Swish Appeal - Who are the top prospects for the 2013 WNBA Draft?Basketball is basketball.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49391/swish-fave.png2013-08-13T08:00:10-04:00http://www.swishappeal.com/rss/stream/33504032013-08-13T08:00:10-04:002013-08-13T08:00:10-04:00Mathies chats about her tranisition to the WNBA
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<img alt="Los Angeles Sparks rookie A'dia Mathies at the Prudential Center for a game against the New York Liberty." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BSmENx2LwMJ1U0-AUUf7_qzlzl0=/0x42:1024x725/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17787291/dscn4529.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Los Angeles Sparks rookie A'dia Mathies at the Prudential Center for a game against the New York Liberty. | Photo by Ray Floriani.</figcaption>
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<p>A'dia Mathies became exactly the senior leader the Kentucky Wildcats needed during the 2012-13 NCAA season. Now she's adjusting to being just "another addition" with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. </p> <p><b>NEWARK, NJ -</b> The transition was from Division I to the WNBA, a significant step to say the least.</p>
<p>In this case there was a similarity in team expectations: A'dia Mathies saw a situation of leaving one very successful organization to join another. Mathies starred at the University of Kentucky, a strong program that wound up <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/3/19/4125106/ncaa-womens-bracket-2013-bridgeport-regional-preview-predictions">advancing to the Elite Eight in the 2013 </a><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA Tournamen</a><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">t</a> before meeting UCONN, the eventual national champion.</p>
<p>But one of the biggest adjustments for Mathies has been moving into a new role.</p>
<p>"In the league you are going from a primary option in many cases to another addition," she said.</p>
<p>At Kentucky she was that primary option and marquee player - she was a second team All-American last season. A two-time SEC Co-Player of the Year, Mathies is the only UK player (male or female) to record at least 1,900 points, 600 rebounds, 300 assists and 300 steals for a career.</p>
<p>Yet on a WNBA team with backcourt talent, the 5-9 guard is biding her time and learning.</p>
<p>"I have some great players who have been able to show me how to adapt to the professional game," Mathies said following the Sparks win over the New York Liberty at the Prudential Center, in which she played five minutes scoring two points. "Kristi (Toliver) and Linsay (Harding) have really helped bring me along."</p>
<p>And Candace Parker?</p>
<p>"Almost forgot," Mathies added with a laugh. "But Candace is outstanding and another great mentor and leader."</p>
<p></p>
<div class="read-more">
<b>More</b>: <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/18/4237934/wnba-draft-2013-adia-mathies-potential-los-angeles-sparks" target="new">Mathies on getting drafted by L.A.</a><a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/8/12/4612546/wnba-2013-new-york-liberty-consistency" target="new">L.A. hands N.Y. its fifth loss in seven games</a> <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/8/10/4609926/lavender-steps-up-in-sparks-win" target="new">Jantel Lavender steps up in L.A. win</a>
</div>
<p>Mathies is averaging 11 minutes per outing. The 10th overall selection in this past Spring's 2013 WNBA Draft, she averages 2.9 points and 1.0 assists thus far in her rookie campaign. Several first-year players spoken with during the season echoed the same sentiments of Mathies: the WNBA is demanding, especially for new faces.</p>
<p>"You really can't take a play off here (WNBA)," Mathies said. "Anyone can beat you on a given play and you have to keep yourself in top shape."</p>
<p>At Kentucky Mathies came into a situation where she, "really didn't know what to expect." Under coach Matthew Mitchell, the UK women's program proved there is more to basketball excellence in Lexington than John Calipari's group. During her four years the Wildcats were in four NCAA tournaments, advancing to the Elite Eight on three occasions.</p>
<p>"I think the Kentucky women's program has moved to the elite," Mathies said. "Now top players want to come there and the program is very well respected. I am so proud to be a part of it all."</p>
<p>The Commonwealth in the rear view mirror, the focus is on the current club and a quest for WNBA excellence.</p>
<p>"We have a great team here," Mathies said. "I just have to stay prepared and work on both ends of the court on a daily basis."</p>
<p>A role changes, the commitment does not.</p>
<p><i>For more on this year's WNBA rookie class, check out<a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/wnba-draft-2013"> our 2013 WNBA Draft section</a>. </i></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2013/8/13/4616258/wnba-2013-los-angeles-sparks-rookie-adia-mathiesRay Floriani2013-05-23T14:03:48-04:002013-05-23T14:03:48-04:00A promising 2013 WNBA point guard class
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/23UQV25HIZu5ahgUggzPp0vRPFY=/0x184:897x782/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/13552263/usatsi_5900052.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Bruce Thorson | USA Today Sports</figcaption>
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<p>People spent a lot of time discussing Skylar Diggins and the "three to see" for good reason, but another significant story line for the 2013 draft class is that it features an even more promising point guard class than the highly touted 2009 WNBA Draft did. Not all of them have officially made rosters yet, but they have a good chance and their college statistics compare favorably to players of the past.</p> <p>
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Over the years I've repeated the following as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2012/4/16/2952439/2012-wnba-draft-point-guard-prospects">criteria for a successful point guard transition from NCAA Division I basketball to the pros</a>:</p>
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<li>
<p>College assist ratio of 23%.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>College pure point rating of 2.5.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>For those with PPRs under 2.5, a high usage rate (23%) combined with a points per empty possession rating of 1.8.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>But it's confession time: most of those numbers were taken from data I'd gathered in 2009 and I was just sort of quickly cross-checking things to make sure things matched up. Those were seemingly hard lines at the time and there had been little to shake that up over the last four WNBA seasons. The primary reason for that is simple: with 11-player rosters there's less room for error and inefficient college point guards are one group among college prospects that just aren't making the cut for one reason or another.</p>
<p>When actually putting all the data together again after the 2013 draft, that criteria definitely hasn't changed and in fact some of the lines drawn look even more rigid.</p>
