Part three in this five-part series breaks down the 2018 WNBA Draft and what possible changes could have happened. This draft class is about to turn six years old, heading into the 2023 season. A handful of free agents stand out from this class that has seen 22 players in total play at least one game in the league. This class has also produced a two-time MVP and four All-stars.
FIRST ROUND
#1. Las Vegas Aces: A’ja Wilson, C, South Carolina
new pick: no change
The two-time MVP remains the clear top pick in this draft. Wilson has established herself as one of the best players in the league. After winning her first championship in 2022, Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are looking to be the first team to win back-to-back titles since the 2001-02 Sparks.
#2. Indiana Fever: Kelsey Mitchell, SG, Ohio State
new pick: no change
Hard to solidify the second-overall pick here, considering the depth of this draft. However, I’m keeping Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell due in part to her consistency and loyalty to the Fever. Mitchell signed a multi-year contract extension prior to the 2021 season and, in 2022, had her best season yet. Despite the Fever’s playoff drought, Mitchell has remained in Indianapolis throughout this rebuild. In 2023, the Fever will get their first overall number one pick in the draft and are expected to take South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston. This young Fever squad will look to end the team’s playoff drought in 2023.
#3. Chicago Sky: Diamond DeShields, SG/SF, Tennessee
new pick: Ariel Atkins, SG, Texas
Texas’ Ariel Atkins slides into the third overall pick here. The back-to-back All-star continues to remain consistent with the Mystics. Over her five-year career, Atkins has shot 42 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from three-point range. This is not to dismiss the talent of DeShields. Diamond’s health scare in 2020 was unknown to most and she would be forced to leave the 2020 “Wubble” season after 13 games.
#4. Chicago Sky: Gabby Williams, SF, UCONN
new pick: Diamond DeShields, SG, Tennessee
DeShields slides down one spot, still drafted by Chicago, to the fourth overall. In her second year in the league, Diamond would be named an All-Star after averaging 16.2 points per game. Paired alongside Atkins in the backcourt would give the Sky more added offense off the bench. Following the Sky’s championship win in 2021, DeShields, via a three-team trade, would sign with the Phoenix Mercury.
#5. Seattle Storm: Jordin Canada, PG, UCLA
new pick: Azurá Stevens, PF, UCONN
Canada might remain the Storm’s pick here simply based on the need to get Sue Bird a reliable backup. However, the Storm also had Sami Whitcomb and Noelle Quinn on their roster and could have gone with a post player in Stevens. Stevens had a solid rookie season with Dallas and averaged 8.9 ppg and 4.6 rpg. In 2019, Stevens injured her left knee after playing only nine games. In 2020, Stevens would be traded to the Sky but again would be sidelined and play just 13 games. Stevens would be key in the Sky’s title run in 2021 and, for 2022, would put up fairly solid numbers. Stevens is an unrestricted free agent for 2023.
#6. Dallas Wings: Azurá Stevens, PF, UCONN
new pick: Gabby Williams, SF, UCONN
With Stevens off the board, the Wings take the next best available player with Williams. Williams played out of position during her time in Chicago. If drafted here by the Wings, she could have been more useful in her role as a flex forward. After three seasons in Chicago, Gabby would be traded to the Los Angeles Sparks, where she would opt out of the 2021 season. In 2022, Williams would be traded to the Seattle Storm and start all 36 games. She is now an unrestricted free agent and is not expected to play in the WNBA in 2023 due to her overseas commitments with the French national team.
#7. Washington Mystics: Ariel Atkins, SG, Texas
new pick: Myisha Hines-Allen, PF, Louisville
Hines-Allen originally went drafted 19th overall by Washington. However, with Atkins dropping down to the third pick, coach Thibault slides Myisha to the seventh overall. Her first two seasons didn’t produce much, but when Elena Delle Donne opted out of the 2020 season, this allowed Hines-Allen to slide into a starter’s role and have a breakout year. In 2022, the Mystics signed her to a multi-year deal through the 2024 season.
#8. Indiana Fever: Victoria Vivians, SG/SF, Mississippi State
new pick: Mercedes Russell, C, Tennessee
Russell ended up going 23rd overall to the Liberty. The Fever needed additional depth in the post and Mercedes would be the best available. Vivians, however, would have a solid rookie year, averaging 8.9 ppg and 3.1 rpg. Unfortunately, she injured her ACL overseas and would miss the entire 2019 season. Then in 2020, after playing only six games, she would re-injure her right knee and miss the rest of the season. Vivians would return to the Fever in 2021, then again for 2022, and is now a restricted free agent. Russell would remain with the Seattle Storm and sign a two-year extension through the 2023 season but would miss the 2022 season due to recurrent headaches.
