taking pictures ability would complement these gamers effectively.
20. Indiana Fever: Lorela Cubaj, F (Georgia Tech)
A two-time ACC Defensive Player of the three hundred and sixty five days, Cubaj anchored an elite Yellow Jackets defense whereas also main the team in assists (4.3 per game) as its starting vitality ahead. Cubaj in most cases pursues rebounds out of doorways of her assign and has recorded a defensive rebounding fee of 30 p.c or better in every of her final two seasons. She’s no longer an efficient scorer by process of either assign-up or post-up, which in the slay limits her draft stock, but her skill as a “glue” frontcourt participant could presumably put her on the rebuilding Fever’s radar.
21. Seattle Storm: Jasmine Dickey, G/F (Delaware)
A two-time CAA Player of the three hundred and sixty five days and a 2022 AP All-American Honorable Mention, Dickey ranked third in Division I in scoring (25.3) as a senior. To assert she plays taller than her 5’10 frame wouldn’t be inaccurate; Dickey also pulled down 10.2 rebounds per game and attempted 223 total free throws. She received’t be contributing on that more or much less quantity in the WNBA, but her athleticism on my own would enjoy her a noteworthy addition to the Storm’s coaching camp roster.
22. Minnesota Lynx: Jordan Lewis, G (Baylor)
Lewis has played a whopping six seasons of school basketball, and she’s excelled at getting to the frightening line in every of them, rating no lower than in the 92nd percentile in free throw fee (Her Hoop Stats). She’s also regular-handed, recording a profession-easiest 2.34 abet/turnover ratio in her lone season at Baylor. It’s no secret that Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve changed into upset with Crystal Dangerfield’s play at point guard final season, so Minnesota could presumably presumably be having a detect to draft one other ball handler such as Lewis in 2022.
23. Las Vegas Aces: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, C (UConn)
Nelson-Ododa is surely one of many more attention-grabbing prospects in this class; she profiles as a shot-blocking low-post scorer (66.7 p.c taking pictures on post-ups, per Synergy Sports activities), but passing is in all likelihood her finest power as a 6’5 center, whereas her scoring as UConn changed into largely opportunistic. Taking half in alongside scorers admire A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum in Las Vegas would maximize Nelson-Ododa’s passing ability, and she’d fit exact into the team’s defensive identification of paint protection.
24. Connecticut Solar: Aisha Sheppard, G (Virginia Tech)
Belief to be one of many country’s top jumpshooting guards, Sheppard can hit from exact about wherever, and her jumper is more versatile than most, efficient whereas both recognizing up and coming off shows. Few gamers bought up more 3-pointers than Sheppard, and she knocked down 96 of them in her fifth season as a Hokie. Connecticut appears to be like dedicated to adding more taking pictures to its backcourt this season, so Sheppard would be an true decision if she’s restful around at net No. 24.
25. Indiana Fever: Lexie Hull, G/F (Stanford)
Hull’s significant appeal as a WNBA prospect will nearly surely be her out of doorways taking pictures ability, as she shot 39.3 p.c on 4.3 3-pointers per game as a senior. She’s also a corpulent net-and-roll defender who navigates shows effectively; she averaged 2.2 steals per game as a senior and changed into selected to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Crew twice in her collegiate profession. There aren’t many WNBA teams that Hull wouldn’t fit effectively on.
26. Phoenix Mercury: Queen Egbo, C (Baylor)
Egbo has the entire makings of a astronomical who brings energy on the boards but have to be drafted to a team with a patient coaching workers whereas her offensive game catches up to her hustle — or a team that’s in determined need of 1 other center. Egbo is listed at 6’3, even supposing her wingspan and motor add a couple of theoretical inches to that resolve; she recorded a total rebounding fee of at the least 18 p.c in every of her four seasons at Baylor and blocked a total of 183 photos.
27. Los Angeles Sparks: Kayla Wells, G/F (Texas A&M)
The Aggies crashed help down to Earth in 2021-22, but Wells had a profession season, averaging 16 parts per game whereas connecting on 46.1 p.c of her 3-pointers, albeit on low quantity. At 6’0, Wells brings some size to the perimeter, and is ready to developing plays out of the net-and roll-when requested. She’d be an keen leisurely-draft net for Los Angeles.