<p>You can<a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/5/23/4359516/wnba-point-guard-prospect-statistics-2001-2013"> click here</a> to see a sampling of guard prospects dating back to 1999 and their relevant numbers to see how things have played out. And here's the main takeaway: it's a lot easier to separate WNBA roster caliber point guards from those that are unlikely to make it than it is to actually project the quality of a point guard prospect aiming to make the transition from DI ball, no matter what program they're coming from.</p>
<p>Danielle Robinson has been the quintessential example of what that is over the last five years and, quite possibly, over the entire history of the WNBA Draft.</p>
<h4>The curious case of Danielle Robinson the point guard prospect<br>
</h4>
<h4></h4>
<p>If you look at Robinson's senior year numbers at Oklahoma, she was undeniably a scoring point guard: yes, she brought the ball upcourt to initiate the offense, but she had a high usage rate, low assist ratio, and negative pure point rating. In the WNBA, not only has Robinson maintained a very high PPR, but she's also had a low usage rate and high assist ratio.</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" width="100%">
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<col width="51*">
<col width="51*">
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<tbody>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="20%">
<p> </p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>Ast ratio</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>PPR</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>Usage rate</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>Pts/empty</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="20%">
<p>Oklahoma (2011)</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>19.5</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>-1.39</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>28.96</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>1.93</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="20%">
<p>San Antonio (2011)</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>30</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>3.56</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>18.43</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="20%">
<p>2.04</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p align="center"><i>Danielle Robinson's senior year and rookie year numbers in 2011.</i></p>
<p>To put Robinson's trajectory in perspective, of all the NCAA D1 point guards who have started WNBA games consistently over the course of even one season since Shannon Johnson retired, Robinson had the second lowest college assist ratio meaning she created baskets for others the second least often (Ivory Latta had the lowest, coming in just under Robinson at 19.5%). In other words, relative to the style of play of her WNBA peers statistically, Robinson did an almost complete reversal of styles in her college to pro transition.</p>
<p>However, it's not actually that simple and I use the extreme case of Robinson to illustrate a broader point: the high-synergy Silver Stars didn't just teach Robinson to pass really quickly during training camp of her rookie year; the Oklahoma Sooners just demanded that she score more often.</p>
<p>As Robinson's high college usage rate suggests, she was the best ball handler on her team her senior year and her team's #1 scoring option. Oklahoma needed her to score so she did. More importantly, she did so efficiently. In the WNBA, playing next to the All-Stars like Hammon and Sophia Young as well as former Big XII opponent Danielle Adams, Robinson didn't need to score so she passed more often and, most importantly, more efficiently.</p>
<p>We can dissect the numbers further - particularly the value of an assist in measuring a college point guard's mentality - but the primary thing to keep in mind is that the measure of a good point guard is really contextual: how well did they perform given the demands of the system they were playing in and the teammates they were playing with?</p>
<p>If the smartest play is just to get the ball into the hands of a better scorer and get out of the way, a good point guard will do that. If a good point guard can score - given the situation and personnel they're playing with and against - they do that. But ultimately, what really matters is that they are able to bring the ball up the court and make those decisions efficiently, which quite simply boils down to not wasting possessions with turnovers or missed shots. When we're looking at WNBA point guard prospects here, that's essentially what we're trying to identify: players who did whatever they were doing efficiently.</p>
<p>But the reason to go through all that as a preface to this year's class is that this year's class has an opportunity to provide some additional insight into what makes a good point guard: there are a number of point guard prospects who were drafted in this year's class who either don't have a traditionally "strong" profile or have a quirk that might challenge the conventions of the past.</p>
<p>That actually starts with college superstar Skylar Diggins.</p>
<h4>Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame</h4>
<h4></h4>
<p>Throughout the year, folks here and elsewhere have not only discussed about whether Diggins will be worth all the hype she's gotten but also whether she'll even be a point guard at all.</p>
<p>While some laugh off the notion of her not making it as a point guard, Diggins' statistics - similar to Robinson's - definitely do offer support for those that suggest she's more of a scoring guard than a star distributor. And just to add to the arguments of those who don't believe Diggins will be more than a run-of-the-mill scoring guard, this SPI similarity has been pretty interesting to me:</p>
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<td align="center" width="25%">
<p> </p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p><b>S</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p><b>P</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p><b>I</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>Diggins (2013)</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>0.52</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>0.91</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>0.09</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>Ajavon (2008)</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>0.49</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>0.90</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="25%">
<p>0.14</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a reason I haven't posted or even mentioned that prior to this point: Diggins and Ajavon are different players, regardless of whatever similarity in tendencies is there. Most importantly, Diggins was a much more efficient distributor in her senior year. So even if this is an understandable comparison on paper, Diggins was a stronger prospect.</p>
<p>And her trajectory over the past three years might be even more important in demonstrating that she is a very strong point guard prospect.</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody>
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<td height="19" width="20%">
