The 2019 WNBA draft was the league's draft for the 2019 WNBA season. On March 19, the league announced the draft would be held on April 10 at Nike New York headquarters. The first round was televised on ESPN2, and the second and third rounds were televised on ESPNU.[1]
| 2019 WNBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Date(s) | April 10, 2019 |
| Location | Nike NYHQ, New York City |
| Network(s) | ESPN2 (first round) ESPNU (second and third rounds) |
| Overview | |
| League | WNBA |
| Teams | 12 |
| First selection | Jackie Young Las Vegas Aces |
On August 28, 2018, the league held the draft lottery between the four non-playoff teams – Indiana, New York, Las Vegas, and Chicago. The Aces won the top pick for the third year in a row.[2] For just the second time, all five players of one school's starting lineup was drafted, when Notre Dame's starting five were selected in the first 20 picks.
Draft lottery
The lottery selection to determine the order of the top four picks in the 2019 draft took place on August 28, 2018 during halftime of the 2018 WNBA Playoffs game between the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics.[2][3]
Lottery chances
All odds out of 1,000 based on percentages. (The 11-12-13-14 combination is ignored.) [2]
- Indiana Fever (44.2%)
- Las Vegas Aces (27.6%) - WON
- Chicago Sky (17.8%)
- New York Liberty (10.4%)
The lottery odds were based on combined records from the 2017 and 2018 WNBA seasons. The Aces won the Draft Lottery for the third year in a row, previously selecting Kelsey Plum in 2017 and A'ja Wilson in 2018. Plum was selected when the team was still located in San Antonio.
The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third round was in inverse order of the teams’ respective regular-season records solely from 2018.[2][4]
Draft invitees
On April 9, 2019, one day before the Draft, the WNBA released the names of the players who would be invited to be in attendance at the draft.[5]
- Kristine Anigwe, California
- Kalani Brown, Baylor
- Napheesa Collier, UConn
- Sophie Cunningham, Missouri
- Asia Durr, Louisville
- Megan Gustafson, Iowa
Han Xu, Xinjiang Magic Deer, China- Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
- Arike Ogunbowale, Notre Dame
- Katie Lou Samuelson, UConn
Alanna Smith, Stanford- Jackie Young, Notre Dame
Three of these players were not chosen until the second round, with Cunningham, Han, and Gustafson respectively chosen 13th, 14th, and 17th overall.
Key
Draft selections
Round 1
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackie Young + | G |  United States |
Las Vegas Aces | Notre Dame |
| 2 | Asia Durr | G | United States |
New York Liberty | Louisville |
| 3 | Teaira McCowan | C | United States |
Indiana Fever | Mississippi State |
| 4 | Katie Lou Samuelson | G/F | United States |
Chicago Sky | Connecticut |
| 5 | Arike Ogunbowale + | G | United States |
Dallas Wings | Notre Dame |
| 6 | Napheesa Collier + | F | United States |
Minnesota Lynx | Connecticut |
| 7 | Kalani Brown | C | United States |
Los Angeles Sparks | Baylor |
| 8 | Alanna Smith | F |  Australia |
Phoenix Mercury | Stanford |
| 9 | Kristine Anigwe | C/F | United States |
Connecticut Sun | California |
| 10 | Kiara Leslie | G | United States |
Washington Mystics | NC State |
| 11 | Brianna Turner | F | United States |
Atlanta Dream | Notre Dame |
| 12 | Ezi Magbegor + | F | Australia |
Seattle Storm | Melbourne Boomers (Australia) |
Round 2
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Sophie Cunningham | G | United States |
Phoenix Mercury (from Indiana via Las Vegas)[a][b] | Missouri |
| 14 | Han Xu | C |  China |
New York Liberty | Xinjiang Magic Deer (China) |
| 15 | Chloe Jackson | G | United States |
Chicago Sky | Baylor |
| 16 | Jessica Shepard | F | United States |
Minnesota Lynx (from Las Vegas)[c] | Notre Dame |
| 17 | Megan Gustafson | F/C | United States |
Dallas Wings | Iowa |
| 18 | Natisha Hiedeman | G | United States |
Minnesota Lynx | Marquette |
| 19 | Marina Mabrey | G | United States |
Los Angeles Sparks | Notre Dame |
| 20 | Cierra Dillard | G | United States |
Minnesota Lynx (from Phoenix)[d] | Buffalo |
| 21 | Bridget Carleton | G |  Canada |
Connecticut Sun (from Connecticut via Atlanta)[e][f] | Iowa State |
| 22 | Kennedy Burke | G | United States |
Dallas Wings (from Washington)[g] | UCLA |
| 23 | Maite Cazorla | G |  Spain |
Atlanta Dream | Oregon |
| 24 | Anriel Howard | F | United States |
Seattle Storm | Mississippi State |
Round 3
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Paris Kea | G | United States |
Indiana Fever | North Carolina |
| 26 | Megan Huff | F | United States |
New York Liberty | Utah |
| 27 | María Conde | F | Spain |
Chicago Sky | Wisła Can-Pack Kraków (Poland) |
| 28 | Caliya Robinson | F | United States |
Indiana Fever (from Las Vegas)[b] | Georgia |
| 29 | Morgan Bertsch | F | United States |
Dallas Wings | UC Davis |
| 30 | Kenisha Bell | G | United States |
Minnesota Lynx | Minnesota |
| 31 | Ángela Salvadores | G | Spain |
Los Angeles Sparks | Ensino (Spain) |
| 32 | Arica Carter | G | United States |
Phoenix Mercury | Louisville |
| 33 | Regan Magarity | F |  Sweden |
Connecticut Sun | Virginia Tech |
| 34 | Sam Fuehring | F | United States |
Washington Mystics | Louisville |
| 35 | Li Yueru | C | China |
Atlanta Dream | Guangdong Vermilion Birds (China) |
| 36 | Macy Miller | G | United States |
Seattle Storm | South Dakota State |
Source[13]
Draft-day trades
Draft-day trades occurred on April 10, 2019, the day of the draft.
- The Atlanta Dream traded Brianna Turner (Notre Dame) for Marie Gülich (from Phoenix Mercury).[14]
- The Minnesota Lynx traded Natisha Hiedeman (Marquette) for Lexie Brown (from Connecticut Sun).[15]
Footnotes
- February 2, 2018: Las Vegas to Phoenix[6]
- Phoenix received the 13th pick and a 2018 third-round pick (26th overall)
- Las Vegas received Kelsey Bone
- February 1, 2018: Indiana to Las Vegas[7]
- Indiana received the 28th pick and Kayla Alexander
- Las Vegas received the 13th pick
- April 12, 2018: Las Vegas to Minnesota[8]
- Minnesota received the 16th pick and Jill Barta
- Las Vegas received Park Ji-su and Kahlia Lawrence
- March 6, 2018: Phoenix to Minnesota[9]
- Minnesota received the 20th pick and Danielle Robinson
- Phoenix received a 2018 first-round pick (12th overall)
- April 12, 2018: Connecticut to Atlanta[10]
- Atlanta received the 21st pick and a 2018 second-round pick (15th overall)
- Connecticut received Bria Holmes
- July 9, 2018: Atlanta to Connecticut[11]
- Connecticut re-received the 21st pick and received Layshia Clarendon
- Atlanta received Alex Bentley
- July 23, 2018: Washington to Dallas[12]
- Dallas received the 22nd pick and Aerial Powers
- Washington received Tayler Hill
See also
References
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