Who might the Seattle Storm target in the WNBA Draft? (Update)

The WNBA Draft is on April 15th and the Storm have four selections total.

Update: Sending this out to everyone before the draft later today at 4:00 PM on ESPN and I’ve also included a Mock Draft round-up from multiple publications on who they project the Storm to take with their 1st round pick (11th overall). The Mock Draft predictions are near the bottom of the article.

We are now just a few days away from the WNBA Draft which will be held on April 15th, 2021. The women’s NCAA tournament just ended and Stanford took home the National Championship. During the tournament, we saw some standout performances from several players, some of them will now be taking that next step of their careers as they go pro.

The Seattle Storm will enter Thursday’s draft with four selections total. They have the 11th, 18th, 23rd, and 35th picks in the WNBA Draft. I will highlight some of the players Seattle may target in the draft.

But first, let’s take a look back at some of the offseason moves the Storm made which may give us some hints on where the team might go in the draft.

After winning two WNBA Championships in the past three years and dealing with a brand new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) that went into effect in 2020, the Seattle Storm were no longer able to keep all of their core players together.

Alysha Clark, the team’s defensive ace and one of the more underrated players in the entire WNBA signed a big free-agent contract with the Washington Mystics.

Shortly after that happened, the team was involved in a mega-trade that sent Natasha Howard and Sami Whitcomb to the New York Liberty.

We also saw two players announce their retirements this offseason in Crystal Langhorne and Morgan Tuck.

In total, Seattle lost five players from their 2020 Championship team including two starters and a key bench contributor in Whitcomb.

Meanwhile, the Storm will bring in a lot of fresh faces for the 2021 season including 15-year veteran Candice Dupree, Katie Lou Samuelson, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, and last year’s first-round draft pick Kitija Laksa.

In these additions, Candice Dupree may replace Natasha Howard in the starting lineup this year as Coach Dan Hughes hinted to the media during a Team USA conference call at the end of March.

While Dupree isn’t known for her defensive prowess like Howard, who won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. She will be able to fill in the scoring and rebounding voids that Howard leaves behind. Dupree has averaged double figures in every single season she’s played in the WNBA. Her career averages are 14.4 PPG and 6.6 RPG.

With the draft assets acquired from the Howard trade, Seattle was able to parlay those into Katie Lou Samuelson and Kiki Herbert Harrigan. Coach Hughes spoke highly of both but believes he needs to see even more in Storm training camp to see where they will fit in with the team. Those two players will likely compete for the starting Small Forward position.

Both players are still young with Katie Lou entering her third WNBA season and Herbert Harrigan just coming off her rookie season in Minnesota.

Kitija Laksa could pencil right into Sami Whitcomb’s former role as the backup shooting guard and will likely compete with Epiphanny Prince for minutes. Laksa was a talented three-point shooter overseas in Latvia and during her collegiate career at USF.

The Storm don’t necessarily have any glaring weaknesses with their current roster. Even after losing Natasha Howard, the team has two talented young post players in Mercedes Russell and Ezi Magbegor. On top of the previously mentioned Candice Dupree who will slide in at one of the post positions.

The position that seems to be the biggest need is Point Guard. With Sue Bird and Jordin Canada, Seattle arguably has the best duo at the lead guard spot. However, it needs to be noted that Bird at 40 years old missed half the regular season in 2020 and the entire 2019 season with a knee injury.

It’s an extremely difficult balance with Bird because when she can go, she still plays at an elite level. As evidence by her Game 1 WNBA Finals performance where she set a new WNBA record with 16 assists in a playoff game.

In fact, Bird played at a very high level in all of Seattle’s six playoff games where she averaged 9.5 points and a career-high 9.2 assists per game in the postseason.

It’s also important to factor in that Jordin Canada is in the final year of her rookie contract. I believe Seattle will look to sign her to a new deal after the 2021 season, but as we just saw with Alysha Clark, even if the team is interested in re-signing a player there is never a guarantee that the player will decide to remain with the team.

I could envision a scenario where if Bird does not retire after the 2021 season, that Canada may decide to sign with a new team in hopes of being that team’s starting point guard.

With all that said, let’s finally take a look at some of the draft prospects the Storm may target in the upcoming WNBA Draft.

Shyla Heal - PG - Australia

25.3 PPG 7.0 RPG 7.3 APG 2.2 SPG 0.1 BPG

Shyla Heal is a breakout star of the WNBL Australian league winning the Youth Player of the Year Award. Heal is just 19 years old and began playing professionally at age 14. Heal is a good three-point shooter and has shown an ability to be able to get to the rim.

