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WNBA draft-pick day is finally here. After an incredible season that ended in the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship becoming the most-watched women’s college basketball game history and the most-watched basketball game, period, since 2019, some of the most prominent star players are heading to the WNBA, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, and more.
Tonight, they find out what teams they’ll be playing for — which for most of them won’t be much of a surprise. There are twelve teams in the league, and for the second year in a row, the Indiana Fever will get first pick, and it’s near certain that they’ll be choosing Caitlin Clark, which means she’ll be playing alongside last year’s NCAA star player and first draft pick, Aliyah Boston.
Fifteen players are up for draft picks tonight, and they showed out on the orange carpet with their style as much as they do on the court. Below, what you should know about every player up for draft pick tonight, and what they wore on the orange carpet.
What time does the WNBA Draft start?
The draft picks begin at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. You can watch on ESPN or stream on ESPN+, SlingTV, or fuboTV. The orange carpet is earlier, from 4:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
What will the players be wearing?
We’ve got you covered — keep checking back for all the players’ orange-carpet looks.
What is Caitlin Clark wearing?
Anything we can say about Caitlin Clark is an understatement. She’s broken countless records and is the highest-scoring NCAA player of all time. She has been credited with elevating women’s basketball to a larger audience, and her presence on Iowa’s team resulted in ticket sales rising exponentially. She also made an appearance on SNL this weekend to decimate Michael Che’s sexist jokes about women’s sports and was received with a standing ovation.
On the carpet, Clark was the definition of chic in head-to-toe Prada, pairing a matching white ensemble with a glittery crop top and a tiny purse to tie it all together. She’s the first WNBA or NBA player to be dressed by Prada for the draft.
And what about Angel Reese?
Angel Reese looked stunning on the orange carpet in a slinky, glittery hooded gown by Bronx and Banco with a Simon Miller clutch and a classic pair of Louboutins. Last year, Reese led LSU in winning the NCAA women’s national championship and is the 2024 SEC Player of the Year. She’s a dedicated, talented player who’s broken several rebound records and is certain to do great things when she goes pro.
Who else was at the WNBA Draft, and what did they wear?
Cameron Brink
As the star player on Stanford’s team, Brink made a name for herself as an incredible defensive player, winning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award three times in a row. She is also the godsister of Steph and Seth Curry.
On the carpet, she wore a Balmain gown with strappy Jimmy Choo heels. “I like to do a balance of masculine and feminine,” she told the Cut of her style. “I love being in cargo pants. Other days, I love a dress and heels. Classy, but sexy.”
Kamilla Cardoso
Having led South Carolina in two national championships, Cardoso is one of the major players to watch. She’s particularly known for her defensive playing. She brought powerful energy to the red carpet in a red pantsuit.
Alissa Pili
After three seasons with USC, Pili had a breakout season last year with Utah, when she was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and Most Improved Player. She has consistently held a high points-per-game score.
Pili is Indigenous and Samoan-American, and her look was a custom design by Jason Wu, incorporating Polynesian designs in gold on the skirt and exposing the tribal tattoos on her shoulder and leg. “Especially in women’s sports, it’s important to express yourself on and off the court,” she told the Cut.
Marquesha Davis
As Mississippi’s star player, Davis helped get the team to the NCAA tournament and has been a consistently high scorer.
Aaliyah Edwards
At UConn, Edwards has thrice helped take the team to the NCAA Final Four, which included the championship game in 2022. She’s also an Olympian, having been the youngest player on Canada’s women’s national team at the 2020 games in Tokyo.
Dyaisha Fair
Ending her college career at Syracuse after transferring from Buffalo, Fair holds the record for the third most points in NCAA women’s basketball history, just behind Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Plum, whose record Clark broke.
Rickea Jackson
Having played for Tennessee’s Lady Vols after transferring from Mississippi State, Jackson is known for high scoring in both points and rebounds.
Elizabeth Kitley
At Virginia Tech, Kitley has played a solid defensive game that has earned her three ACC player of the year awards. She also led her team to the NCAA Final Four in 2023.
Nika Mühl
Mühl helped UConn reach the Final Four three times and was a leader in assists for the season and in an individual game.
Charisma Osborne
A super high scorer for UCLA, Osbourne became the second guard in conference history to make 2,000-plus points and 800-plus rebounds.
Nyadiew Puoch
Puoch is already a star of Australian professional women’s basketball, having debuted in the WNBL in 2023. She also helped the Australian Under 19 team win silver at the 2021 world cup.
Jacy Sheldon
At Ohio State, Sheldon became known for her skill as a guard and for being a high scorer, helping her team reach the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years.
Celeste Taylor
Another Ohio State star who previously played for Texas and then at Duke, Taylor earned high honors as a defensive player and set Duke’s record for steals in a NCAA tournament.
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Katja Vujić , 2024-04-15 21:43:22
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