<p> </p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>PPR</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>Pts/empty</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>Ast Ratio</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER"><b>Usage</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" height="18" width="20%">
<p><b>2013</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">1.21</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">1.81</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">22.98</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">28.05</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" height="18" width="20%">
<p><b>2012</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">3.74</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">2.37</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">25.24</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">27.18</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" height="18" width="20%">
<p><b>2011</b></p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">-2.52</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">1.64</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">20.75</p>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<p align="CENTER">26.83</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p align="center"><i>Skylar Diggins' point guard statistics at Notre Dame from 2011-2013.</i></p>
<p>Sophomore year numbers don't really matter all that much - two years is a lot of time for things to improve or become disastrous - but Diggins essentially went from posting the numbers of a borderline prospect to a solid one from her sophomore to senior year, while her responsibility as a scorer made marginal increases.</p>
<p>Yet what might be more interesting - and relevant to her potential - is that Diggins had a really strong junior year in between those two. Not the strongest year ever - Briann January had similar numbers at a comparable usage rate - but numbers that were clearly those of a starting distributor.</p>
<p>Diggins' senior year dip therefore points to something important: she actually adapted quite well to the needs of her team over the past two years, doing more while remaining quite efficient. Most importantly to the subject of how usage rates figure into the value of point guard prospects, very few high usage college point guards increase their usage rates in the WNBA; with less responsibility for carrying their team's offense, a number of point guards have seen their usage rates decline in the pros which leaves room to demonstrate their efficiency as a distributor more easily. That goes for everyone from Robinson to Samantha Prahalis to Lindsay Whalen and to a lesser extent Sue Bird.</p>
<p>Diggins has already shown the potential to do the same - become a more efficient distributor in the WNBA. The only question is how much the Shock will lean on her for the scoring ability that helped her lead Notre Dame to consecutive Final Fours and their first-ever Big East title.</p>
<h4>Lindsey Moore, Nebraska</h4>
<h4></h4>
<p>Lindsey Moore was without question the most efficient point guard drafted this year and could even be considered a steal for the already loaded Minnesota Lynx.</p>
<p>While Moore might not have gotten quite the superstar spotlight that Diggins got, here's one way to view her as a prospect: her senior year numbers were similar on the surface to Diggins' strong junior year numbers, but she was a much better 3-point shooter. Yet that has to be said with a caveat: Diggins had a much higher usage rate throughout her career meaning she produced more at the same rate of efficiency, which is just one more example of how strong a prospect she is. Moore, in contrast. put up those efficiency numbers while doing "less" in terms of the number of possessions she used up. Comparing her to past point guard prospects, her numbers are actually more similar to those of Kelly Miller who was nearly identical as a point guard coming out of Georgia in 2001.</p>
<p>Either way, you probably get the point: she definitely has a place in this league and will find a way to contribute no matter what her rookie year looks like.</p>
<h4>Nadirah McKenith, St. John's</h4>
<h4></h4>
<p>Nadirah McKenith was a point guard who flew a bit under the radar in terms of how she was discussed prior to the draft, but there's one thing about her profile that stood out compared to others: McKenith is one of a select group of high usage (23%+)/high assist ratio (23%+) point guards to enter the league. And I say "select" because every one of them has not only made the league but stuck around for a while, even if their level of production has been a mixed bag (Haynie, 2005; Mitchell, 2008: Montgomery, 2009; Vandersloot, 2011). Of course, that group looks a lot better when you add the likes of Samantha Prahalis, Diana Taurasi and (we'll assume) Diggins, but the point is that McKenith would be the first in that group not to make the league.</p>
<p>So what's the barrier? McKenith also wasn't overwhelmingly efficient in her senior year, either as a distributor or scorer; she'd be the only one in that "select" group above, to make it with a pure point rating under 2.5 or points per empty possession under 1.8. That also just means that she might bend he rules a little.</p>
<p>Returning to the example of Robinson (or Diggins), the question for McKenith is what will she do when she isn't asked to score so much? On the Mystics' roster - with veteran Crystal Langhorne on the interior and very efficient college guard Tayler Hill on the perimeter, not to mention Matee Ajavon and Monique Currie - there is no way McKenith would have anything near a 24% usage rate. That's why I loved the pick so much: we'll get to see if she can be a bit more efficient as a distributor when asked to do less scoring.</p>
<p>Of course, there's no guarantee a second round pick even makes a roster these days, but she'll be one to watch.</p>
<h4>Alex Bentley, Penn State<br>
</h4>
<h4></h4>
<p>Given the question mark about McKenith it might be surprising to some to see Bentley rated lower. The reason is simple: prospects with college assist ratios under 19% don't fare very well as WNBA point guards. And with Robinson being such an extreme case of radically increasing her assist ratio in the pros, really the prospect of becoming an efficient distributor at that level is low: Ivory Latta is holding down the threshold and she has had one of the lower PPRs of any point guard in the league over the past two seasons.</p>
<p>But the big problem for Bentley is that she has also been knocked for having an inconsistent jumper, which makes for a bad combination: her low assist ratio makes her very questionable as a distributor and if she can't knock down jumpers consistently, she could struggle to make an impact.</p>
<p>While her point guard numbers place Bentley somewhere in between the likes of Latta and Jasmine Thomas, who had similar question marks coming out of college, her SPI similarity numbers rate her as almost exactly similar to Robinson, which bodes extremely well: Robinson shooting range was also a concern and she still has only shot a handful of threes in her WNBA career thus far.</p>