The Storm have shown a tendency to draft foreign players and stash them overseas for an additional season in consecutive drafts (2019 and 2020) with Magbegor and Laksa. It would make a lot of sense for them to do that again this year by drafting Heal. With Bird and Canada on the roster in 2021, they likely don’t need another point guard right now. But this could be Bird’s final season and there’s a chance another team could swoop in and sign Canada away in 2022. Point Guard seems like the biggest need for Seattle in the not too distant future and selecting Heal might be the best move for the franchise.

Kiana Williams - PG - Stanford

14.0 PPG 2.0 RPG 3.1 APG 1.3 SPG 0.0 BPG

Kiana Williams is a player that is showing up at 11 for Seattle in multiple mock drafts floating around the Internet. Williams is the point guard for a Stanford team that just won the National Championship. Williams shot 38% from three-point range and nearly 90% from the foul line.

While I think Shyla Heal likely has the higher upside, Williams is a strong physical guard who could potentially compete for a starting role in a post-Sue Bird world. Or at least be a very solid backup in the WNBA.

With players like Aari McDonald and Dana Evans off the board, Williams, along with Heal, are likely going to be the two best point guard prospects remaining when Seattle selects at 11th overall.

Of note, Coach Dan Hughes did mention Kiana Williams by name during his Team USA press conference with Seattle media. It was in regards to her leading Stanford to the Final Four and them having a solid chance to win it all. But she definitely appears to be a player on his radar and it wouldn’t shock me if she’s the selection.

Natasha Mack - PF - Oklahoma State

19.8 PPG 12.4 RPG 1.8 ASPG 2.0 SPG 4.0 BPG

One way Seattle could rebuild after losing (trading) Natasha Howard in the offseason would be if they were able to draft Natasha Mack out of Oklahoma State. And it’s not just because they share the same first name.

Mack, who likely will be drafted in the 5-10 range has been mocked enough times around 9 or 10 that I felt it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that she could slip on draft night to Seattle at 11. And if she were to fall, I think Seattle would swoop her up in a heartbeat.

At 6’4” Mack averaged a double-double this season and is generally considered the best defensive prospect in the draft. Seattle lost a ton of defense after the departures of both Natasha Howard and Alysha Clark during the offseason; drafting Mack would do a lot to fix those holes. Mack averaged two steals and led the nation with four blocks per game. Her blocking ability is helped by her 6’ 11” wingspan.

Jasmine Walker - PF - Alabama

19.1 PPG 9.4 RPG 1.5 APG 0.7 SPG 0.9 BPG

Jasmine Walker is another player that projects to go before Seattle selects at 11, but likely will go in the 2nd half of the first round and could potentially fall to Seattle if some picks go differently on draft night. Walker has good size at 6’3” but also excellent range out to the three-point line where she shot just a hair under 40% for the season. Walker knocked down 78 shots from beyond the arc this past season.

Walker has enough size and strength where I believe she would be able to compete with other power forwards in the WNBA. But with her excellent three-point shooting she would certainly stretch the defense out on the offensive end. Something we see Breanna Stewart do quite often in Seattle.

The Storm are a team that loves to space the floor and shoot the three-ball. Walker certainly has that skill set and could be a natural fit in Seattle.

Michaela Onyenwere - SF - UCLA

19.1 PPG 7.2 RPG 2.0 APG 1.1 SPG 0.4 BPG

The Storm spent a lot of their assets this offseason acquiring Katie Lou Samuelson and Kiki Herbert Harrigan. Both players are likely to fill in at the 3 spot (Small Forward). There’s also Stephanie Talbot who Seattle acquired from the Sami Whitcomb trade, who could also make the team and fill in at the small forward position. With all that in mind, I’m not sure if that’s the biggest need Seattle has on their roster. But I still wouldn’t be shocked if they ended up drafting UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere.

Onyenwere can do a little bit of everything. Score, rebound, defend, dribble drive, attack the basket, knock down the three, etc. She rebounds well for her size at just 6’0”. She has a strong face-up post-game and her shot extends to the three-point range. Her athleticism is definitely a strong point to her game allowing her to drive hard to the basket and finish through contact or draw fouls.

Onyenwere has been mocked between the middle of the first round to an early second-round pick, so there’s a solid chance she’ll be available when Seattle selects at 11.

Iliana Rupert - C - France

11.8 PPG 5.4 RPG 1.7 APG

Iliana Rupert would be another pick for the future similar to Shyla Heal. Rupert is also just 19 years old; she is a 6’4” Center out of France. On film, she’s shown a good low post game where she gets the majority of her points. She can hit the mid-range shot as well. She is one of the top young stars of Euroleague play and will play for the French National Team in the Olympics.

Rupert is a player that has been projected in the early to middle of the second round in the majority of mock drafts I’ve seen. She would certainly be a steal for Seattle if they were to take her with their 18th overall selection (6th in the 2nd round). But with the way Seattle likes to take International players, it wouldn’t be shocking if they selected her 11th overall if they felt her upside was higher than some other players that could play for them right away.