28. Minnesota Lynx: Que Morrison, G (Georgia)
Morrison made a repute for herself as surely one of many most tenacious guards in the SEC due to aggressive on- and off-ball defense and a motor that below no conditions perceived to falter. She changed into a stunning half of Georgia’s transition game — 29.2 p.c of her offensive possessions got right here in transition as a graduate pupil — and changed into named to the SEC All-Defensive Crew three instances. She’d be a very good candidate to push Minnesota’s other guards in coaching camp.
29. Recent York Liberty: Jenna Staiti, C (Georgia)
At 6’6, Staiti is surely one of many most physically imposing gamers in the category, and she does worthy of what you’d request of a center of her height. Staiti shot 65.7 p.c around the basket in her final season at Georgia (Synergy Sports activities), whereas opponents scored exact 0.537 parts per possession on post-united stateswith her as the predominant defender. She’ll have to verbalize ample mobility out of doorways of the paint to stick on a WNBA roster, even supposing her height on my own could presumably presumably be of hobby to the Liberty, who could presumably spend one other astronomical body on their coaching camp roster.
30. Dallas Wings: Vivian Gray, F (Texas Tech)
Gray scored more than 2,000 total parts in two seasons at Oklahoma Dispute and two at Texas Tech, earning All-Huge 12 honors in every of them. At 6’1, she’s bigger than most gamers defending her on the soar, and she leverages that size advantage into varied journeys to the free-throw line. Gray couldn’t be the quickest participant on the court docket, even supposing she did legend two steals per game in her final season at Texas Tech, and her size as a perimeter scorer could presumably lessen the typical learning curve by manner of WNBA physicality.
31. Dallas Wings: Kamila Borkowska, C (Poland)
Borkowska is 19 years venerable and, unlike a couple of of the other international gamers in this class, doesn’t net very worthy ride in a legitimate league, finest taking half in sparingly for Arka Gdynia in Poland. This is why, she’s removed from a bid to be drafted. Borkowska does, even supposing, net big shot-blocking and rebounding skill at 6’7, and at this stage in the draft, the Wings could presumably give you the money for to make spend of a net on a participant they wouldn’t deserve to bring over to the WNBA straight.
32. Phoenix Mercury: Kayla Jones, F (NC Dispute)
On an NC Dispute team corpulent of skills, Jones’ complementary position changed into a truly powerful, defending multiple positions at 6’1 and ending plays on high efficiency. She shot 41.6 p.c on 3-pointers over her final two seasons with the Wolfpack, and her nose for the basketball earned NC Dispute extra possessions on varied times. Any WNBA team would retract to net her in coaching camp.
33. Seattle Storm: Evina Westbrook, G (UConn)
Westbrook couldn’t net made the affect the Huskies had hoped for when she transferred from Tennessee, but she restful has the instruments to loiter around near the underside of the draft board. 6’0 ballhandlers are rare, and Westbrook has plus athleticism for her situation, so she could presumably restful be able to compete on most WNBA coaching camp rosters. Seattle would be an true vacation assign for her.
34. Indiana Fever: Pauline Astier, G (France)
The Fever could net picked six instances sooner than this, so except something wild happens, they potentially received’t even be able to roster net No. 34 in coaching camp, which capacity that an international possibility could well be the vogue to trudge. Astier played some terrific basketball for France in final three hundred and sixty five days’s U19 World Cup, averaging 15 parts per game on 60.7 p.c taking pictures from the self-discipline, and she’s currently a rotation participant for Tango Bourges, which no longer too prolonged previously improved to the EuroCup Ladies Remaining. There’s but some other she turns into a WNBA-stage participant down the avenue.
35. Las Vegas Aces: Delicia Washington, G (Clemson)
A shifty guard who is adept at making plays out of the net-and-roll, Washington earned first-team All-ACC honors in her graduate season at Clemson, showcasing an improved out of doorways jumpshot and a stronger commitment to defense (3.2 p.c procure fee; Her Hoop Stats). Washington’s skill with the basketball has below no conditions been in query, and with her game changing into more effectively-rounded as of leisurely, she’s positively price a leisurely-spherical detect.
36. Connecticut Solar: Katie Benzan, G (Maryland)
Maryland’s all-time chief in 3-point taking pictures percentage (47.4 p.c), Benzan made 166 3-pointers in exact two seasons as a Terrapin. She also took appropriate care of the basketball, recording an abet/turnover ratio of 3.2 in these two seasons. Benzan’s strengths are clearly-outlined, making her a true net in the direction of the close of the draft.
2022 WNBA Draft: Date, Time, and TV
When: Monday, April 11, 2022 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Spring Studios, Recent York, NY
TV: ESPN
