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2016 WNBA Mock Draft: Analyzing Elite Prospects and Hidden Gems
April 8, 2016
With UConn fresh off of winning its fourth consecutive national championship Tuesday night over Syracuse, the WNBA draft will provide the next level for some of the biggest stars in women's college basketball.
Beginning April 14 from Connecticut, the WNBA draft will provide three rounds with just 36 picks overall, which means only the best of the best will be making the jump from college to the pros.
Here is a look at my first mock draft and players to look out for.
| 2016 WNBA Mock Draft | ||||
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School |
| Round 1 | ||||
| 1 | Seattle Storm | Breanna Stewart | C | UConn |
| 2 | San Antonio Stars | Moriah Jefferson | G | UConn |
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | Aerial Powers | F | Michigan St. |
| 4 | Connecticut Sun | Rachel Banham | G | Minnesota |
| 5 | Dallas Wings | Morgan Tuck | F | UConn |
| 6 | Los Angeles Sparks | Tiffany Mitchell | G | South Carolina |
| 7 | Washington Mystics | Imani Boyette | C | Texas |
| 8 | Phoenix Mercury | Jonquel Jones | C | George Washington |
| 9 | Indiana Fever | Courtney Williams | G | South Florida |
| 10 | Chicago Sky | Adut Bulgak | F/C | Florida St. |
| 11 | Atlanta Dream | Ruth Hamblin | C | Oregon St. |
| 12 | New York Liberty | Kahleah Copper | G | Rutgers |
| Round 2 | ||||
| 13 | Atlanta Dream | Bria Holmes | G | West Virginia |
| 14 | Minnesota Lynx | Temi Fagbenle | C | USC |
| 15 | Connecticut Sun | Courtney Williams | F | Texas A&M |
| 16 | Atlanta Dream | Niya Johnson | G | Baylor |
| 17 | Los Angeles Sparks | Jillian Alleyne | F | Oregon |
| 18 | Dallas Wings | Jamie Weisner | G | Oregon St. |
| 19 | Washington Mystics | Whitney Knight | G | Florida Gulf Coast |
| 20 | Phoenix Mercury | Lexi Eaton Rydalch | G | BYU |
| 21 | Indiana Fever | Shereesha Richards | F | Albany |
| 22 | Minnesota Lynx | Bashaara Graves | F | Tennessee |
| 23 | Connecticut Sun | Brittney Martin | G | Oklahoma St. |
| 24 | New York Liberty | Michala Johnson | F | Wisconsin |
| Round 3 | ||||
| 25 | San Antonio Stars | Brianna Banks | G | Penn State |
| 26 | Seattle Storm | Ameryst Alston | G | Ohio St. |
| 27 | Connecticut Sun | Kaylon Williams | F | Oklahoma |
| 28 | Atlanta Dream | Lia Galdeira | G | Washington St. |
| 29 | Los Angeles Sparks | Brianna Butler | G | Syracuse |
| 30 | Dallas Wings | Megan Podkowa | G/F | DePaul |
| 31 | Washington Mystics | Courtney Walker | G | Texas A&M |
| 32 | Phoenix Mercury | Jada Payne | F | East Carolina |
| 33 | Indiana Fever | Aliyyah Handford | G | St. John's |
| 34 | Chicago Sky | Jordan Jones | G | Texas A&M |
| 35 | Minnesota Lynx | Talia Walton | F | Nebraska |
| 36 | New York Liberty | Madison Cable | G | Notre Dame |
Elite Prospects
Breanna Stewart, C, UConn
There's not much one can say to sell you further on Breanna Stewart. She's a four-time national champion who can score from anywhere on the floor and bully her way under the basket to pick up rebounds.
On a dynastic UConn team that has won 11 championships over the past two decades, Stewart has solidified herself toward the top of the list of players to put on the white and navy.
At 6'4", Stewart could play any position on the floor, which is something any WNBA team would love, as her versatility will give offenses an added dimension moving forward.
In fact, her head coach, Geno Auriemma, called her "Durant-esque," referring to Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant, per ESPN.com's Eddie Matz.
Even Durant chimed in, per Matz: "Breanna Stewart is the real deal. She's something we've never seen before."
That's all you need to know when it comes to Stewart. You'll see her succeeding in the WNBA soon.
Moriah Jefferson, G, UConn
Not to be lost in the Stewart hype, UConn's Moriah Jefferson is also a can't-miss prospect entering the WNBA draft this season.
She was a solid secondary scorer for the Huskies behind Stewart and was the motor that ran the offense. Jefferson averaged 5.5 assists per game, as her aggressive style of play could cut up opposing defenses.
It's a huge feat just to be mentioned next to UConn great Diana Taurasi; it's another thing to break a record she once held, as UConn showed:
Jefferson is also potent from downtown, shooting over 43 percent from three-point range in the 2015-16 season.
In the right system, Jefferson can jolt any offense into gear and will be a dangerous guard in the coming years.
Hidden Gems
Jamie Weisner, G, Oregon State
Oregon State guard Jamie Weisner can flat-out score. She proved that on the big stage when she scored 38 points against DePaul in the NCAA tournament.
In 37 games in 2015-16, she was the Beavers' leading scorer 18 times. In 13 of those games, she recorded 20 or more points.
She's at her most dangerous from three-point range, as she shot 44.3 percent from behind the arc.
With a pure stroke like that, Weisner is going to be the kind of catch-and-shoot asset WNBA teams will need from the perimeter. Expect to see her making an impact soon with some clutch shots from three.
Jillian Alleyne, F, Oregon
Every team needs a looming presence under the basket who can go up, fight for and bring down rebounds.
Whether it's to spark the transition game or find second-chance points, glass play is vital to create an all-around successful game.
WNBA teams looking for help should look no further than Oregon's Jillian Alleyne, who led the NCAA in the 2015-16 season with 15.7 rebounds per game.
However, she will be on the path to recovery, as she suffered a season-ending ACL injury on Feb. 23. Once she proves that she's healthy and can power her way inside, watch out.