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<col width="37*">
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<td width="14%">
<p> </p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>S</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>P</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>I</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>PPR</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>Ast Ratio<br></b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>Pts/empty</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="14%">
<p><b>Bentley</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.72</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.83</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.07</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>1.6</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>17.62</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>1.81</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="14%">
<p><b>Robinson (2011)<br></b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.73</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.84</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.06</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>-1.39</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>19.50</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>1.93</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="14%">
<p><b>Thomas (2011)<br></b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.78</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.73</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.16</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>-1.99</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>15.55</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>1.64</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p align="center"><i>For impressions of Robinson and Thomas prior to the 2011 WNBA Draft, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2011/3/31/2072331/wnba-draft-2011-gonzaga-bulldogs-courtney-vandersloot-best-point-guard">click here</a>.</i></p>
<p>One of the things that Robinson had going for her was size, which when combined with her speed made her a threat going to the free throw line as well. Bentley, in contrast, had the lowest free throw rate of any point guard drafted this year, which really paints her as a inefficient jump shooting point guard. Again, not a very pretty picture.</p>
<p>Still, in contrast to a player like Thomas, Bentley was much more efficient as a college distributor and actually a more efficient scorer than McKenith. So we have to give her similar benefit of the doubt: if she's not as responsible for scoring offensively, can she become a more efficient distributor?</p>
<p>If nothing else, it wouldn't be the first time that the Dream have worked with a point guard with a suspect jumper. And with her ability to use her quickness to get steals - her 6.29% steal ratio was the highest of <i>any</i> player drafted this year - she has a chance to buck the trend of past players with low assist ratios.</p>
<h4>Angel Goodrich, Kansas</h4>
<h4></h4>
<p>Like McKenith, Goodrich is among that group of high assist ratio/high usage rate players who tend to find a spot in the league. Unlike McKenith, Goodrich was the only other point guard drafted this year with a PPR over 2.5, which means she's a very efficient distributor considering how much her team relies on her for scoring.</p>
<p>But she fell to the third round - after being considered a much stronger prospect by some throughout the 2012-13 NCAA season - for a reason: if Goodrich makes the Shock roster this season, she'll have the lowest points per empty possession ratio of any point guard currently in the league. And if you watched her games closely, the problem for her was scoring inside the arc: she's a player with a low 2-point percentage, but a solid 3-point shooter.</p>
<p>The upside for a player like Goodrich is a point guard who can get the ball upcourt efficiently, knock down threes when the ball rotates back to her, and just doesn't make mistakes. An example, based on height and style of play, might be Leilani Mitchell who has been at her best when she's able to knock down threes for the Liberty and takes care of the ball very well.</p>
<p>The trouble is that Mitchell was much more efficient as a distributor and scorer at Utah, even if the two players had similar tendencies as some of the top 5% purest distributors over the last five years (this is also a good time to mention a related point: setting aside concerns about size and being a mid-major player, Mitchell was an elite point guard prospect.)</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" width="100%">
<colgroup>
<col width="38*">
<col width="36*">
<col width="36*">
<col width="36*">
<col width="37*">
<col width="36*">
<col width="38*">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="15%">
<p> </p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>S</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>P</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>I</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>PPR</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p><b>Ast</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="15%">
<p><b>Pts/empty</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="15%">
<p><b>Goodrich (2013)</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.44</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.96</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.04</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>2.55</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>27.11</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="15%">
<p>1.43</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td width="15%">
<p><b>Mitchell (2008)</b></p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.32</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.97</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>0.1</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>4.45</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="14%">
<p>29.81</p>
</td>
<td align="center" width="15%">
<p>2.07</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a lot to like about Goodrich: compared to some of the flashier college point guards around the nation this season, she dissected defenses with almost clinical precision. She's patient, she's decisive, and she controls the flow of the game extremely well, especially in transition. With the number of scorers the Shock have, they could use some of all of that, which makes her something of a steal for the Shock as a third round pick.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/5/23/4359318/wnba-point-guard-prospects-2013-skylar-diggins-lindsey-moore-alex-bentleyNate P2013-04-22T11:00:05-04:002013-04-22T11:00:05-04:00Q&A: Chatilla van Grinsven on signing with the Sun
<figure>
