2021 WNBA draft

2021 WNBA draft
General information
Sport	Basketball
Date(s)	April 15, 2021
Location	Virtually
Network(s)	United States: ESPN Canada: TSN2
Overview
League	WNBA
Teams	12
First selection	Charli Collier Dallas Wings (via trade)
←  2020 2022  →

The 2021 WNBA draft was the WNBA's draft for the 2021 WNBA season. A draft lottery was held on December 4, 2020, and the New York Liberty were awarded the first overall pick once again in the draft. ^[1] The draft was held on April 15, and televised on ESPN in the United States and on TSN2 in Canada at 7:00 p.m. EDT. ^[2]

Draft lottery

The lottery selection to determine the order of the top four picks in the 2021 draft took place during halftime of the DePaul Blue Demons game against the Louisville Cardinals on December 4, 2020, and was televised on ESPN in the United States and across the TSN Network in Canada. The same four non-playoff teams in 2020 qualified for the lottery drawing: Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream. ^[1]

Lottery chances

Team	Combined 2019–2020 record	Lottery chances (out of 1,000)
New York Liberty	12–44	442
Atlanta Dream	15–41	276
Dallas Wings	18–38	178
Indiana Fever	19–37	104

The lottery odds were based on combined records from the 2019 and 2020 WNBA seasons. In the drawing, 14 balls numbered 1–14 are placed in a lottery machine and mixed. Four balls are drawn to determine a four-digit combination (only 11–12–13–14 is ignored and redrawn). The team to which that four-ball combination is assigned receives the No. 1 pick. The four balls are then placed back into the machine and the process is repeated to determine the second pick. The two teams whose numerical combinations do not come up in the lottery will select in the inverse order of their two-year cumulative record. Ernst & Young knows the discreet results before they are announced. ^[1]

The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third rounds was determined by inverse order of the teams' respective regular-season records solely from 2020. ^[1]

The lottery was won by the New York Liberty, who had the best chance to win the lottery as they did in 2020. The Dallas Wings were awarded the second pick for the second consecutive year, followed by the Atlanta Dream and finally the Indiana Fever. ^[1] The Liberty would later trade their first pick to the Seattle Storm, who in turn traded it to the Wings. This marks the first time that one team has held the top two picks in the draft in WNBA history. ^[3]

Eligibility

Under the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the WNBA and its players union, draft eligibility for players not defined as "international" requires the following to be true: ^[4]

• The player's 22nd birthday falls during the calendar year of the draft. For this draft, the cutoff birth date is December 31, 1999.
• She has either:
  • completed her college eligibility;
  • received a bachelor's degree, or is scheduled to receive such in the 3 months following the draft; or
  • is at least 4 years removed from high school graduation.

A player who is scheduled to receive her bachelor's degree within 3 months of the draft date, and is younger than the cutoff age, is only eligible if the calendar year of the draft is no earlier than the fourth after her high school graduation.

Players with remaining college eligibility who meet the cutoff age must notify the WNBA headquarters of their intent to enter the draft no later than 10 days before the draft date, and must renounce any remaining college eligibility to do so. A separate notification timetable is provided for players involved in postseason tournaments (most notably the NCAA Division I tournament); those players (normally) must declare for the draft within 24 hours of their final game.

"International players" are defined as those for whom all of the following is true:

• Born and currently residing outside the U.S.
• Never "exercised intercollegiate basketball eligibility" in the U.S.

For "international players", the eligibility age is 20, also measured on December 31 of the year of the draft.

For the 2021 draft only, the WNBA and its players union agreed to a modification of the normal eligibility rules. The most significant change is that all otherwise eligible college players who wished to enter the draft, including seniors in 2020–21, had to declare for draft entry. Due to an NCAA ruling that the 2020–21 season, dramatically affected by COVID-19, would not be counted against the college eligibility of any basketball player, every college senior in the 2020–21 season had remaining eligibility. Players who wished to be drafted had to notify the league by email no later than April 1, except for those involved in the 2021 Final Four, who had a 48-hour opt-in window after the completion of their last game instead of the normal 24 hours. ^[5] Players who had opted in had until midnight on April 10 (0400 UTC, April 11) to opt out. ^[6] This is similar to special 2021 draft declaration rules announced by the NBA, which also required seniors to opt into the draft. ^[7]

