I clearly know ball. Which is why after I detailed potential WNBA draft steals, the final managers listened to me, and that’s why all 5 of the gamers I highlighted as nice and underrated gamers had been drafted. clearly.
A lot of Monday’s WNBA draftees had been steals, however a few of the third-round picks on this 12 months’s draft had been particularly intriguing.
Right here’s a reminder of how that spherical went:
- 26. Serena Sundell (Kansas St) – Seattle Storm
- 27. JJ Quinerly (West Virginia) – Dallas Wings
- 28. Liatu King (Notre Dame) – LA Sparks
- 29. Madison Conner (TCU) – Seattle Storm
- 30. Kaitlyn Chen (UConn) – Golden State Valkyries
- 31. Aaronette Vonleh (Baylor) – Dallas Wings
- 32. Zaay Inexperienced (Alabama) – Washington Mystics
- 33. Yvonne Ejim (Gonzaga) – Indiana Fever
- 34. Jordan Hobbs (Michigan) – Seattle Storm
- 35. Harmoni Turner (Harvard) – Las Vegas Aces
- 36. Taylor Thierry (Ohio State) – Atlanta Dream
- 37. Aubrey Griffin (UConn) – Minnesota Lynx
- 38. Adja Kane (France) – New York Liberty
All of Sundell, Chen, and Hobbs had been gamers that I wrote may very well be potential steals final week. Sundell was invited to the draft and needed to wait till the third spherical to be drafted, slipping rather a lot however in the end touchdown in Seattle, the place her expertise will likely be seen. As a grasp playmaker, Sundell’s model suits into the model of basketball Seattle is understood to play.
Chen was one other participant who was on the draft, however within the viewers to help her teammate and No. 1 decide Paige Bueckers. Her teammates celebrated her as her title was referred to as and she or he was in a position to go as much as take an image together with her jersey, trying a bit shocked to say the least. Chen balled out throughout UConn’s championship run within the March Insanity match, displaying her versatility as a degree guard and her capability to remain cool underneath strain. She’s going to get a shot on a model new Valkyries crew the place she has an opportunity as any third-rounder ever does to make the enlargement crew’s roster.
Hobbs is a participant who additionally balled out within the postseason, scoring a career-high 28 factors in her second-to-last recreation for Michigan within the tourney. She will be able to shoot the three-ball, go, and is a tough employee. She additionally has motor, grit, and impacts the sport in a wide range of methods. Coaching camp in Seattle is a good place for her to make an impression on the WNBA.
Different gamers on this third spherical that may very well be attention-grabbing to observe are Aubrey Griffin, Harmoni Turner and Yvonne Ejim.
Griffin was one other participant sitting within the viewers whereas drafted. One other teammate of Paige Bueckers, Griffin performed six seasons at UConn after factoring in damage seasons. She could not have acquired as many minutes within the later years, however each time Griffin steps on the ground, she finds methods to make an impression by rebounds, protection and different hustle areas.
Harmoni Turner received the Becky Hammon Mid-Main participant of the 12 months award on her technique to bringing Harvard an Ivy League Championship and an NCAA Match berth this season. Coining the time period “Nerds can Hoop too,” Turner is a bucket. She had a number of 40-point video games this season and can be part of the Las Vegas Aces for coaching camp.
Yvonne Ejim is a global participant out of Canada who performed for Gonzaga in school and boasts a number of expertise. She has performed at each stage for the Canadian Nationwide crew, bringing that worldwide expertise to her recreation. Ejim is a 2x West Coast Convention Participant of the Yr, Defensive Participant of the Yr, and the Becky Hammon Mid-Main Participant of the Yr in 2024. She helped Canada win bronze on the FIBA Girls’s AmeriCup in 2023.
With the WNBA persevering with to broaden and create extra roster spots, extra gamers could have a shot at making rosters, and so these third-round picks shouldn’t be ignored when enthusiastic about potential rookies to look out for this season.