Draft, signing and plenty of college news

WNBA Draft and trade-related news:

With the draft over, surgery is next for Fever draftee Natalie Achonwa. She is a step closer to living out her dream.

Storm draftee Michelle Plouffe is a hoops trailblazer.

Jennifer Hamson may need a hook in the WNBA.

Rookies Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley are already getting praise from Mystics coach Mike Thibault.

The Lynx signed Tan White and traded Suger Rodgers to New York.

Three statistical trends among the draft prospects.

Monday night's draft was the most-watched ever.

(Unofficially I can vouch for that, as several of the guys at the gym stopped to watch it with me on TV. And some knew the players and talked with me about it. I was so pleased.)

More WNBA news:

Awesome piece profiling Brittney Griner's life playing in China this winter:

When teammates talk about Griner, they smile often, quickly bringing a hand to cover their mouths, because in China it is poor etiquette for women to show their teeth. "She never eats vegetables," Chen says, almost giggling. "She plays video games like she is a kid."

"She is always happy," adds Shen Binbin, a starting guard. "I never see her get angry. When the season is over, I'd like to go back to America with her."

"Me too," Chen says.

They both smile, keeping their heads down.

High school:

Top 2014 recruit A'ja Wilson announced today she is choosing South Carolina.

Her peers were happy for her.

College news:

Jaime White is Fresno State's new coach.

Louisville and coach Jeff Walz are working to remain elite.

Expectations are skyrocketing for South Carolina.

Purdue coach Sharon Versyp will take her time finding a new assistant coach after the departure of Christy Smith, who went to Arkansas.

Tom Hodges returns to Middle Tennessee State as an assistant after a four-year absence, during which he was head coach at Morehead State.

Former Husker Hannah Tvrdy has landed at Colorado State.

Another former Nebraska player, Sadie Murren, is transferring to Wayne State College.