<img alt="Saint Joseph's star Chatilla van Grinsven is getting her chance at the WNBA with the Connecticut Sun. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uVHW_LAKSKOd6vu6z8pBemiyjko=/3x0:3996x2662/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11925713/20130316_ajw_aa9_307.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Saint Joseph's star Chatilla van Grinsven is getting her chance at the WNBA with the Connecticut Sun. | USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Last week <a href="http://www.sjuhawks.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/041813aab.html" target="new">St. Joseph's Hawks star Chatilla van Grinsven signed with the Connecticut Sun</a> after being named Big 5 Player of the Year. Swish Appeal had the opportunity to follow-up with van Grinsven on a special senior season, the Connecticut Sun, and preparing for the next step in her basketball career.</p> <p><i><b>Swish Appeal: How excited about you about being invited to the <a href="http://www.sjuhawks.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/041813aab.html">Connecticut Sun training camp</a>?</b></i><br><br><b>CvG:</b> "I am extremely excited about the invitation to the Connecticut Sun training camp. This has always been a goal of mine, to be exposed to the WNBA, and this is an excellent opportunity for me that I have worked tremendously hard for in my basketball career."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: What have you been doing to prepare for training camp?</b></i><br><br><b>CvG:</b> "[I’ve been] playing a lot of pick-up with girls and guys -- working on my individual skills as well as keeping up my conditioning and lifting workouts. It really comes down to dedication. Doing the 'extra' workouts and being 'extra' long in the gym on top of all the regular workouts and exercises I have always been doing. This is an exciting time, no matter what happens in the end, I enjoy journey of hard work and pushing myself even further."</p>
<blockquote align="center" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Yo @<a href="https://twitter.com/32chatilla">32chatilla</a>...I always put my $ on the underdog! Go to training camp and put in some work! <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23yougotthis">#yougotthis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23THWND">#THWND</a></p>
— Susan Moran (@CoachSueMo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachSueMo/status/323993293325213697">April 16, 2013</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><i><b> SA: You had a very successful season that culminated with an <a href="http://www.sjuhawks.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/031613aab.html">A-10 championship</a> and <a href="http://www.sjuhawks.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/031813aab.html">NCAA tournament bid</a>, elaborate on the joys of the season?</b></i><br><br><b>CvG: </b>"This season has been a very special season for me because of the many expectations we as a team have exceeded. Besides this, I was able to do this with amazing teammates and an excellent coaching staff that believed in us since day one. We started out our season with a very successful road trip to Ireland, this is where everything started. Our team started to know each other better since we were together 24 hours and on the court this was the first time our newcomers, transfers as well as the returning players played together. On that trip we started to get the hang of it and the ball really started to roll for us.</p>
<p>"We had some outstanding wins during our non-conference play such as the win versus <a href="http://www.sjuhawks.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/111712aaa.html">Maryland</a>. Then during the season we won a few overtime games. This is where we as a team really started to know each other, we went into games with a state of mind that refuses to loose. We had a great record going into our conference tournament, but at that time we knew our goal was the NCAA tournament, and the only way to make that happen for certain was to win the entire tournament. We kept our mindset right, pushed each other day in and day out to make this happen. We overcame <a href="http://www.sjuhawks.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/031013aab.html">Dayton</a> -- ranked #11-- in the semi-finals which was a thrill and eventually won the A-10 Championship."</p>
<p></p>
<div class="read-more">
<b>More on van Grinsven's senior season</b>: <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/3/17/4116916/ncaa-atlantic-ten-womens-basketball-tournament-championship-2013-st-josephs-vs-fordham" target="new">Storystream for the A-10 championship</a> <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/3/11/4088306/atlantic-ten-womens-basketball-tournament-2013-saint-josephs-interview" target="new">Interview with van Grinsven after St. Joseph's upset Dayton</a> <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2012/11/19/3664488/maryland-terrapins-womens-basketball-upset-saint-joes" target="new">Video: St. Joseph's upset of Maryland</a>
</div>
<p><i><b>SA: In your workouts, what are some things that you have been working on specifically?</b></i></p>
<p><b>SvG: </b>"My shooting, especially, and ball handling."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: Have you had a chance to talk to Coach (Anne) Donovan, if so, what did you all talk about?</b></i><br><br><b>SvG:</b> "Yes, I have talked with Coach Donovan. We have talked about several things but mostly about the team and how to get ready for the Pro-league."</p>
<p><i><b> SA: As you get ready to embark on your professional career, what is a lasting message that you would like to say to everyone at St. Joseph's?</b></i><br><br><b>SvG: </b>"THE HAWK WILL NEVER DIE! As long as you keep believing, keep working, have dedication and keep up your Hawk-spirit, success will come your way!"</p>
<p><i>For more on the Connecticut Sun some other rookies they'll have in camp, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2012/12/9/3748166/mike-thibault-coach-fired-connecticut-sun-wnba">our offseason storystream</a>. </i></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/22/4251004/wnba-connecticut-sun-sign-chatilla-van-grinsvenMike Robinson2013-04-19T08:00:04-04:002013-04-19T08:00:04-04:00Terp Nation is proud of Hawkins and rightfully so
<figure>
<img alt="Tianna Hawkins hopes to bring her versatility to the WNBA." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/99j9wOr0vlH8WfeJzRsiAiP3GPI=/0x136:447x434/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11768419/20120327_ajw_ad5_557.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tianna Hawkins hopes to bring her versatility to the WNBA. | Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Kristi Toliver and Juan Dixon were among those who shouted out the newest Terp turned pro. </p> <p>With her selection as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft on Monday, Tianna Hawkins became the first Maryland men's or women's basketball player to go in the top-10 of either the NBA or WNBA Draft since Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver went second and third in 2009.</p>
<p>Toliver has gone on to become the WNBA's Most Improved Player in her fourth season, while <span>Greivis Vasquez</span> (28th overall, 2010) is on the rise as well after finishing this season third in the NBA in assists per game. And don't forget seasoned veteran <span>Steve Blake</span> (38th overall, 2003), a solid contributor on a playoff team, who had 24 points Wednesday night to lead the Kobe-less <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a> to the 7-seed. All of them are former Terps who have found success in the pros.</p>
