:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69106744/1228528865.0.jpg)
The Dallas Wings finished 8-14, missing the playoffs for the second-straight season, and have missed them three out of the five last seasons. Arike Ogunbowale has been the star for Dallas since being drafted in 2019 and the 2020 No. 2 overall pick Satou Sabally has proven to be a special player. With the No. 1 overall pick in this draft, the future looks bright for Dallas.
Picks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 13
Needs: a third scoring option/point guard
Dallas has two open roster spots and four picks in the first round. Draft night will likely see quite a few trades as the teams work to find the right combination of players to take their franchises where they want to go this season. Here are three players who could end up with Dallas.
Texas forward Charlie Collier seems to be the consensus No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. In her final college season, Collier averaged 19 points and 11.3 rebounds, simply a display of her talent. She establishes good post position, early and often. Collier is also a competent shot blocker. She is a very good free throw shooter, shooting 80 percent this past season.
Despite her greatness, Collier struggled against elite talent in college. This could pose a serious problem as she enters the WNBA. She also has an issue with picking up fouls as she averaged three fouls per game and was disqualified seven times this season. Collier may not start right away but she has all the skills to succeed in this league. She will need to find another level as she enters the WNBA.
Another good player for Dallas is Rennia Davis out of Tennessee. Davis could be a player to start right away and is worthy of consideration as a top three pick. Davis could fill the small forward role. Davis can do it all: score, rebound, and defend. Her finishing in and around the paint is very good. At the WNBA level, Davis should be able to defend four positions which makes her a luxury to have on the floor. Her positioning and strength also make her a great rebounder as well.
As good as Davis is, she does have some areas that need to be improved. Her outside shooting is lacking, just 26 percent in her final season. Another problem on the offensive end is her play creation. Davis shot 28 percent on off-the-dribble jump shots this season and did struggle with turnovers throughout her college career.
While Dallas has played Ogunbowale at the point guard position, she is a natural shooting guard. Drafting a true point guard could allow for far more set shooting plays for Ogunbowale. Aari McDonald’s stock is on the rise after she led her Arizona Wildcats to their first ever appearance in the NCAA title game and very nearly won the title.
McDonald is a terrific scoring point guard who can also facilitate the offense. Additionally, she is an outstanding defender. If she were three or four inches taller, it is likely that she would be in line for the No. 1 overall pick. McDonald can get into the lane and finish with contact or find the right pass. Her on-ball defense is very good and she has the strength to deny the ball to the player she is defending.
The one criticism of her is the 3-point shooting. She shot around 28 percent for her career. McDonald did find her shooting stroke in the NCAA tournament, where she shot 47 percent, but the sample size suggests she is work in progress from beyond the arc.
Dallas is a very youthful team, as just four players have four or more years of experience in the league. The Wings could use another scoring option in the post and would do well to find a solid backcourt player to play alongside Ogunbowale. The Wings have a lot of options and could very well make a few of trades with their picks and current roster to get the players they want going forward.