WNBA Draft 2019: Start Time, Schedule, Round 1 Order and Mock Predictions

The WNBA welcomes its latest collection of top talent to the league Wednesday, but there will be one significant name missing from the 2019 WNBA draft.

Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu, who was projected by some to be the No. 1 overall pick, opted to return to Oregon for her senior season.

With Ionescu unavailable, the Las Vegas Aces are expected to turn to another college junior who had an impressive season for a women's Final Four participant. 

The three-round draft will be held at Nike headquarters in New York City, and the players chosen Wednesday will be headed straight to their respective training camps, with the season beginning May 10.

2019 WNBA Draft Information

Start Time: 7 p.m. ET 

TV: ESPN 2 (First Round), ESPNU (8 p.m. ET for second and third rounds) 

Round 1 Order and Mock Draft

1. Las Vegas Aces: Jackie Young, G, Notre Dame

2. New York Liberty: Asia Durr, G, Louisville

3. Indiana Fever: Teaira McCowan, C, Mississippi State

4. Chicago Sky: Kristine Anigwe, F, California

5. Dallas Wings: Kalani Brown, C, Baylor

6. Minnesota Lynx: Arike Ogunbowale, G, Notre Dame

7. Los Angeles Sparks: Napheesa Collier, F, UConn

8. Phoenix Mercury: Alanna Smith, F, Stanford

9. Connecticut Sun: Katie Lou Samuelson, G, UConn

10. Washington Mystics: Megan Gustafson, C, Iowa

11. Atlanta Dream: Sophie Cunningham, G, Missouri 

12. Seattle Storm: Bridget Carleton, G/F, Iowa State

Notre Dame's Young Expected To Be Top Pick

With Ionescu returning to college, Jackie Young from Notre Dame is the projected No. 1 pick in Wednesday's draft. 

The junior guard declared for the draft Monday, and she could find herself playing alongside A'ja Wilson in Las Vegas by the time Wednesday night ends. 

Young was one of the best all-around players in college basketball this season, recording 14.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and leading Notre Dame in assists with 192. 

Kiichiro Sato/Associated Press

The guard brings a tenacious work rate to both sides of the floor, and she should be one of the top contenders for WNBA Rookie of the Year. 

Adding Young would bring another scorer to the Aces roster, which is headlined by Wilson, Kayla McBride and Moriah Jefferson. 

Not only would Young be an additional scoring option on offense, but she would be able to set up her experienced teammates by driving into the lane and dishing off to Wilson down low or kicking out to the three-point line. 

Upgrading the squad with another strong first-round pick should allow the Aces to get out of the Western Conference basement and start turning into a contender for a playoff spot. 

5 Final Four Participants Projected To Be 1st-Round Picks

Almost half of the projected first-round picks are coming off games in Tampa at the Final Four. 

Young and Arike Ogunbowale lost the national championship with Notre Dame to a Baylor squad headlined by Kalani Brown. 

The Fighting Irish knocked off UConn, who has a pair of projected first-rounders in Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson, in the Final Four. 

In the championship game, Brown recorded 20 points and 13 rebounds to finish off an impressive career in the frontcourt for Baylor. 

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Brown is one of two centers projected to be taken high in the first round along with Mississippi State's Teaira McCowan, who was second in Division I in rebounds per game. 

Ogunbowale was the best scorer on any of the Final Four teams, as she finished 12th in the nation at 21.8 points per game. 

Minnesota would be an ideal landing spot for Ogunbowale, as the Lynx look for a pure scorer to fill the absence of Maya Moore, who is sitting out the 2019 season. 

Collier and Samuelson both finished in the top 50 in points per game, with Collier earning the better mark in 18th at 20.8 points per game. 

Since both UConn stars are projected to be selected in the bottom half of the first round, there's a chance one of them could play close to their collegiate home with the Connecticut Sun. 

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