<p>But for a school that prides itself on being a basketball school, four years still seemed like a long time to have gone without a top-10 pick in either league, which is why the Seattle Storm using the sixth pick of the first round on Tianna was cause for celebration among the Terp faithful. And some of the all-time Maryland greats took note on Twitter:</p>
<p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Looks like I'll get to see a Terp a lot this summer on the west siiiide...congrats THawk</p>&mdash; Kristi Toliver (@KristiToliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/KristiToliver/status/323958544732934144">April 16, 2013</a></blockquote><br><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Special day for @<a href="https://twitter.com/umdwbb">umdwbb</a>.. @<a href="https://twitter.com/t_hawk21">t_hawk21</a> drafted #6 to the Seattle Storm.. Congrats Tianna! Retweet and show T some love <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23terpnation">#terpnation</a></p>&mdash; <span>Juan Dixon</span> (@Juan_Dixon3) <a href="https://twitter.com/Juan_Dixon3/status/323968974507347968">April 16, 2013</a></blockquote></p>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>While she didn't go fourth overall as some people thought she might, going sixth is still very special because, as the last four years (Tianna's college years) indicate, opportunities to go top-10 don't grow on trees.</p>
<p>And going No. 6 makes Crystal Langhorne's career something Tianna can look to as a blueprint. Langhorne, a former Terp who is one of Hawkins' fellow 1,000-rebound club members, went sixth overall in 2008 to Washington and has had the pleasure of becoming the star of the team that drafted her.</p>
<p>Tianna hopes to become a star as well, and will have the privilege of playing alongside three players who were named among the top-15 WNBA players of all time in 2011: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson and Tina Thompson.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/19/4240596/wnba-draft-2013-tianna-hawkins-seattle-stormZachary Ward2013-04-18T11:00:08-04:002013-04-18T11:00:08-04:00Video: Mathies on getting drafted by the Sparks
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DQtpaWqE8n2YYXHaqT9zaafaLeU=/0x188:487x513/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11723839/20120223_pjc_sf6_127.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Video of A'Dia Mathies' press conference after being selected 10th overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks (via <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnzYDy1cL-U">CommonWealthNetwork2</a>).</p> <p>In her comments about being selected 10th overall by the L.A. Sparks during Monday's WNBA Draft, A'dia Mathies mentioned working with Ukari Figgs who is <a href="http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/figgs_ukari00.html">currently Kentucky's Assistant Athletics Director for Women's Basketball</a> and a former member of the Los Angeles Sparks herself.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Kentucky-G-Mathies-looks-ahead-to-WNBA-career-4439434.php">Gary Graves of the AP </a>has also relayed Figgs' thoughts on Mathies' WNBA potential.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Kentucky assistant athletic director <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=sports&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Ukari+Figgs%22">Ukari Figgs</a> believes that's just a matter of Mathies continuing to show her versatility.</p>
<p>"I think A'dia's going to be somebody that can come in and do a little bit of everything," said Figgs, who helped the Sparks win the 2001 championship during a five-year WNBA career. "That's what makes her special. Playing professional basketball, you have to be pretty versatile to make an 11-player roster.</p>
<p>"She can back up the point guard, she shoots well enough to play the 2 guard position and defensively she can guard an array of guards on the perimeter. She puts herself in a good position to be able do a little bit of everything."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The major question I'd have in response to Figgs' comments: how much did Mathies play point guard at Kentucky? Her pure point rating of -1.16 is actually higher than a couple of point guards drafted this season, but efficiently running point in the WNBA is a tough transition for the majority of guards.</p>
<p><em>For more on the draft, visit </em><a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/wnba-draft-2013"><em>our 2013 WNBA Draft section</em></a><em>. For more on the Sparks, visit </em><a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/1/30/3932950/2012-2013-los-angeles-sparks-offseason-storystream"><em>our offseason storystream</em></a><em>. </em></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/18/4237934/wnba-draft-2013-adia-mathies-potential-los-angeles-sparksNate P2013-04-18T08:00:07-04:002013-04-18T08:00:07-04:00Q&A: Kelsey Bone on the WNBA Draft & Bill Laimbeer
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QYEdP_IGo0Cw9t8kUVR6OSqdJgo=/0x0:1099x733/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11722321/uspw_6763746.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by USA Today Sports.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Texas A&M's Kelsey Bone was <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/15/4228736/round-1-pick-5-new-york-liberty-select-kelsey-bone/in/3992709" target="new">selected fifth overall by the New York Liberty in the 2013 WNBA Draft </a>on Monday. Swish Appeal had an opportunity to follow up with her and her mother about getting drafted, what she did leading up to draft night, and playing for New York Liberty head coach Bill Laimbeer. </p> <h4>Q&A with Kelsey Bone</h4>
<p><i><b>Swish Appeal: What are your emotions, how excited are you after getting drafted? </b></i></p>
<p><b>Kelsey Bone: </b>"Amazing in how I feel. I was so nervous when the show actually started. When they called my name for the Liberty, there was a calm that came over me because that is exactly where I wanted to go."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: What can the fans of the New York Liberty expect out of Kelsey Bone?</b></i></p>
<p><b>KB:</b> "The fans in New York can expect the best that I have to give every night. I want to work with my teammates and coaching staff to bring championships to the Big Apple."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: How much are you looking forward to playing for the New York Liberty?</b></i></p>
<p><b>KB:</b> "I can’t wait to get to New York and work with the great team that Coach Laimbeer has assembled there. For the first time in my career I will be playing for a coach that actually played my position. What better teacher could I ask for at this time in my career?"</p>
<p><b><i>SA: Have you had a chance to talk to Coach Laimbeer, if so, what did he say to you?</i></b></p>
<p><b>KB: </b>"I spoke with Coach Laimbeer on Draft night and he talked about how excited he was to have me on his team and that I have a lot of work to do."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: You have been a person who has always loved challenges, how much are you looking forward to this new challenge in your life?</b></i></p>
