2016 WNBA draft | |
---|---|
General information | |
Sport | Basketball |
Date(s) | April 14, 2016 |
Location | Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut |
Network(s) | ESPN2 (first round) ESPNU (second and third rounds) |
Overview | |
League | WNBA |
First selection | Breanna Stewart Seattle Storm |
The 2016 WNBA draft is the league's draft for the 2016 WNBA season. It was held on April 14 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. [1]
The draft was most notable for Connecticut producing the top three picks, with #1 pick Breanna Stewart followed by Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck. [2] This is the first time in history that the top three draft picks came from the same school. [3]
The lottery selection to determine the order of the top four picks in the 2016 draft occurred on September 24, 2015. [4] For the first year, team's lottery chances were based on combined records from the 2014 and 2015 WNBA seasons. [5]
The 2016 lottery was held on September 24, 2015. [6]
The Seattle Storm won the lottery for the second straight year. This was the third time that the lottery was won by the team that had the highest odds. Seattle Storm held the worst two-year record and was guaranteed at least the third pick for the 2015 draft.
Note: Team selected for the No. 1 pick noted in bold text.
Team | Combined 2014–15 record | Lottery chances | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Seattle Storm | 22–46 | 44.2% | 1st pick |
San Antonio Stars | 24–44 | 27.6% | 2nd pick |
Connecticut Sun | 28–40 | 17.8% | 3rd pick |
Atlanta Dream | 34–34 | 10.4% | 4th pick |
On September 24, 2015, WNBA.com posted notable prospects for the draft. The list included: [7]
The WNBA also selected twelve players to be in attendance at the draft. Those twelve were: [8]
Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Breanna Stewart * | ![]() | Seattle Storm | Connecticut |
2 | Moriah Jefferson | San Antonio Stars | ||
3 | Morgan Tuck | Connecticut Sun | ||
4 | Rachel Banham | Connecticut Sun (from Atlanta) [a] | Minnesota | |
5 | Aerial Powers | Dallas Wings (from Los Angeles) [b] | Michigan State | |
6 | Jonquel Jones * (traded to Connecticut) [11] | ![]() | Los Angeles Sparks (from Dallas) [c] | George Washington |
7 | Kahleah Copper * | ![]() | Washington Mystics | Rutgers |
8 | Courtney Williams + | Phoenix Mercury | South Florida | |
9 | Tiffany Mitchell | Indiana Fever | South Carolina | |
10 | Imani Boyette | Chicago Sky | Texas | |
11 | Bria Holmes | Atlanta Dream (from Minnesota) [d] | West Virginia | |
12 | Adut Bulgak | ![]() | New York Liberty | Florida State |
Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
---|---|---|---|---|
13 | Rachel Hollivay | ![]() | Atlanta Dream (from San Antonio) [e] | Rutgers |
14 | Jazmon Gwathmey (traded to San Antonio) [12] | ![]() ![]() | Minnesota Lynx (from Seattle) [f] | James Madison |
15 | Whitney Knight | ![]() | Los Angeles Sparks (from Connecticut) | Florida Gulf Coast |
16 | Courtney Walker # | Atlanta Dream | Texas A&M | |
17 | Jamie Weisner [g] | ![]() | Connecticut Sun (from Los Angeles) | Oregon State |
18 | Ruth Hamblin | Dallas Wings | ||
19 | Lia Galdeira # | ![]() | Washington Mystics | Washington State |
20 | Jillian Alleyne | Phoenix Mercury | Oregon | |
21 | Brene Moseley | Indiana Fever | Maryland | |
22 | Bashaara Graves | Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago) [h] | Tennessee | |
23 | Brianna Butler # | Los Angeles Sparks (from Minnesota via Connecticut) [i] | Syracuse | |
24 | Ameryst Alston | New York Liberty | Ohio State |
Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
---|---|---|---|---|
25 | Brittney Martin # | ![]() | San Antonio Stars | Oklahoma State |
26 | Lexi Eaton Rydalch # | Seattle Storm | BYU | |
27 | Aliyyah Handford # | Connecticut Sun | St. John's | |
28 | Niya Johnson # | Atlanta Dream | Baylor | |
29 | Talia Walton # | Los Angeles Sparks | Washington | |
30 | Shakena Richardson # | Dallas Wings | Seton Hall | |
31 | Danaejah Grant # | Washington Mystics | St. John's | |
32 | Nirra Fields | ![]() | Phoenix Mercury | UCLA |
33 | Julie Allemand | ![]() | Indiana Fever | Castors Braine (Belgium) |
34 | Jordan Jones # | ![]() | Chicago Sky | Texas A&M |
35 | Temi Fagbenle | ![]() | Minnesota Lynx | USC |
36 | Shacobia Barbee # | ![]() | New York Liberty | Georgia |