2024 WNBA Draft Night 4/15/24!

Already? Shouldn’t we get through the 2023 Draft first to see who all is available? 😅 Kind of too many unknowns to even predict who’s gonna go #1 overall let alone the rest of the order imo.

If Bueckers comes back looking like she did her freshman year – and she has more defensive potential than Clark – she could rise up as the favorite – especially if the Lynx happen to hold the #1 Pick (although Iowa is only one state over). Otherwise, it’s probably Clark. But again, we won’t be able to properly speculate until maybe this time next year, if not 2024 itself.

I didn’t even know Fudd was eligible for the '24 Draft, but it appears she is. She’d have to truly be the second coming of Taurasi to go #1 overall, which maybe she is or will be by then. She’s had an undeniably fabulous start to this season, but it’s still early. Let’s see if she stays this good the whole season into Tourney Time. (Also don’t quite know how Bueckers & Fudd will mesh next year if Fudd continues her productivity, though I admit, that shouldn’t & probably won’t be an issue.)

Fudd’s only knock is that she’s a true off-guard and not a PG like Bueckers and Clark are. It’s simply harder to find a high-level PG. So even if Fudd comes out, I highly doubt she goes #1 overall unless neither Clark nor Bueckers make themselves available.

And then there’s Brink, who I really don’t think goes higher than #2 overall. She just doesn’t (need to) put up those high-level numbers like the others, though she does so many things well on both ends. Also, is she a 4 or is she a 5 at the next level? I’d say a 4, but I think that existential question may also hold her draft stock back juuuust enough to stay mostly out of the #1-Pick conversation.

Lee’s got no chance of going #1 overall in 2024 imo. Just too many questions about her translatability into the next level, particularly as it relates to her lacks of mobility, conditioning (by then), and diverse skillset. She has very clear strengths… but also very clear weaknesses as well imo.

Miles would be a fantastic consolation prize for a team needing a PG but not getting a Top-2 pick.

Clark —> Bueckers —> Miles —> Brink —> Lee

I don’t see Fudd entering early. Although Miles joined Notre Dame midway through the covid season and only appeared in six games, so she may not make herself available for this draft either.

100%. If she can't get healthy for next season it's worrisome for the next level. 

I see Reeve getting something from her two first round picks to get them back in the playoffs.

Muhl has been an absolute dawg thus far, and needs to be in this conversation, IMHO.

It gets harder & harder year after year to allow myself to get excited about all these draft prospects when their chances of making a team go down drastically after the first 15 spots or so. I always say this League doesn’t need a third round, but sometimes it feels like there doesn’t need to be a second round either – especially if there were ever expansion. 🙃 Not that expansion is super-duper imminent! 😩 Sometimes following this League gets pretty depressing honestly lmao

Fudd seems doubtful to enter early. Bueckers could also opt to return to UCONN another year. So it could just be Clark vs. Brink for the #1 pick. 2024 should also have Angel Reese, Ayoka Lee, Van Lith. But then 2025 would be Bueckers, Fudd, Morrow & Olivia Miles.

Clark has hinted she may opt for the COVID year as well. Or at least she hasn't ruled it out

Perhaps she wants (to break) Kelsey Plum's NCAA Div. I scoring record... 

I'd be okay with it if she accomplished it in four seasons. National records being broken by players who got five seasons to do it really doesn't seem fair, but it's bound to happen.