<p><b>KB: </b>"This is the biggest challenge of my life and probably one I am most excited about. I will be playing with a group of women who are arguably the best in the world in this sport, with a coach that has produced three WNBA Championship teams, in the best city in the world. This is what I have been waiting for all of my life!"</p>
<p><i><b>SA: Can you talk about the past few days, what did you all do leading up to the draft?</b></i></p>
<p><b>KB:</b> "The past few days have been filled with knowledge about the league and the expectations of representing the WNBA. It was great to spend these past few days and get to know all of the girls. Most of them I known since high school, but it was really fun to spend time with them in this setting."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: You are very close to your family, how does it make you feel to see the happiness of your mother and little brother?</b></i></p>
<p><b>KB: </b>"Extremely humbled. I was worried that my mom was going to cry, but when they called my name and I looked at her she was smiling. I stayed with this sport because of her belief in me and it makes me very happy to have had her there with me to share this moment. My brother Donovan was the star at the Family Bowling Night event and got a shout from Kevin Negandhi on national TV. Who does that? (Smile) He had such a great time and has been my inspiration. He’s the next superstar!"</p>
<p></p>
<div class="read-more">
<b>More</b>: <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/3/18/4113786/ncaa-womens-basketball-texas-am-kelsey-bone-interview" target="new">Kelsey Bone: A lineage of defying the odds</a> <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/4/4181936/wnba-draft-2013-kelsey-bone" target="new">How strong a prospect is Kelsey Bone?</a>
</div>
<p><br id="1366306436315"></p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Q&A with Bone's mother, Kim Courville-Williams</h4>
<p><i><b>SA: As a mother and number one supporter of Kelsey, how happy are you, what are your emotions? </b></i></p>
<p><b>Kim Courville-Williams: </b>"There was a huge mountain outside of our hotel. I sat in the lobby Monday morning and the mountain caught my eye. I reflected on how Kelsey had arrived at this moment and that mountain represented the journey. She has had to climb that mountain to get to her dream but the good thing is she is still climbing. What I feel is an enormous sense of pride. I am so proud of her accomplishments and how she has handled all this with class and grace."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: When you gave Kelsey that long hug before you went to the podium, you could be seen whispering some words to her, can you share what you said to her?</b></i></p>
<p><b>KCW:</b> "I told her that I loved her and to enjoy this moment because it belonged to her."</p>
<p><i><b>SA: How proud are you of her?</b></i></p>
<p>"I am extremely proud of her and excited to continue on this journey. I truly believe the best is yet to come."</p>
<p><i>For more on the draft, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/wnba-draft-2013">our 2013 WNBA Draft section</a>. For more on the New York Liberty, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2012/10/26/3557690/wnba-new-york-liberty-bill-laimbeer-gm-head-coach">our offseason storystream</a>. </i></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/18/4237592/wnba-draft-2013-kelsey-bone-interview-new-york-liberty-bill-laimbeerMike Robinson2013-04-16T20:04:53-04:002013-04-16T20:04:53-04:00The Undrafted, 2013 Edition
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UMvVpOnVCYNM2kpyqcdcGyCxjyg=/0x632:2662x2407/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11645107/20130309_jla_ab9_959.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After the past two WNBA drafts I've taken stock of some of the top undrafted players. This year, that includes three players <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/pages/2013-wnba-draft-prospects-13-players-to-watch" target="new">we had been following throughout the 2012-13 NCAA season </a>and a third who multiple people considered a first round pick. </p> <p>Before the season we came up with a list of 13 players to watch based on junior year statistics, in part just to figure out whose progress to watch in preparation for the next WNBA season but also in part to learn a bit more about junior statistics.</p>
<p>The lesson, in case you didn't already know from following sports: drafting is still not a science, and especially not when using statistics from more than a year before draft day.</p>
<table align="center" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center"><b>Player</b></td>
<td align="center"><b>Draft position</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Brittney Griner</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Elena Delle Donne</td>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Skylar Diggins</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Tayler Hill</td>
<td align="center">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Tianna Hawkins</td>
<td align="center">6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Toni Young</td>
<td align="center">7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">A'dia Mathies</td>
<td align="center">10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Kelly Faris</td>
<td align="center">11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Chelsea Poppens</td>
<td align="center">18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Angel Goodrich</td>
<td align="center">29</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Markel Walker</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Anna Martin</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">Monique Oliver</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p align="center"><i>Our list of preseason WNBA Draft prospects to watch.</i></p>
<p>Of those we left off the list, two of the first rounders we missed (Kelsey Bone, who had a year of eligibility left, and Lindsey Moore) were on the radar but fell just short of making that preliminary list for one reason or another. Two others (Kayla Alexander and Layshia Clarendon) made significant improvements during their senior year that took them from borderline prospects to clear top 10 prospects.</p>
<p>Of those we included on the list who didn't get undrafted, two were expected by mid-season: both Anna Martin and Monique Oliver were playing through injuries during their season season and saw their numbers decline in significant ways. But Markel Walker headlines a list of undrafted players with bigger names than those whose names went uncalled in the last two years.</p>
<h4>The Undrafted</h4>
<p><b>Markel Walker, F, UCLA Bruins </b></p>
<p>Walker was not only considered a draft prospect, but a first round prospect throughout the season and as late as last week when people began posting mock drafts.</p>