On April 3, the WNBA announced that 52 college players had opted into the draft. This did not include players from the Final Four teams (Arizona, South Carolina, Stanford, UConn); South Carolina and UConn lost in the semifinals on April 2, while Stanford defeated Arizona in the championship game on April 4. ^[8] On April 7, the WNBA announced that one of the original 52 players had withdrawn from consideration, and that six additional players had opted into the draft. ^[9] Four players from the initial list of 52 would opt out by the final deadline of April 11. ^[6]

• Asheika Alexander, Langston
• Janelle Bailey, North Carolina
• Trinity Baptiste, Arizona
• Kate Cain, Nebraska
• Maya Caldwell, Georgia
• Sierra Campisano, Cal Poly
• DiJonai Carrington, Baylor
• Deja Church, DePaul
• Charli Collier, Texas (age-eligible junior) ^[10]
• Gaby Connally, Georgia
• Rennia Davis, Tennessee
• Lore Devos, Colorado State
• Chelsea Dungee, Arkansas
• Dana Evans, Louisville
• Kysre Gondrezick, West Virginia
• Aleah Goodman, Oregon State
• Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
• Valerie Higgins, Pacific
• Petra Holešínská, North Carolina
• Jordan Jenkins, UTEP
• Kionna Jeter, Towson
• Akinreh Johnson, Michigan
• Ciera Johnson, Texas A&M
• N'dea Jones, Texas A&M
• Micaela Kelly, Central Michigan
• Natalie Kucowski, Lafayette
• Kasiyahna Kushkituah, Tennessee
• Selena Lott, Marquette
• Natasha Mack, Oklahoma State
• Tiana Mangakahia, Syracuse
• Aari McDonald, Arizona
• Blanca Millán, Maine
• Johanna Muzet, Rhode Island
• Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA
• Chasity Patterson, Kentucky
• Chelsey Perry, UT Martin
• Lindsey Pulliam, Northwestern
• Ivana Raca, Wake Forest
• DiDi Richards, Baylor
• Destiny Slocum, Arkansas
• LaPresha Stanley, Appalachian State
• Tesia Thompson, Southeast Missouri
• Unique Thompson, Auburn
• Jill Townsend, Gonzaga
• Mikayla Vaughn, Notre Dame
• Destinee Walker, Notre Dame
• Jasmine Walker, Alabama
• Stephanie Watts, North Carolina
• Tyra Whitehead, San Jose State
• Kiana Williams, Stanford
• Aaliyah Wilson, Texas A&M
• Jenn Wirth, Gonzaga
• LeeAnne Wirth, Gonzaga

Key

+	Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
Bold	Denotes player who won Rookie of the Year

Draft

First round

Pick	Player	Nationality	Team	School / Club team
1	Charli Collier	United States	Dallas Wings (from New York via Seattle) [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2]	Texas
2	Awak Kuier	Finland	Dallas Wings	Passalacqua Ragusa (Italy)
3	Aari McDonald	United States	Atlanta Dream	Arizona
4	Kysre Gondrezick	United States	Indiana Fever	West Virginia
5	Chelsea Dungee	United States	Dallas Wings (from Washington via New York) [lower-alpha 3]	Arkansas
6	Michaela Onyenwere	United States	New York Liberty (from Connecticut via Phoenix) [lower-alpha 4] [lower-alpha 5]	UCLA
7	Jasmine Walker	United States	Los Angeles Sparks (from Chicago via Dallas) [lower-alpha 6] [lower-alpha 7]	Alabama
8	Shyla Heal	Australia	Chicago Sky (from Phoenix via Dallas) [lower-alpha 8] [lower-alpha 9]	Townsville Fire (Australia)
9	Rennia Davis	United States	Minnesota Lynx	Tennessee
10	Stephanie Watts	United States	Los Angeles Sparks	North Carolina
11	Aaliyah Wilson	United States	Seattle Storm	Texas A&M
12	Iliana Rupert	France	Las Vegas Aces	Tango Bourges Basket (France)

