Coming into the 2023 WNBA Draft, there appeared to be consensus within the top six picks, and then a great deal of divergence beyond that. The draft delivered on that unpredictability, with two first-round picks not in attendance and multiple green room invitees waiting until deep into the second round to hear their names called.
This day was always going to be franchise-altering for Indiana, as the Fever finally got to select Aliyah Boston as the No. 1 overall pick, a moment the team has been waiting for since November’s draft lottery. But multiple other franchises had a chance to meaningfully shape their present and future. Let’s see how they graded out.
In alphabetical order:
Haley Jones (6), Laeticia Amihere (8), Leigha Brown (15)
The Dream crushed their first-round selections. Jones’ lack of a jump shot may have overshadowed all of her other gifts — including her passing, her defense and her calming on-court demeanor — which caused her to fall a few slots. But Atlanta didn’t overthink it when Jones fell into its lap. The Dream trust their player development to fix Jones’ shot while the Stanford product can already contribute as a playmaker, especially in transition. With Jones and Amihere, Atlanta brought in some spectacular defensive additions who will give…
