2015 WNBA Draft Results: Full List of Selections and Top Takeaways
If Thursday night's 2015 WNBA draft is any sign, parity will continue to sweep the league.
The 12-team league put on an entertaining draft at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, where the focus featured the league's next generation of stars. Rebuilding teams selected critical pieces, and contenders complements to remain in pursuit of the title.
Below is a full look at the draft results and some of the most notable takeaways from the event.
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2015 WNBA Draft Results
| Round 1 | ||
| 1 | Seattle Storm | Jewell Loyd, G, Notre Dame |
| 2 | Tulsa Shock | Amanda Zahui B., C, Minnesota |
| 3 | Seattle Storm | Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, F, Connecticut |
| 4 | Connecticut Sun | Elizabeth Williams, C, Duke |
| 5 | Chicago Sky | Cheyenne Parker, F, Middle Tennessee State |
| 6 | San Antonio Stars | Dearica Hamby, F, Wake Forest |
| 7 | Los Angeles Sparks | Crystal Bradford, G, Central Michigan |
| 8 | Washington Mystics | Ally Mallot, F, Dayton |
| 9 | New York Liberty (from San Antonio Stars) | Brittany Boyd, G, California |
| 10 | Atlanta Dream | Samantha Logic, G, Iowa |
| 11 | New York Liberty (from Minnesota Lynx) | Kiah Stokes, C, Connecticut |
| 12 | Phoenix Mercury | Isabelle Harrison, C, Tennessee |
| Round 2 | ||
| 1(13) | Tulsa Shock | Brianna Kiesel, G, Pittsburgh |
| 2(14) | Los Angeles Sparks | Cierra Burdick, F, Tennessee |
| 3(15) | Washington Mystics | Natasha Cloud, G, St. Joseph's |
| 4(16) | Minnesota Lynx (from New York Liberty) | Reshanda Gray, F, California |
| 5(17) | Chicago Sky | Betnijah Laney, G/F, Rutgers |
| 6(18) | Phoenix Mercury | Alex Harden, G/F, Wichita State |
| 7(19) | Connecticut Sun | Brittany Hrynko, G, DePaul |
| 8(20) | Seattle Storm | Vicky McIntyre, C, Oral Roberts |
| 9(21) | Indiana Fever | Chelsea Gardner, F, Kansas |
| 10(22) | Chicago Sky | Aleighsa Welch, F, South Carolina |
| 11(23) | New York Liberty (from Minnesota Lynx) | Amber Orrange, G, Stanford |
| 12(24) | Phoenix Mercury | Zofia Hruscakova, F, Slovakia |
| Round 3 | ||
| 1(25) | Tulsa Shock | Mimi Mungedi, C, Nevada |
| 2(26) | Seattle Storm | Nneka Enemkpali, F, Texas |
| 3(27) | New York Liberty | Laurin Mincy, G, Maryland |
| 4(28) | New York Liberty (from Minnesota Lynx) | Michala Johnson, F/C, Wisconsin |
| 5(29) | Atlanta Dream | Ariel Massengale, G, Tennessee |
| 6(30) | San Antonio Stars | Dragana Stankovic, C, Serbia |
| 7(31) | Los Angeles Sparks | Andrea Hoover, G, Dayton |
| 8(32) | Washington Mystics | Marica Gajic, F, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 9(33) | San Antonio Stars | Nikki Moody, G, Iowa State |
| 10(34) | Atlanta Dream | Lauren Okafor, C, James Madison |
| 11(35) | Minnesota Lynx (from New York Liberty) | Shae Kelley, F, Minnesota |
| 12(36) | Phoenix Mercury | Promise Amukamara, G, Arizona State |
Top Takeaways
Seattle's Rebuilding Plan Revealed
With the first and third selections in hand, few knew what the Seattle Storm would do to jump-start a rebuild after a 12-win season—but everyone knew the franchise was in for something big.
That something turned out to be Notre Dame guard Jewell Loyd with the top selection and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis at No. 3.
In other words, the Storm want a pairing of deadly young shooters to build around.
Loyd is the most interesting case. She decided to leave for the WNBA early, much to the surprise of Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw, per Lou Somogyi of BlueandGold.com. It's a rarity in women's basketball, but the Fighting Irish star can do so because she will turn 22 this year.
As Adam Derengowski of WSBT in South Bend, Indiana, points out, Notre Dame makes a bit of history in the process:
Perhaps the most important note of all, though, is that legendary Sue Bird will mentor both of the Storm's picks. Mechelle Voepel of espnW.com put it best:
KML will get the same treatment, though she won't need much help in the shooting department after hitting 121 three-pointers last season with a 48.8 percent conversion rate.
If there's an early takeaway for Seattle, it's the front office's smart plan to mesh rookie and veteran to secure the future.
Minnesota Gets a Steal
Many times, the rich get richer in any sort of draft.
This is the case with the Minnesota Lynx, a franchise coming off a 25-9 mark a year ago.
Coach Cheryl Reeve's team didn't have a first-round pick this year, but it still managed to get a player some considered top-five material in California's Reshanda Gray.
The only knock on Gray, who averaged 17.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game last season and won the Pac-12 Player of the Year award, is her propensity to pick up fouls. It's a forgivable offense, and one good coaching can solve.
This is why many, such as Cindy Brunson of Pac-12 Networks, praised the decision:
Gray's coach at California, Lindsay Gottlieb, followed suit:
At the least, one of the league's contenders just secured a solid rotational piece who can score and rebound well.
After falling in the draft, Gray is sure to come out motivated and prove the rest of the league wrong.
Tulsa Jump-Starts a Rebuild
Coming off a 12-win campaign of its own, the Tulsa Shock can't complain about Amanda Zahui B. at No. 2.
A standout with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, most know about the damage Zahui B. can inflict on the opposition each time down the court. ESPN Stats & Info sums it up well:
Zahui B. also declared early, though the decision wasn't much of a surprise after she averaged 18.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game last season.
A double-double machine and defensive force, Zahui B. didn't go No. 1 like many figured, but it just means one of the league's other teams in need of a major turnaround gets the help it needs.
Everybody wins with this spread of talent.
Stats and info courtesy of NCAA.com unless otherwise specified.
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