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Caitlin Clark — the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft on Monday — wasn’t the only star taken off the board early.
The Chicago Sky selected LSU’s Angel Reese at No. 7 after picking South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso at No. 3. The Los Angeles Sparks, meanwhile, stacked their roster with Stanford’s Cameron Brink at No. 2 and Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson at No. 4.
Here’s the list of the first-round picks:
- Caitlin Clark, G, Iowa — Indiana Fever
- Cameron Brink, F, Stanford — Los Angeles Sparks
- Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina — Chicago Sky (via Phoenix Mercury)
- Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee — Los Angeles Sparks (via Seattle Storm)
- Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State — Dallas Wings, (via Chicago Sky)
- Aaliyah Edwards, F, UConn — Washington Mystics
- Angel Reese, F, LSU — Chicago Sky (via Minnesota Lynx)
- Alissa Pili, F, Utah — Minnesota Lynx (via Atlanta Dream)
- Carla Leite, G, Tarbes (France) — Dallas Wings
- Leila Lacan, G, Angers (France) — Connecticut Sun
- Marquesha Davis, G, Ole Miss — New York Liberty
- Nyadiew Puoch, F, Southside Flyers (Australia) — Atlanta Dream (via Las Vegas Aces)
Results from the second and third rounds can be found here.
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What Brink brings to the Sparks
Brink, the Pac-12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, could be an essential building block for the Sparks, who are restructuring their roster. A 6-foot-4 power forward, Brink brings versatility with her ability to defend guards or bigs. She can also protect inside, after leading the nation with 3.6 blocks per game. She’s led the league with career rebounds and blocks. She’ll need to work on cutting down her fouls and WNBA.
“I fell in love with the game just being here in New York,” Brink said on ESPN. “I’m looking forward to a new challenge, and I’m ready to get to work.” — Sabreena Merchant, women’s basketball staff writer
Scouting report on Cardoso
Cardoso’s meteoric rise continued when she was taken third by the Chicago Sky. The 6-foot-7 South Carolina center was the Sixth Woman of the Year as a junior, and after a stellar senior season became a lottery pick.
She has the potential to dominate as an offensive rebounder and scorer, as well as a defensive stopper. The Sky could make her an important centerpiece as they have only one player under contract after this season. — Merchant
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Why Jackson fits with Los Angeles
Jackson belongs in L.A. The lone draftee to have a costume change between the orange carpet and her moment on the stage, Jackson is built for the bright lights. As she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe, “(Sparks fans) are just going to be falling in love with my personality.”
Jackson was highly regarded by WNBA general managers for her scoring prowess at Tennessee, and the Sparks clearly recognized it with the fourth pick. She puts up points in bunches and can do so in a variety of ways. L.A. has its defensive anchor in Brink and, now, a pure bucket-getter in Jackson. — Merchant
How Sheldon can elevate Dallas
Dallas has selected a guard in the top seven picks each of the last five years, so Sheldon wasn’t a surprise. Sheldon is a prototypical 3-and-D guard who can play alongside Arike Ogunbowale right away as the Wings attempt to make a deeper run in the WNBA playoffs. — Merchant
Edwards to Mystics gives her a chance to grow
Edwards might have hoped to land on a team ready to win right away after playing in three Final Fours in four seasons at UConn, but perhaps getting the opportunity to explore the studio space, so to speak, will be helpful. One of Edwards’ best traits is that she plays within herself, but that’s mostly within 15 feet of the basket. As a pro, she’ll have to be a power forward at her size, and she’ll need to expand her shooting range and defend more on the perimeter. General managers around the league rave about Edwards’ IQ, competitiveness and work ethic. She has a high floor and ideally can use this runway with the Mystics to raise her ceiling. — Merchant
How Reese fills a need in Chicago
The Sky made their move Sunday, trading a pretty penny to put themselves in a position to draft Reese, and the board worked out in their favor. The “Bayou Barbie” makes her way to Chicago. It’s hard to think of a better pairing than Reese and Teresa Weatherspoon, and the Sky have dramatically addressed their rebounding needs with both Reese and Cardoso. — Merchant
.@Reese10Angel, meet Skytown
Skytown, meet Angel Reese pic.twitter.com/X55hUFCGMo
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 16, 2024
Pili’s skill valued by Minnesota
Pili is the most unique prospect in this draft, and thus one of the hardest to peg in the mock draft process because of how specific her skill set is. But the Lynx have always valued college production, regardless of how those players are theoretically supposed to fit at the next level — take the talent, and make it work. That’s what should happen with Pili in Minnesota. — Merchant
Is Leite the point guard of the future in Dallas?
Our first international in this year’s draft goes to Dallas, where the Wings will likely not be able to roster two first-rounders because of their existing players under contract. Leite is only 19 years old and could be Dallas’ point guard of the future, with the emphasis on future, since she isn’t coming over in 2024. — Merchant
Lacan’s WNBA comparison
The French point guard run continues. Lacan is a big, strong guard, and ESPN’s Andraya Carter has compared her to Tiffany Hayes, who just started for the Connecticut Sun last season before retiring from the WNBA. Lacan excelled in the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2023 and will have an opportunity to play in high-stakes games right away on a Sun team expecting to contend. — Merchant
Liberty bolsters defense with Davis
This was the first genuine surprise of Round 1, though maybe it should not have been once Davis earned an invite to the green room. The New York Liberty needs perimeter defense, and Davis learned from one of the best defensive coaches in the country under Yolett McPhee-McCuin at Ole Miss. — Merchant
Puoch makes for three international players picked in first round
One more international player to close out Round 1, as the Atlanta Dream add another athletic wing to their roster. Puoch played for one of the best teams in the WNBL and has gone up against WNBA talent, even at the age of 19, preparing her to compete at this level. — Merchant
Required reading
(Photo of Angel Reese: Brad Penner / USA Today)
