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Best of the top 19 picks in WNBA Draft history
How have the WNBA Draft picks fared over time? Which players selected No. 19 overall through No. 1 overall eked out the best careers? Swish Appeal examines the careers of the top 19 picks in WNBA history from the 1997 inaugural season to 2019, the last season played.
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July 1, 2020
Best No. 1 pick in WNBA history: Diana Taurasi, a roundtable discussion
The Swish Appeal roundtable convened and the choice is clear: WNBA all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi is the top No. 1 pick in WNBA history. But Candace Parker, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Lauren Jackson and Tina Thompson weren’t far behind in the voting.
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June 30, 2020
Best No. 2 pick in WNBA history: Elena Delle Donne
Elena Delle Donne has been a dominant force in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics. A third MVP award would tie her with Lisa Leslie, Lauren Jackson and Sheryl Swoopes for most all-time.
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June 29, 2020
Best No. 3 pick in WNBA history: Tamika Catchings
Tamika Catchings, a 10x All-Star and the 2011 WNBA MVP, is the best player to be taken in third spot but there is a crop of current players challenging for the top spot.
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June 28, 2020
Best No. 4 pick in WNBA history: Lindsay Whalen’s accolades go far beyond stats
It’s hard not to consider team success when looking back upon a player’s career — especially a point guard’s. Lindsay Whalen accomplished plenty as a player, but when her contributions to the Minnesota Lynx dynasty are accounted for, her legend becomes even taller.
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June 27, 2020
Best No. 5 pick in WNBA history: DeWanna Bonner
The No. 5 pick in the WNBA draft has produced many excellent players, from Ruth Riley to Natasha Howard to Arike Ogunbowale. However, one player has compiled a career that stands out above the others: DeWanna Bonner.
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June 25, 2020
Best No. 6 pick in WNBA history: Candice Dupree
Candice Dupree’s name tends to get lost in the shuffle when discussing WNBA greats, but her resume stacks up among the best. The 2006 draftee has been nothing short of solid during her 14 WNBA seasons.
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June 24, 2020
Best No. 7 pick in WNBA history: Svetlana Abrosimova
The Minnesota Lynx drafted Svetlana Abrosimova at No. 7 in 2001 and she burst onto the scene. However, a handful of currently active players are representing the No. 7 spot better than any group from the past.
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June 22, 2020
Best No. 8 pick in WNBA history: Tari Phillips
Former New York Liberty star Tari Phillips edges Marie Ferdinand-Harris as the all-time best No. 8 WNBA Draft pick. Although the longevity of eighth picks Tamera Young and Kia Vaughn is impressive, and Courtney Williams could surpass everyone eventually, Phillips gets the nod.
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June 20, 2020
Best No. 9 pick in WNBA history: Dawn Staley
Dawn Staley tops the list of best WNBA players ever to be picked ninth, despite some of her contemporaries having lengthier careers.
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June 18, 2020
Best No. 10 pick in WNBA history: Rebekkah Brunson
Count the rings! With five titles, Rebekkah Brunson is the WNBA’s queen of championships. However, the reason she is the best No. 10 pick in WNBA history goes beyond titles. Her career is defined by a relentless pursuit of excellence.
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June 17, 2020
Best No. 11 pick in WNBA history: Penny Taylor
Penny Taylor is one of the Phoenix Mercury’s all-time great players. She played with them for 10 years and was key during the team’s seven-year stretch of winning three WNBA championships.
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June 15, 2020
Best No. 12 pick in WNBA history: Tangela Smith
In her prime playing for the Sacramento Monarchs, Charlotte Sting and Phoenix Mercury, Tangela Smith performed at a consistently high level. Smith played a total of 15 years in the WNBA.
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June 12, 2020
Best No. 13 pick in WNBA history: Merlakia Jones
There are some active WNBA players challenging for the title of greatest No. 13 draft pick — Jessica Breland and Alex Bentley, in particular — but for now, Merlakia Jones, who was picked in the first-ever WNBA draft, owns the honor.
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June 11, 2020
Best No. 14 pick in WNBA history: Tiffany Hayes
How did Tiffany Hayes drop to No. 14 in the 2012 WNBA Draft? Even as she contributed to multiple championship-caliber teams as a UConn Husky, her professional prospects were questioned. During her eight years with the Atlanta Dream, Hayes has proven to skeptics that she is a star.
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June 10, 2020
Best No. 15 pick in WNBA history: Natasha Cloud
Natasha Cloud of the Washington Mystics was a member of the Maryland Terrapins and then the Saint Joseph’s Hawks in college. She was an underdog coming out of high school and was still an underdog after the 2015 draft. Now she is a WNBA star and champion.
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June 6, 2020
Best No. 16 pick in WNBA history: Nicky Anosike
There are a few players who may lay claim to the title of greatest No. 16 draft pick in WNBA history. Drafted in 2008, Nicky Anosike has had the most impressive career of the league’s No. 16 picks. Players drafted in 2019 and 2020 may eventually surpass her as the top 16th pick in WNBA history.
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June 5, 2020
Best No. 17 pick in WNBA history: Riquna Williams
Riquna Williams (Los Angeles Sparks), Camille Little (Phoenix Mercury/retired) and Alysha Clark (Seattle Storm) have put together the best WNBA careers out of all No. 17 picks. Erin Thorn and Helen Darling were also successful during their time in the WNBA, while Betnijah Laney is a No. 17 pick to keep your eye on for the future.
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June 4, 2020
Best No. 18 pick in WNBA history: Tammy Sutton-Brown
Tammy Sutton-Brown’s WNBA story is not one of highlight plays or huge stat lines. Rather, it is one of remarkably consistent play for a long line of winning teams. Drafted in 2001, Sutton-Brown’s career was both terrific and anomalous among players picked at No. 18 overall.
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June 3, 2020
Best No. 19 pick in WNBA history: Emma Meesseman
The Washington Mystics drafted center Emma Meesseman out of Belgium with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft. Six years later, Meesseman has become a household name — rare for 19th picks historically.