WNBA draft analysis

2015 WNBA DRAFT - ROUND 1

1 Seattle Storm, Jewell Loyd Notre Dame
2 Tulsa Shock, Amanda Zahui B. Minnesota
3 Seattle Storm, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis UConn
4 Connecticut Sun, Elizabeth Williams Duke
5 Chicago Sky, Cheyenne Parker Middle Tenn. State
6 San Antonio Stars, Dearica Hamby Wake Forest
7 Los Angeles Sparks, Crystal Bradford Central Michigan
8 Washington Mystics, Ally Mallot Dayton
9 New York Liberty, Brittany Boyd California
10 Atlanta Dream, Samantha Logic Iowa
11 New York Liberty (from Minnesota) , Kiah Stokes UConn
12 Phoenix Mercury, Isabelle Harrison Tennessee

2015 WNBA DRAFT - ROUND 2

1 (13) Tulsa Shock, Brianna Kiesel Pittsburgh
2 (14) Los Angeles Sparks, Cierra Burdick Tennessee
3 (15) Washington Mystics, Natasha Cloud St. Joseph's
4 (16) Minnesota Lynx (from New York), Reshanda Gray California
5 (17) Chicago Sky, Betnijah Laney Rutgers
6 (18) Phoenix Mercury, Alex Harden Wichita State
7 (19) Connecticut Sun (traded to Atlanta), Brittany Hrynko DePaul
8 (20) Seattle Storm, Vicky McIntyre Oral Roberts
9 (21) Indiana Fever, Chelsea Gardner Kansas
10 (22) Chicago Sky, Aleighsa Welch South Carolina
11 (23) New York Liberty (from Minnesota), Amber Orrange Stanford
12 (24) Phoenix Mercury, Zofia Hruscakova Slovakia

2015 WNBA DRAFT - ROUND 3

1 (25) Tulsa Shock, Mimi Mungedi Nevada-Reno
2 (26) Seattle Storm, Nneka Enemkpali Texas
3 (27) New York Liberty, Laurin Mincy Maryland
4 (28) New York Liberty (from Minnesota), Michala Johnson Wisconsin
5 (29) Atlanta Dream, Ariel Massengale Tennessee
6 (30) San Antonio Stars, Dragana Stankovic Serbia
7 (31) Los Angeles Sparks, Andrea Hoover Dayton
8 (32) Washington Mystics, Mrica Gajic Bosnia
9 (33) San Antonio Stars, Nikki Moody Iowa State
10 (34) Atlanta Dream, Lauren Okafor James Madison
11 (35) Minnesota Lynx (from New York), Shae Kelley Minnesota
12 (36) Phoenix Mercury, Promise Amukamara Arizona State

Winners:

Seattle Storm

They got a #1 point guard in Jewell Loyd, who can learn from arguably the best in the business in Sue Bird, as she nears retirement. The Storm got sharp-shooter Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and top-tier center Vicky McIntyre, who will help fill Lauren Jackson's absence. They will save Nneka Enemkpali for next year, to work alongside McIntyre. Just the thought of both of them in the paint is frightening.

Connecticut Sun

Versatile, high-scoring Elizabeth Williams is a great addition to the roster. And the Sun wisely traded Brittany Hrynko to Atlanta for the rights to veteran Jasmine Thomas; Connecticut needs more veterans.

Minnesota Lynx

Brilliant move to trade traded its 11th, 23rd and 28th overall picks to the New York Liberty in exchange for guard Anna Cruz and the Liberty’s 16th and 35th overall picks. They were able to pick up forward Reshanda Gray, who wasn't supposed to be available by pick 16, and Minnesota Gopher Shae Kelley, for local appeal. The Lynx are already loaded, and this makes them even better. Yikes for other teams.

New York Liberty

The trade with Minnesota helped them make out like bandits. They grabbed dynamic point guard Brittany Boyd, big girl Kiah Stokes, point guard Amber Orrange, super guard Laurin Mincy, and Michala Johnson. Though the presence of both Boyd and Orrange makes me think Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer is thinking of a trade.

Washington Mystics

The Mystics took Dayton forward Ally Mallot, Natasha Cloud of St. Joseph's, and Mrica Gajic of Bosnia. Who? But remember that coach Mike Thibault is a basketball genius, and he says Washington "got the two players we wanted most." That he could have taken many other players at those spots, but went with Mallot and Cloud, says all you need to know. Also, it looks like they've invited Princeton's Blake Dietrick to camp.

Droppers:

Fans were puzzled the way some players dropped below where they were projected to be picked - Reshanda Gray, Aleighsa Welch and Laurin Mincy, in particular.

Well, that's how it goes.

General managers and coaches spend all winter scouring the country and the globe for their best fits, and often times it's not the "star" players that they come to believe will fit the bill. In the actual draft, picks can also change based on previous picks and who is still available. It's best not to take it personally, but people always do.

Way uppers/what?:

By the same token, there are also those players who are taken much higher than they were projected, if they were at all. Cheyenne Parker and Crystal Bradford were those two players in the first round. Brianna Kiesel, Cloud, Alex Harden in the second rounds. Of course fans in those cases will debate whether the GM knows secrets, or whether they know nothing at all.

Non-shockers:

Jewell Loyd, Amanda Zahui B., Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Elizabeth Williams go 1-4. No surprises.

ESPN's coverage of rounds two and three was poor to non-existent once again. Why people are surprised at this year after year eludes me.

Shockers:

No Notre Dame coaches were there for Loyd. Why not?

According to the ESPN2 telecast, center Sylvia Fowles remains unsigned by the Chicago Sky. What?

Glaring draft omissions:

Damika Martinez

Jazmine Davis

Amber Battle

Martha Alwal

Sara Hammond

Bria Smith

Jennifer O'Neill

Elem Ibiam

Melissa Dixon

Training camp:

....begins in a week and a half.