2023 WNBA Mock Draft: Analyzing Elite Prospects and Hidden Gems
The depth tends to fall off rather quickly in the WNBA draft, but the savvy general managers will be able to find the next Naz Hillmon, DiJonai Carrington, Sophie Cunningham or Marina Mabrey on Monday night.
Those four all slipped to the second round of their respective drafts and have carved out regular roles in the league. Mabrey just signed a three-year, $620,000 deal with the Chicago Sky, a just reward following her breakout with the Dallas Wings.
Unearthing the hidden gems will be a little more difficult in the 2023 WNBA draft, though, after a number of draft-eligible players opted to use the extra year of eligibility they received during the COVID-19 pandemic. UCLA guard Charisma Osborne, a possible first-round pick, was the most recent example.
Thankfully for the Indiana Fever, South Carolina's Aliyah Boston wasn't one of those players. Boston is universally regarded as the best player in the class and a likely franchise cornerstone.
Beyond that, there's little in the way of sure things.
1. Indiana Fever: Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina
2. Minnesota Lynx: Diamond Miller, G, Maryland
3. Dallas Wings (via Dream): Jordan Horston, G, Tennessee
4. Washington Mystics (via Sparks and Dream): Haley Jones, G/F, Stanford
5. Dallas Wings (via Mercury and Sky): Maddy Siegrist, F, Villanova
6. Atlanta Dream (via Liberty and Sun): Stephanie Soares, F/C, Iowa State
7. Indiana Fever (via Wings): Brea Beal, G, South Carolina
8. Atlanta Dream (via Mystics): Ashley Joens, G/F, Iowa State
9. Seattle Storm: Grace Berger, G, Indiana
10. Los Angeles Sparks (via Sun): Lou Lopez Sénéchal, G/F, UConn
11. Dallas Wings (via Sky and Fever): Laeticia Amihere, F, South Carolina
12. Minnesota Lynx (via Aces): Taylor Mikesell, G, Ohio State
Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina
The Fever winning the 2023 draft lottery felt like, well, winning the lottery for fans of the franchise. Indiana has missed the playoffs for six straight seasons, which is no easy feat considering eight of the league's 12 teams qualify for the postseason.
Now, the Fever have the opportunity to find a potentially transcendent star, one they've lacked since the retirement of Tamika Catchings.
Over her four years at South Carolina, Boston averaged 14.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. She was a three-time unanimous first-team All-American and earned basically every major individual accolade as a junior while helping guide the Gamecocks to a national title.
Finding a way to effectively utilize Boston and 2022 No. 2 overall pick NaLyssa Smith could be tricky at first, but the 6'5" forward is so good the Fever can't pass this opportunity up.
Diamond Miller, G, Maryland
Going into the NCAA tournament, Diamond Miller had already emerged as the consensus choice to be the second player off the board behind Boston. She solidified that status further as Maryland advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015.
Miller had 24 points, six rebounds and seven points in a second-round victory over Arizona and poured in a game-high 24 points as the Terps' season ended against South Carolina. It capped off an outstanding senior campaign in which she averaged 19.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists over 34 games.
Miller is the best two-way guard in the class, and her potential is through the roof if she can improve as a shooter. She hit just 22.0 percent of her three-pointers in 2022-23 and never finished above 35.5 percent in the three years preceding that.
Maddy Siegrist, F, Villanova
Defense is a major question mark for Maddy Siegrist.
"It's really difficult to see her being a high-minutes player," one WNBA general manager said to The Athletic. "She's going to struggle to guard somebody at the next level."
The adjustment from college to the WNBA can also be a little more difficult for a player who grew accustomed to running the show. Siegrist had a 37.8 percent usage rate as a senior, per Her Hoop Stats, and there's little chance she'll have that same role as a rookie.
Still, the 6'1" forward was the leading scorer (29.2 points) in Division I while playing in a power conference. Her 54.3 percent effective field-goal rate put her in the 90th percentile.
Even if Siegrist doesn't become a true star in the WNBA, she has a reasonably high floor.
Madi Williams, F, Oklahoma
Madi Williams was a consistent performer across her five years at Oklahoma. She averaged 16.1 points on 47.4 percent shooting along with 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. While not an elite long-range threat, her 30.6 percent clip from beyond the arc raises some hope she can at least be good enough to keep an opposing defense honest.
Williams' playmaking and vision are strengths. She finished in the 82nd percentile or better in assist percentage in each of the last three seasons, per Her Hoop Stats. Add that to her inside scoring and the 6'0" forward can make a meaningful impact on offense.
Still, the three-point shooting is a clear concern when her size means she'll be utilized mostly on the wing.
The upside is there, and Williams will be a great value pick if she slips into the second round.
Leigha Brown, G, Michigan
Sticking with the theme, Leigha Brown didn't pick an ideal time to have her worst three-point shooting season. The Michigan guard connected on 29 percent of her attempts from the perimeter.
That didn't stop Brown from scoring 17.5 points per game and shooting 51.3 percent overall.
Once you get past the first few picks of the draft, the odds of getting an All-WNBA talent decrease dramatically. A team will settle for a good rotational piece, and that's exactly what Brown can be at the next level.
The 6'1" guard dished out 5.8 assists per game, a significant jump from her previous career high (3.4). She also hauled in 5.1 rebounds per game. Maybe the playmaking and rebounding don't translate in the pros, but they're two traits that suit any complementary piece well in the WNBA.