DiDi Richards - PG/SG - Baylor

6.3 PPG 3.3 RPG 6.3 APG 1.2 SPG 0.7 BPG

Richards is a player I could see Seattle drafting in the 2nd round, but not as likely with their first-round pick. Richards is pretty limited with her offensive game which might make it difficult for her to stick with a team in the WNBA. However, she is an excellent defender. If Seattle is looking for a wing player that can pick up the defensive slack where Alysha Clark left off, Richards would be a great option. Richards won the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award in 2020.

It was no coincidence that when Richards went out with an injury against UConn in the Elite 8 that the Connecticut Huskies were then able to go on a 19-0 run that essentially allowed them to win the game.

Richards also was converted to a point guard this season and really excelled, averaging over six assists per game. My expectation is that Seattle will want to draft a point guard in this draft, but if they feel there’s another player at a different position that is too good to pass up in the first round at 11. Then they may look to draft Richards or another Point Guard like Destiny Slocum who is projected to go in the 2nd round.

DiJonai Carrington - SG - Baylor

14.1 PPG 4.9 RPG 2.3 APG 2.1 SPG 0.6 BPG

DiJonai Carrington had an excellent NCAA tournament for the Baylor Lady Bears that likely shot her draft stock way up. If she is still on the board at 18th overall in the 2nd round, she would be an absolute steal for Seattle.

Carrington is a physical guard that is aggressive to the basket, who can draw contact and muscle her way inside. She has the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack and also has a solid midrange game. Carrington can knock down the three, but that isn’t her best skill as she shot just 29% from long range this past season.

She rebounds well for a guard and averages over two steals per game. I think 11th overall might be a little high for her, but her excellent play in the tournament may have pushed her draft stock into the first round.

Destiny Slocum - PG - Arkansas

15.0 PPG 3.3 RPG 3.9 APG 0.8 SPG 0.0 BPG

Destiny Slocum is an excellent scorer with great three-point shooting averaging nearly 40% from beyond the arc this past season. Slocum is a very talented guard that has played at Maryland, Oregon State, and finished her collegiate career under Kelsey Plum’s former Head Coach Mike Neighbors who now coaches at Arkansas.

Slocum has been a talented name for several years now, but ultimately never lived up to all the hype that she had in her early college years. Once projected to be a top pick in the draft a couple of years ago, she’s now projected to be selected in the 2nd round.

Similar to DiDi Richards, I think Seattle would be happy to select her with either of their 2nd round picks. It would allow Seattle to draft the BPA (Best Player Available) in the first round and then draft more of a need (Point Guard) in the second round.

Lindsey Pulliam - SG - Northwestern

15.5 PPG 5.3 RPG 2.2 APG 1.1 SPG 0.3 BPG

Lindsey Pulliam is another player Seattle could target, especially if she’s still available when they pick in the 2nd round. Pulliam is a strong scoring guard out of Northwestern who could become an excellent scoring option off the bench for Seattle.

While watching her highlights, she definitely has a swagger to her game that reminds me a lot of Diana Taurasi. She may not be the elite player that Taurasi has been throughout her career, but she is an aggressive scorer with a beautiful jumper. She earned the nickname “Pull-Up Pulliam” for her ability to put the ball on the floor and quickly pull up to knock down the mid-range jumpers.

That’ll wrap up the player spotlights for the upcoming WNBA Draft. It’ll be interesting to see what direction the Storm go with their selections. Especially with picks 11 and 18. Also of note, the Los Angeles Sparks made a trade with the Dallas Wings the day before the draft to acquire the 7th overall pick from Dallas and a 2022 2nd round pick from the Wings in exchange for the Sparks 1st round pick in 2022. A move that seems a little desperate by Los Angeles, but we’ll see how it plays out for them. The Sparks now have the 7th and 10th overall picks in the 2021 draft, so they will have two selections before Seattle.

I’ve added a Mock Draft summary by other publications for the Storm’s first-round pick (11th overall).

• ESPN - DiJonai Carrington - SG - Baylor

• CBS Sports - Kiana Williams - PG - Stanford

• USA Today - Jasmine Walker - PF - Alabama

• Lines - Michaela Onyenwere - SF - UCLA

• Bleacher Report - Iliana Rupert - PF/C - France

• Yahoo! Sports - Chelsea Dungee - SG - Arkansas

• Her Hoops Stats - Shyla Heal - PG - Australia

• The Athletic - Chelsea Dungee - SG - Arkansas

What position should the Storm focus on in the draft? Of all the players I’ve highlighted, do any stand out to you that you’d love to see in a Seattle uniform? Let me know what you think Storm fans in the comments section below!

Special Thanks to Her Hoops Stats for being an incredible resource that allowed me to collect the stats for all the collegiate players.