2021 WNBA Draft Results: Charli Collier Selected No. 1, Awak Kuier No. 2
The WNBA held its draft on Thursday evening, selecting some of the nation's brightest talent following the conclusion of the women's NCAA tournament.
Commissioner Cathy Engelber announced the picks live on ESPN as top prospects joined virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic.
Aligning with the league's commitment to vaccine education, WNBA players appeared on the broadcast to talk about the COVID-19 vaccine, focusing on health equity. Additionally, the players previewed WNBA's 25th season, which is set to begin May 14. WNBA legends like Tina Thompson, the first player selected in the inaugural WNBA Draft on Apr. 28, 1997, joined the broadcast.
The Dallas Wings held the No. 1, No. 2, No. 5 and No. 13 picks in this year's draft, and selected twin towers Texas junior Charli Collier and Finland native Awak Kuier, who are both 6' 5", as the first and second overall pick respectively.
The Atlanta Dream selected Arizona's Aari McDonald No. 3 overall.
Check out every team's picks:
First Round:
1. Dallas Wings — Charli Collier, C — Texas
2. Dallas Wings — Awak Kuier, F — Finland
3. Atlanta Dream — Aari McDonald, G — Arizona
4. Indiana Fever — Kysre Gondrezick, G — West Virginia
5. Dallas Wings — Chelsea Dungee, G — Arkansas
6. New York Liberty — Michaela Onyenwere, F — UCLA
7. Los Angeles Sparks — Jasmine Walker, F — Alabama
8. Chicago Sky — Shyla Heal, G — Australia
9. Minnesota Lynx — Rennia Davis, F — Tennessee
10. Los Angeles Sparks — Stephanie Watts, G— North Carolina
11. Seattle Storm — Aaliyah Wilson, G — Texas A&M (traded to Indiana Fever for Kennedy Burke)
12. Las Vegas Aces — Iliana Rupert, C — France
Second Round:
13. Dallas Wings — Dana Evans, G — Louisville
14. Las Vegas Aces — Destiny Slocum, G — Arkansas
15. Atlanta Dream — Raquel Carrera, C — Spain
16. Chicago Sky — Natasha Mack, F — Oklahoma State
17. New York Liberty — DiDi Richards, G — Baylor
18. Seattle Storm — Kiana Williams, G — Stanford
19. Indiana Fever — Unique Thompson, F — Auburn
20. Connecticut Sun — DiJonai Carrington, G — Baylor
21. Connecticut Sun — Micaela Kelly, G — Central Michigan
22. Los Angeles Sparks — Arella Guirantes, G — Rutgers
23. Seattle Storm — N'dea Jones, F — Texas A&M
24. Indiana Fever — Trinity Baptiste, F — Arizona
Third Round:
25. New York Liberty — Valerie Higgins, G — Pacific
26. Indiana Fever — Chelsey Perry, F — UT Martin
27. Atlanta Dream — Lindsey Pulliam, G — Northwestern
28. Los Angeles Sparks — Ivana Raca, F — Wake Forest
29. New York Liberty — Marine Fauthoux, G — France
30. Connecticut Sun — Aleah Goodman, G — Oregon State
31. Indiana Fever — Florencia Chagas, G — Argentina
32. Phoenix Mercury — Ciera Johnson, C — Texas A&M
33. Indiana Fever — Maya Caldwell, G — Georgia
34. Los Angeles Sparks — Aina Ayuso, G — Spain
35. Seattle Storm — Natalie Kucowski, F — Lafayette
36. Las Vegas Aces — Kionna Jeter, G — Towson
More WNBA Coverage:
* Awak Kuier Is Ready to Soar
* Q&A: WNBA Agent Allison Galer on League Growth and Offseason Pace
* Players Whose Draft Stock Rose in the Women's Tourney