Second round

Pick	Player	Nationality	Team	School / club team
13	Dana Evans	United States	Dallas Wings (from New York) [lower-alpha 3]	Louisville
14	Destiny Slocum	United States	Las Vegas Aces (from Indiana) [lower-alpha 10]	Arkansas
15	Raquel Carrera	Spain	Atlanta Dream	Valencia Basket (Spain)
16	Natasha Mack	United States	Chicago Sky (from Dallas via Los Angeles) [lower-alpha 11] [lower-alpha 12] [lower-alpha 13]	Oklahoma State
17	DiDi Richards	United States	New York Liberty (from Washington) [lower-alpha 3]	Baylor
18	Kiana Williams	United States	Seattle Storm (from Connecticut) [lower-alpha 14]	Stanford
19	Unique Thompson	United States	Indiana Fever (from Chicago) [lower-alpha 15]	Auburn
20	DiJonai Carrington	United States	Connecticut Sun (from Phoenix) [lower-alpha 16]	Baylor
21	Micaela Kelly	United States	Connecticut Sun (from Minnesota) [lower-alpha 17]	Central Michigan
22	Arella Guirantes	United States	Los Angeles Sparks	Rutgers
23	N'dea Jones	United States	Seattle Storm	Texas A&M
24	Trinity Baptiste	United States	Indiana Fever (from Las Vegas) [lower-alpha 10]	Arizona

Third round

Pick	Player	Nationality	Team	School / club team
25	Valerie Higgins	United States	New York Liberty	Pacific
26	Chelsey Perry	United States	Indiana Fever	UT Martin
27	Lindsey Pulliam	United States	Atlanta Dream	Northwestern
28	Ivana Raca	Serbia	Los Angeles Sparks (from Dallas) [lower-alpha 12]	Wake Forest
29	Marine Fauthoux	France	New York Liberty (from Washington) [lower-alpha 3]	ASVEL Féminin (France)
30	Aleah Goodman	United States	Connecticut Sun	Oregon State
31	Florencia Chagas  [ es ]	Argentina	Indiana Fever (from Chicago) [lower-alpha 15]	Empoli (Italy)
32	Ciera Johnson	United States	Phoenix Mercury	Texas A&M
33	Maya Caldwell	United States	Indiana Fever (from Minnesota) [lower-alpha 18]	Georgia
34	Aina Ayuso Bagur  [ ca ]	Spain	Los Angeles Sparks	Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)
35	Natalie Kucowski  [ fr ]	United States	Seattle Storm	Lafayette
36	Kionna Jeter	United States	Las Vegas Aces	Towson

Footnotes

1. February 10, 2021: New York to Seattle ^[11]
   • New York acquired Natasha Howard
   • Seattle acquired 2021 first-round and 2022 second-round picks, and Phoenix's 2022 first-round pick
2. February 10, 2021: Seattle to Dallas ^[12]
   • Seattle acquired Katie Lou Samuelson and a 2022 second-round pick
   • Dallas acquired New York's 2021 first-round pick
3. April 15, 2020: Three-team trade ^[13]
   • Dallas acquired Washington's 2021 first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick from New York
   • New York acquired 2021 second- and third-round picks, 2020 first-round picks and second-round pick, and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough from Washington; Las Vegas's 2020 first-round pick, 2020 second-round picks, and Tayler Hill from Dallas
   • Washington acquired Tina Charles from New York
4. February 11, 2020: Connecticut to Phoenix ^[14]
   • Phoenix acquired a 2021 first-round pick and two 2020 first-round picks
   • Connecticut acquired DeWanna Bonner
5. February 10, 2021: Phoenix to New York ^[11]
   • Phoenix acquired Kia Nurse and Megan Walker
   • New York acquired a 2021 first-round pick and Phoenix's 2022 first-round pick
6. February 14, 2020: Chicago to Dallas ^[15]
   • Dallas acquired Katie Lou Samuelson and a 2021 first-round pick
   • Chicago acquired Azura Stevens
7. April 14, 2021: Dallas to Los Angeles ^[16]
   • Los Angeles acquired a 2021 first-round pick and a 2022 second-round pick
   • Dallas acquired a 2022 first-round pick
8. February 12, 2020: Phoenix to Dallas ^[17]
   • Phoenix acquired Skylar Diggins-Smith
   • Dallas acquired a 2021 first-round pick and two 2020 first-round picks
9. February 12, 2020: Dallas to Chicago ^[17]
   • Dallas acquired Astou Ndour
   • Chicago acquired Phoenix's 2021 first-round pick
10. February 15, 2021: Indiana to Las Vegas ^[18]
    • Las Vegas acquired a 2021 second-round pick
    • Indiana acquired Lindsay Allen and a 2021 second-round pick
11. February 21, 2020: Dallas to Los Angeles ^[19]
    • Los Angeles acquired a 2021 second-round pick
    • Dallas acquired Marina Mabrey
12. May 26, 2020: Los Angeles to Dallas
    • Dallas reacquired its own original 2021 second-round pick
    • Los Angeles acquired Kristine Anigwe and a 2021 third-round pick
13. February 9, 2021: Dallas to Chicago ^[20]
    • Chicago acquired the 2021 second-round pick
    • Dallas acquired a 2022 second-round pick
14. February 24, 2020: Connecticut to Seattle ^[21]
    • Connecticut acquired Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis
    • Seattle acquired a 2021 second-round pick
15. August 28, 2020: Chicago to Indiana ^[22]
    • Indiana acquired Jantel Lavender and 2021 second-, third-round picks
    • Chicago acquired Stephanie Mavunga
16. February 19, 2020: Phoenix to Connecticut (three-team trade with Atlanta) ^[23]
    • Connecticut acquired Briann January and a 2021 second-round pick from Phoenix
    • Atlanta acquired a 2020 second-round pick from Phoenix and Courtney Williams from Connecticut
    • Phoenix acquired Jessica Breland and Nia Coffey from Atlanta
17. February 25, 2020: Minnesota to Connecticut ^[24]
    • Minnesota acquired Rachel Banham
    • Connecticut acquired a 2021 second-round pick
18. March 6, 2020: Minnesota to Indiana ^[25]
    • Indiana acquired a 2021 third-round pick and New York's 2020 second-round pick
    • Minnesota acquired Shenise Johnson and a 2020 second-round pick

