A pair of non-seniors headlined the 2015 WNBA Draft, held in Uncasville, CT, on Thursday night.
Notre Dame’s Jewell Loyd went first overall to the Seattle Storm, and Minnesota’s Amanda Zahui B. was selected second by the Tulsa Shock. Loyd, a junior, and Zahui B., a redshirt sophomore, faced criticism for coming out early, but were ultimately the best and most promising talent in the draft class.
Players must turn 22 by the end of the WNBA Draft year in order to be eligible. Most players choose to graduate because of the lower pay compared to the men’s game, and the necessity of a career after basketball. Loyd and Zahui B. will play internationally during the WNBA’s “offseason,” and will make six-figure salaries.
Here’s how the rest of the draft played out:
Round 1
1. Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
2. Amanda Zahui B., Tulsa Shock
3. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Seattle Storm
4. Elizabeth Williams, Connecticut Sun
5. Cheyenne Parker, Chicago Sky
6. Dearica Hamby, San Antonio Stars
7. Crystal Bradford, Los Angeles Sparks
8. Ally Malott, Washington Mystics
9. Brittany Boyd, New York Liberty
10. Samantha Logic, Atlanta Dream
11. Kiah Stokes, New York Liberty
12. Isabelle Harrison, Phoenix Mercury
Round 2
13. Brianna Kiesel, Tulsa Shock
14. Cierra Burdick, Los Angeles Sparks
15. Natasha Cloud, Washington Mystics
16. Reshanda Gray, Minnesota Lynx
17. Betnijah Laney, Chicago Sky
18. Alex Harden, Phoenix Mercury
19. Brittany Hrynko, Connecticut Sun
20. Vicky McIntyre, Seattle Storm
21. Chelsea Gardner, Indiana Fever
22. Aleighsa Welch, Chicago Sky
23. Amber Orrange, New York Liberty
24. Zofia Hruscakova, Phoenix Mercury
Round 3
25. Mimi Mungedi, Tulsa Shock
26. Nneka Enemkpali, Seattle Storm
27. Laurin Mincy, New York Liberty
28. Michala Johnson, New York Liberty
29. Ariel Massengale, Atlanta Dream
30. Dragana Stankovic, San Antonio Stars
31. Andrea Hoover, Los Angeles Sparks
32. Mrica Gajic, Washington Mystics
33. Nikki Moody, San Antonio Stars
34. Lauren Okafor, Atlanta Dream
35. Shae Kelley, Minnesota Lynx
36. Promise Amukamara, Phoenix Mercury
