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Women’s basketball fans are in for treat with the 2023 WNBA Draft, an encore to the jaw-dropping March Madness run we saw with outrageous broadcast viewership.
South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston headlined the incoming class after her decorated four years with the Gamecocks, and she’s joined by three of the other four women from South Carolina’s standout 2019 recruiting class — “The Freshies” — Brea Beal, Zia Cooke and Laeticia Amihere.
All of “The Freshies” and one additional South Carolina player went in the WNBA Draft. Boston, Amihere and Cooke were first rounders, while Beal rounded out the second round.
The four combined for 5,430 points, 3,035 rebounds, 827 assists and 586 blocks in their four-year careers. They led the Gamecocks to a 129-9 record, three Final Four appearances, three SEC Tournament titles and a national championship.
There are some stars headed into the league to fill the void left by Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles. After a combined two decades on the court, the three women decided to retire, leaving the floor open for some young and hungry talent.
The Lynx acquired Maryland’s Diamond Miller as the No. 2 overall pick, while the Storm snagged Tennessee’s Jordan Horston as the No. 9 overall pick.
MORE: Watch the 2023 WNBA Draft live with Sling
Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist and Stanford’s Haley Jones also went in the first round, Siegrist to the Wings at No. 3 overall and Jones to the Dream at No. 6 overall.
While Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley decided to forgo the Draft and take a fifth year with the Hokies, there were two picks from the Final Four team – Kayana Taylor went No. 23 to the Chicago Sky and Taylor Soule went No. 28 to the Lynx.
Not all of the players drafted will get a chance to suit up in the WNBA. Thirty-six get selected and still fight the odds through training camp to stay part of the rosters. There are 168 players and only 144 available spots. Training camp begins on April 30, and the preseason tips on May 5.
The Sporting News tracked all 36 picks from the 2023 WNBA Draft in real-time. Check out where your favorite names end up as selections are made.
WNBA Draft picks 2023: Live results from Rounds 1-3
Round 1 results
Soares was confirmed to be traded to the Dallas Wings after going No. 4 overall so the Washington Mystics could have a future first-round (2025) and second-round (2024) pick.
Dallas had the chance to pick three in a row because of this trade and four in the first-round.
Number
Team
Player
School
1.
Indiana Fever
Aliyah Boston
South Carolina
2.
Minnesota Lynx
Diamond Miller
Maryland
3.
Dallas Wings
Maddy Siegrist
Villanova
4.
Washington Mystics (traded to Dallas Wings)
Stephanie Soares
Iowa State
5.
Dallas Wings
Lou Lopez-Sénéchal
UConn
6.
Atlanta Dream
Haley Jones
Stanford
7.
Indiana Fever
Grace Berger
Indiana Fever
8.
Atlanta Dream
Laeticia Amihere
South Carolina
9.
Seattle Storm
Jordan Horston
Tennessee
10.
Los Angeles Sparks
Zia Cooke
South Carolina
11.
Dallas Wings
Abby Meyers
Maryland
12.
Minnesota Lynx
Maïa Hirsch
France
Round 2 results
Number
Team
Player
School
13.
Indiana Fever
Taylor Mikesell
Ohio State University
14.
Los Angeles Sparks
Shaneice Swain
Australia
15.
Atlanta Dream
Leigha Brown
Michigan
16.
Minnesota Lynx
Dorka Juhász
UConn
17.
Indiana Fever
LaDazhia Williams
LSU
18.
Seattle Storm
Madi Williams
Oklahoma
19.
Dallas Wings
Ashley Joens
Iowa State
20.
Washington Mystics
Elena Tsineke
South Florida
21.
Seattle Storm
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu
South Florida
22.
Connecticut Sun
Alexis Morris
LSU
23.
Chicago Sky
Kayana Traylor
Virginia Tech
24.
Minnesota Lynx
Brea B
Source: Sporting News | Read More