WNBA Draft Preview: The Importance Of Expanding The Narrative

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said excluding players from the narrative not only robs fans of good stories, but could also affect their earning potential.

With the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the coronavirus outbreak, one team missed out on their one shining moment, while a number of other lost the chance to make a name for themselves on the biggest stage in college basketball.  

While the resume may have been set before the tournament, it may not be widely publicized.

Earlier this season, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley spoke on how senior guard Tyasha Harris was not projected to go in the first round on anyone’s draft board.

Harris has since skyrocketed up the mock draft boards and could go high as fourth. In a Zoom interview last week, Staley spoke on the importance of dedicating more coverage to women’s basketball.

“I think sometimes people who do those mock drafts, the look at who is being written about,” she said. “…I say this in that when the narrative isn’t about the players in who are producing in women’s basketball, they lose earning power. I know some WNBA coaches tell me don’t worry about mock drafts, they’re not really right, but they’re mock drafts, and that’s a narrative.”

Staley went on to name Princeton’s Bella Alarie as a player whose story should’ve generated more buzz this year. Staley added that hopefully in the future there will be more stories told next year.

“There is a lot of room for great basketball stories that we missed this year,” she said. “Coaches gotta speak up. If you don’t nobody’s going to talk about your kids. I try to not only elevate our kids, but elevate the game, because there are a lot of incredible stories that we miss all season long.”

The draft is being featured, in its entirety, on ESPN Friday at 7 p.m. and analyst Holly Rowe said she believes that is a big step forward in getting the league and players in the national conversation.

“I think it's exciting. I think, number one, it's huge that we're on ESPN, and it's huge that we're on ESPN for two hours, not changing networks, which is the first time since I've been doing the draft that we've done that” she said during a teleconference earlier this week. “I think it's wonderful because just through social media and contacts I'm having with coaches and players, I just feel like even though we will be doing it in a remote, unique fashion because of what's happening in our country right now, I still feel like the buzz and the excitement is higher than ever.”

Here are some lesser known names that could make an impact in this year’s WNBA Draft:

-Bella Alarie, 6-4, SF, Princeton: The three-time Ivy League player of the year is intriguing to scouts and GMs because of her versatility. She grow up playing guard and expanded her game once she hit a growth spurt.

-Mikiah Herbert Harrigan 6-2, SF, South Carolina: Known as the player that gave the Gamecocks their edge, “Mad Kiki” is a presence on both ends of the floor. She amassed over 1000 points while ending her career 5th all-time on the shot blocker list.

-Beatrice Mompremier, 6-4, F, Miami: Despite suffering an injury this past season, Mompremier was a force for the Hurricanes. She logged 34 double-doubles and 45 double digit scoring games during her time at The U. She set the single-game record for rebounds with 22.

-Haley Gorecki, 6-0, G, Duke: Goreceki put up historic numbers for the Blue Devils. She was the only power five conference player to average over 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals. She has a lethal midrange game as well as a reliable outside shot.

-Kiah Gillespie, 6-2, F, Florida State: Gillespie ended her collegiate career with a bang, finishing as a top-10 scorer in the ACC with 15.6 points per game. She had nine 20-point games, fifteen games with at least 10 rebounds and 12 double-doubles during her senior campaign.

-Alexis Tolefree, 5-8, G, Arkansas: The Razorbacks were known to light it up from deep and Tolefree was part of that charge shooting a blistering 40.4 percent from 3-point range. She scored 30 points or more four times this past season and became the first Razorback to make the All-SEC First Team since Jessica Jackson in 2016.

-Erica Ogwumike, 5-9, G, Rice: The world knows her older sisters Chiney and Nneka very well as both have found their way in the WNBA and Erica is looking to follow suit. She set a number of a records at Rice including first in career scoring average at 17.7 a game, second in career rebounding at 10.1 and third all-time in career free throw percentage at 81.4.

-Jocelyn Willoughby, 6-0, Virginia: Willoughby led the ACC with fourteen 20-point games this year and averaged 19.2 points. Rebeca Lobo believes she could be a sleeper pick in the second round and believes her game will translate well at the next level.

-Kylee Shook, 6-4, F, Louisville: Shook was an enforcer on the defensive end for the Cardinal team that upset Oregon during the season. Shook finished this past season as the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Defensive Team member.