Here is the news you can use about the First Round picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Caitlin Clark – Iowa Hawkeyes Caitlin Clark is officially moving up to the next level in her basketball odyssey. Clark, the record-breaking face of women’s college basketball, was selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft Monday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Cameron Brink – Cameron Brink is staying in California and is headed to the ‘City of Angeles’, Los Angeles as the newest addition to the Sparks. Brink, a 6-4 power forward from Stanford, was selected as the No. 2 pick in Monday night’s draft. Brink, who won the 2021 national championship with the Cardinal, under the leadership of newly retired coach Tara VanDerveer, was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year after taking everyone to school on both ends of the court all season long. Besides her prowess on the hardwood, Brink, known for her physical play and signature blond braids, has an impactful NIL portfolio under her belt and a close-knit relationship with the first family of basketball, NBA star Stephen Curry, his mother Sonya and brother Seth. Cameron Brink averaged a double-double with 17.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game this season with Stanford. Her boards average ranks third in the nation. She also led the country with 3.74 blocks per outing.
Kamilla Cardoso – Kamilla Cardoso, a 6-7 center from Brazil who was the anchor that led the South Carolina Gamecocks to the 2024 NCAA championship, was taken by the Chicago Sky with the No. 3 pick in Monday’s draft. Cardoso’s stock is higher after a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament, including 15 points, 17 rebounds, and three rejections in the national championship game. She captured tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after South Carolina’s run to another title. She is a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end and is constantly improving on offense as a post scorer. Cardoso will be coached in Chicago by another Hall of Fame point guard in Teresa Weatherspoon after Dawn Staley coached her in South Carolina. “It means the most to me and that I’m in good hands,” Cardoso said.
Rickea Jackson – Rickea Jackson, a 6-2 forward who standout in Knoxville for the Tennessee Volunteers, joined No. 2 pick Cameron Brink in Los Angeles when she was selected by the Sparks with the No. 4 pick. Her size will help her make an instant impact for the Sparks, a team that has been in limbo looking to take their rightful place at the top of the league (and back to the playoffs). According to ESPN, Jackson was one of a handful of SEC players to average 20 points and five rebounds per game over multiple seasons. Her versatility will be huge as she moves on to the ‘W’, and her lethal first step will help her get to the basket whenever she sees fit. She has a thin frame but is stronger than she looks, which allows her to finish through contact. It is expected that her and Brink will play a ton of minutes and have their feet put to the fire right away, however, it is worth pointing out that Brink will have to learn how to play without getting in foul trouble.
Embed from Getty ImagesJacy Sheldon – Jacy Sheldon, a 5-10 All American guard out of Ohio State University, is on her way to ‘Big D’, Dallas after the Wings drafted her with the No. 5 pick in Monday’s draft. Sheldon is one of the top guards in this draft not named Caitlin Clark. She is a ‘in your face’ defensive stallworth and three-point sharp shooter that could help on both ends immediately. She averaged 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game in her final season with the Buckeyes.
Aaliya Edwards – Aaliyah Edwards, a 6-3 forward who helped lead UConn back to prominence in the Final Four this season, was selected by the Washington Mystics with the No. 6 pick. Edwards, a two-time All American, could hit the ground running. She is known for her elite and is making significant strides when it comes to scoring in the paint as well as jump shooting. She displayed a great floor game, averaging 17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 1 block per game in the 2023-24 season.
Angel Reese – Angel Reese is making her way from the great state of Louisiana to the Windy City after being drafted by the Chicago Sky with the No. 7 pick in the WNBA draft. Reese will team with Kamilla Cardoso, whom the Sky selected with the No. 3 overall pick. “She’s a great player and I’m a great player,” Cardoso said after learning the news. “Nobody’s gonna get more rebounds than us.” Reese, who was the heartbeat of the 2023 Lady Tigers, who went all the way and cut down the nets and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, was a first-team All-American this season, averaging 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. She raised her game to another level, averaging 20.9 points and 14.4 boards for the Tigers over her last two seasons and would likely continue as a walking double-double in the WNBA.
“My first time playing Kamilla was on one of the biggest stages of my life, which was when she played for Hamilton Heights and I played for St. Frances in high school and we battled,” Reese said after she was drafted. “Now, being able to be teammates is gonna be amazing.
“I actually talked to her earlier, was congratulating her. I know she just came off an amazing run, an amazing college career. I’m looking forward to playing with her in practice and in games, just bouncing off of each other, so I’m excited for this.
Alissa Pili – Alissa Pili will join the Minnesota Lynx after being taken with the No. 8 pick in Monday’s draft. ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo described her perfectly: Alissa Pili is an intriguing, unique talent. The No. 8 pick who will head to the ‘Twin Cities’, Pili is clutch and wildly efficient. Even though she is undersized at 6-foot-2, she is extremely physical and strong around the rim, able to score on players who are considerably bigger than her. Need proof of just how good she is? She scored 37 points on the national champion South Carolina Gamecocks, who were the number one defensive team in the country this season.
Carla Leite – Carla Leite, a 5-9 guard from France, was selected by the Dallas Wings with the No. 9 pick in Monday’s draft. She will join Jacy Sheldon, who the Wings took with the No. 5 pick. Leite possess supreme ball handling skills and is always looking to attack. She is a magician in the pick and roll, manipulating space and taking all the right angles to either score or get her teammates involved. Her quickness and agility is second to none, and she is able to utilized it with a live dribble to penetrate defenses with ease. She has on her opponent, being able to pick them apart in a professional league as a teenager, an unbelievable accomplishment.
Leila Lacan – The draft was flowing with international flavor. Leila Lacan, a 5-11 guard from France, was taken by the Connecticut Sun with the No. 10 pick in Monday’s draft. Lacan was the second consecutive French player taken in the first round after the Dallas Wings took Carla Leite at No. 9. Lacan, 19 years-of-age, spent the 2023-24 campaign with Angers in France’s LFB (Ligue Féminine de Basketball). She averaged 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.9 steals through 24 games played.
Marquesha Davis – Marquesha Davis, a 6-0 guard who played at Ole Miss, will make Brooklyn her new home after the New York Liberty selected her with the No. 11 pick in Monday’s draft. The McGehee, Arkansas, native averaged 14 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game as a senior. She also shot 44.7% from the field and 23.9% from distance.
Nyadiew Pouch – Australian players have been well represented and have had a lot of success in the WNBA over the years, and now a new player is headed to the league. Nyadiew Pouch was taken by the Atlanta Dream with the final pick of the first round. Another top international player in this draft, the 6-foot-3 forward is an above average shot blocker and is in the lab making improvements to her perimeter game and playmaking on the offensive end.