#9. Connecticut Sun: Lexie Brown, SG, Duke
new pick: Jordin Canada, PG, UCLA
The Sun needed a true backup point guard and gambled on Brown adjusting from being a shooting guard at Duke. Drafting Canada might have eliminated the subsequent trade in 2019, sending Brown to Minnesota for Natisha Hiedeman. However, Hiedeman has been key off the bench for Connecticut since her rookie year. Possibly drafting Canada in 2018 could have allowed her more time to develop under a different coach. Ironically, both Canada and Brown ended up with the Sparks for 2022. Brown and Canada are unrestricted free agents for 2023.
#10. New York Liberty: Kia Nurse, SG, UCONN
new pick: Monique Billings, PF, UCLA
At the time, drafting Nurse for New York made the most sense. They needed scoring off the bench and Nurse ended up dropping down to the tenth overall. In 2019, Nurse would have her best season and be named an All-Star. However, with the lack of post depth for the Liberty, drafting Billings might have worked out better long term. Nurse would be traded in 2021 to the Phoenix Mercury and would then miss the 2022 season due to an ACL injury. As for Billings, she has remained with the Atlanta Dream after initially being picked 14th overall and signed a one-year extension in 2022. Both Nurse and Billings are unrestricted free agents.
#11. Los Angeles Sparks: Maria Vadeeva, C, Russia
new pick: Lexie Brown, SG, Duke
Vadeeva was a gamble to draft for the Sparks. They were already stacked with Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike, and Jantel Lavender inside. Vadeeva showing up would give them additional support inside. Through 25 games, she would average 3.6 ppg and 2.2 rpg. In 2019, Vadeeva’s averages would increase but play in only 15 games due to commitments to her national team. Vadeeva has yet to play in the WNBA since. Brown, however, would have proved a more valuable, long-term asset off the bench behind Chelsea Gray and Alana Beard.
#12. Phoenix Mercury: Marie Gülich, C, Oregon State
new pick: Kia Nurse, SG, UCONN
The Mercury were looking for some post-depth and Gülich appeared to be the best available at the time. However, the veterans of Sancho Lyttle and Camille Little would result in limited playing time. For 2019, she would be traded to the Dream for Brianna Turner (2019, 11th pick) and see more minutes with Atlanta. The 2020 season saw her traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Sparks, and would post her worst stats in her three years. The Sparks would waive her in their 2021 training camp.
Adding in Nurse would have helped the Mercury acquire a solid bench rotation. Already having Australians Stephanie Talbot and Leilani Mitchell plus Nurse would have given Phoenix more depth than what Gülich provided. Nurse ended up with Phoenix via a trade in 2021.
SECOND ROUND
#13. Las Vegas Aces: Jaime Nared, F, Tennessee
new pick: Victoria Vivians, SG/SF, Mississippi State
#14. Indiana Fever: Stephanie Mavunga, F, Ohio State
new pick: no change
#15. Atlanta Dream: Monique Billings, F, UCLA
new pick: Ji-Su Park, C, South Korea
#16. Atlanta Dream: Kristy Wallace, G, Baylor
new pick: no change
#17. Minnesota Lynx: Ji-Su Park, C, South Korea
new pick: Maria Vadeeva, C, Russia
#18. Dallas Wings: Loryn Goodwin, G, Oklahoma State
new pick: Marie Gülich, C, Oregon State
#19. Washington Mystics: Myisha Hines-Allen, F, Louisville
new pick: Jaime Nared, F, Tennessee
#20. Phoenix Mercury: Tyler Scaife, G, Rutgers
new pick: Teana Muldrow, SF, West Virginia (29th pick by Seattle, 1 season/4 games)
#21. Phoenix Mercury (via Sun): Raisa Musina, F, Russia
new pick: Raigyne Louis, G, LSU (25th pick by Las Vegas, 1 season/2 games)
#22. New York Liberty: Mercedes Russell, C, Tennessee
new pick: Imani Wright, G, Florida State (26th pick by Phoenix, 1 season/1 game)
#23. Los Angeles Sparks: Shakayla Thomas, F, Florida State
new pick: Raisa Musina, F, Russia*
#24. Minnesota Lynx: Kahlia Lawrence, G, Mercer
new pick: Julia Reisingerová, C, Czech Republic (35th pick by Los Angeles)*
NOTE: Louis, Wright and Muldrow were the only third-round picks from this draft to play a game.
*Musina and Reisingerová remain deferral picks to round off the second round. Musina was signed to the Las Vegas Aces’ training camp in 2020 but was waived prior to the start of the season.
The first two parts of this series are currently available with the 2016 redraft and the 2017 redraft.
Check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more women’s sports coverage. Todd Roman is on Twitter too. Follow Todd @TBRBWAY.