See also

• List of first overall WNBA draft picks

References

1. "New York Liberty Wins Top Pick In 2021 WNBA Draft Presented By State Farm". WNBA. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
2. "WNBA Draft on April 15th on ESPN". WNBA. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
3. "Dallas Wings become first team in WNBA history to hold draft's top two picks after trade with Seattle". Dallas News. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
4. "Article XIII, Section 1: Player Eligibility" (PDF). 2020 Women's National Basketball Association Collective Bargaining Agreement. Women's National Basketball Players Association. pp. 110–111. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
5. "College players will need to opt-in to upcoming WNBA draft". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
6. Voepel, Mechelle (April 10, 2021). "Georgia's Jenna Staiti and Que Morrison, Rice's Nancy Mulkey, Ohio's Cece Hooks opt out of WNBA draft". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
7. Givony, Jonathan (February 26, 2021). "Pandemic changes NBA draft rules for seniors". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
8. "WNBA Announces Players Who Have Opted-In for Consideration for 2021 WNBA Draft Presented By State Farm®" (Press release). Women's National Basketball Association. April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
9. "Six Additional NCAA Players Opt-In for Consideration for 2021 WNBA Draft Presented By State Farm®" (Press release). Women's National Basketball Association. April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
10. Voepel, Mechelle (March 7, 2021). "Texas Longhorns' Charli Collier, projected top pick, declares for WNBA draft". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
11. "New York Liberty Acquire Natasha Howard And Sami Whitcomb". WNBA. February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
12. "Storm Acquires Katie Lou Samuelson, Mikiah "Kiki" Herbert Harrigan; Rights To Stephanie Talbot And Two 2022 Draft Picks". WNBA.com. February 11, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
13. "Washington Mystics Acquire 7x All-Star Tina Charles in Three-Team Deal". WNBA.com. April 15, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
14. Metcalfe, Jeff (February 11, 2020). "Phoenix Mercury All-Star DeWanna Bonner traded to Connecticut Sun". Arizona Republic. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
15. "Chicago Sky Acquire Azura Stevens, Trade Katie Lou Samuelson to Dallas Wings". Chicago Sky. February 14, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
16. Voepel, Mechelle (14 April 2021). "Los Angeles Sparks acquire No. 7 overall pick in WNBA draft from Dallas Wings". ESPN. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
17. "Wings Trade Diggins-Smith, Acquire Astou Ndour". Dallas Wings. February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
18. "Fever Complete Trades with Las Vegas and Minnesota". Indiana Fever. February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
19. "Sparks Acquire 2021 Second Round Pick from Dallas Wings". Los Angeles Sparks. February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
20. "Sky Acquire 2021 Second-Round Draft Pick". Los Angeles Sparks. February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
21. "Sun Acquire Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis from Seattle". Connecticut Sun. February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
22. "Fever Acquire Jantel Lavender From Chicago Sky, Trade Stephanie Mavunga". Indiana Fever. August 28, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
23. Weinfuss, Josh (February 19, 2020). "Mercury acquire Jessica Breland in 3-team deal with Dream, Sun". ESPN. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
24. "Minnesota Lynx Acquire Rachel Banham". Minnesota Lynx. February 25, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
25. "Fever Acquire Draft Picks in Trade with Minnesota". Indiana Fever. March 6, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.