<p>However, Walker was one of the players that I wavered on when putting together our preseason list - although she did a lot of things (handle the ball, rebound, score, defend in full court sets) and had proven herself to be a triple double threat by the end of her freshman year, she wasn't a very efficient player overall. Even the thing that always seemed to stand out about her as a skill was undermined in her senior year by a clear weakness: a 25.60% assist ratio is good for any player, nevermind a 6'1" forward who ran her teams offense during a large portion of games; a 19.72% turnover ratio really hurts anyone's chances of making a roster.</p>
<p><b>Carolyn Davis, C, Kansas Jayhawks </b></p>
<p>Davis is another player who was <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/1/30/3931786/wnba-draft-2013-prospect-kansas-jayhawks-carolyn-davis/in/3350403">considered a top prospect throughout the season,</a> found herself on first round mock drafts as late as last week, and <a target="_blank" href="http://kansan.com/sports/2013/04/15/goodrich-and-davis-await-wnba-draft-picks/">clearly expected to be drafted</a>.</p>
<p>Yet explaining why Davis didn't get drafted might be a bit more clear: despite being a more efficient scorer than some of the other centers drafted, a difficult injury history and a low offensive rebounding rate were major questions that some might have had about her when he came to making decisions on draft night.</p>
<p><b>Karisma Penn, F, Illinois Fighting Illini<br></b></p>
<p>Penn was one of a handful of honorable mention All-Americans who didn't hear her name called although she was talked about as a potential first round draft pick in some circles.</p>
<p>As described last week, her biggest red flag was a high turnover rate that just doesn't bode well for anyone at any position. Still, she does have a reasonable offensive rebounding rate (11.04%) that could help her compete in someone's training camp.</p>
<p><b>Jordan Madden and Destiny Williams, Baylor Lady Bears<br></b></p>
<p>I did not expect Baylor's entire senior class to get drafted, but did think Madden and Williams had as good a chance as Brooklyn Pope: Madden shot 40% from 3-point range, albeit at a low usage rate; Williams was one of the better rebounders in the draft, albeit at only 6'1".</p>
<p>Pope was turnover prone in her senior year, but had a surprisingly high usage rate that did separate her from the rest.</p>
<p><b>Chelsea Davis, F, Florida State Seminoles; Morgan Johnson, Iowa Hawkeyes<br></b></p>
<p>Every year there's a few players whose statistics show neither weaknesses nor major strengths, which makes them hard to peg. Davis and Johnson were those two players this year: both were relatively efficient players who didn't have a major statistical strength.</p>
<p><b>Mid-major prospects </b></p>
<p>WNBA GMs looked around the world for talent this season, but - aside from the Chicago Sky with the second pick in the draft - stayed away from mid-major prospects this season.</p>
<p>That might not be surprising at all: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/2/18/3993342/wnba-draft-2013-mid-major-prospects-statistics">as noted earlier this year</a>, the track record for mid-major prospects has been rather dismal since the league moved to 11-player rosters. Even the top prospects drafted have struggled to find a spot in the league; those that have found a spot haven't been all that consistent.</p>
<p>Yet even with that in mind is that the group of mid-major prospects in this year's draft was much better than usual, even adjusting for strength of competition somewhat: San Diego State's Chelsea Hopkins, Princeton's Niveen Rasheed, and Green Bay's Adrian Ritchie were all very efficient players with the size to compete for spots at their respective positions.</p>
<p>Whether they'd make a roster is a separate question: as with all of the players on this short list, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/15/4228624/wnba-draft-2013-prospects-board%20%20%20%20">I had them rated in Tier 5 or lower on my final draft board</a>, which was essentially the players who I wasn't as confident about earning a roster spot.</p>
<p><i>For more on last night's draft, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.swishappeal.com/wnba-draft-2013">our 2013 WNBA Draft section</a>. </i></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/16/4232302/2013-wnba-draft-top-undrafted-prospectsNate P2013-04-15T19:53:51-04:002013-04-15T19:53:51-04:00The final 2013 WNBA Draft board
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/A8gRhKF69Y3qJVri2WQ46aoKbaw=/0x91:4000x2758/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11589611/20130324_jla_ag9_203.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We'll be tracking the 2013 WNBA Draft as it goes tonight, but here is a final draft board after all that analysis over the past few months. </p> <p>As I said when the last draft board was posted, it was my plan to post an updated final draft board.</p>
<p>Bear in mind this is not a predictive order - especially not within tiers - but gauging the level of risk based on all of those draft statistics. And a couple other notes that can't be forgotten here:</p>
<ul>
<li>The first four tiers have only 12 players. That would make them candidates for the first round. Tier 5 could be considered second round picks, but obviously not everybody has the same draft board as me so those are all candidates for the first round. By the time we get to Tier 6 and 7, we're talking about the third round and it's a little bit more hit or miss. <br>
</li>
<li>Medical reports are important and I don't have those assessments from teams, but they do take them into account. </li>
</ul>
<p>Without further ado, the draft board:</p>
<h4><br></h4>
<h4><b>Tier 1</b></h4>
<p>Brittney Griner</p>
<p>Elena Delle Donne</p>
<p> </p>
<h4><b>Tier 2</b></h4>
<p>Skylar Diggins</p>
<p>Tayler Hill</p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Tier 3</h4>
<p><b>Point guard</b></p>
<p>Lindsey Moore</p>
<p><b>Wing</b></p>
<p>Layshia Clarendon</p>
<p>Kelly Faris</p>
<p><b>Post</b></p>
<p>Kayla Alexander</p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Tier 4</h4>
<p><b>Distributor</b></p>
<p>Nadirah McKenith</p>
<p><b>Post</b></p>
<p>Kelsey Bone</p>
<p>Tianna Hawkins</p>
<p>Toni Young</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Tier 5</h4>
<p><b>Point guard</b></p>
<p>Alex Bentley</p>
<p>Angel Goodrich</p>
<p>Chelsea Hopkins</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Wing</b></p>
<p>A'dia Mathies</p>
<p>Niveen Rasheed</p>
<p>Markel Walker</p>
<p><b>Post</b></p>
<p>Morgan Johnson</p>
<p>Karisma Penn</p>
<p>Chelsea Poppens</p>
<p>Chelsea Davis</p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Tier 6</h4>
<p><b>Wing</b></p>
<p>Alexa Deluzio</p>
<p>Jordan Madden</p>
<p>Adrian Ritchie</p>
<p>Sugar Rodgers</p>
<p>Leonor Rodriguez</p>
<p>Shenneika Smith</p>
<p>Carmen Tyson-Thomas</p>
<p>Kamiko Williams</p>
<p><b>Post</b></p>
<p>Carolyn Davis</p>
<p>Jasmine Hassell</p>
<p>Destiny Williams</p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Tier 7</h4>
<p><b>Point guard</b></p>
<p>Brittany Chambers</p>
<p>Jasmine James</p>
<p>Davellyn Whyte</p>
<p><b>Wing</b></p>
<p>Chynna Brown</p>
<p>Adrienne GodBold</p>
<p>Kimetria Hayden</p>
<p>Adrienne Webb</p>
<p><b>Post</b></p>
<p>Talia Caldwell</p>
<p>Nikki Greene</p>
<p>Brooklyn Pope</p>
<p>Laura Sweeney</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/4/15/4228624/wnba-draft-2013-prospects-boardNate P