WNBA Draft 2023: Dallas Wings select Maddy Siegrist at 3rd pick

NEW YORK — Welcome to Dallas! The Wings’ latest gamers have been decided on within the first and 2d and 3rd rounds of the 2023 WNBA Draft in New York on Monday, April 10. 

The Wings decided on Villanova guard and the country’s main scorer Maddy Siegrist, obtained Stephanie Soares by means of business with the Washington Mystics, UConn guard/ahead Lou Lopez-Senchal and Maryland’s Abby Meyers within the first around. 

Earlier this 12 months, the group secured a couple of first-round selections (3,5 and 11) after a four-team business to obtain guard Diamond DeShields. The Wings additionally owned alternatives 19 and 31 on this 12 months’s draft. 

The anticipation used to be excessive round Monday’s alternatives after a record-breaking ladies’s NCAA match, with each viewership and attendance hovering as Dallas hosted the Final Four at American Airlines Center. 

The country’s maximum recognizable ladies’s school basketball standouts had till March 26, 2023, to claim their WNBA Draft intentions if their season used to be over. Those who have been nonetheless enjoying within the NCAA Tournament had 48 hours after their ultimate recreation to make a decision.

In all, 112 gamers declared for the draft this is most effective 3 rounds and has 36 selections.

South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston headlined the WNBA draft magnificence and as anticipated, used to be taken first by way of the Indiana Fever. Boston had the danger to go back to South Carolina for her COVID season however opted to go into Monday evening’s draft as a substitute. She used to be joined in New York by way of 3 of her South Carolina teammates, together with Zia Cooke who used to be decided on tenth within the first around by way of the LA Sparks. 

The quantity two pick went to the Minnesota Lynx, who decided on Maryland guard Diamond Miller. Often known as one of the most fastest and flexible guards in school basketball, Miller is predicted to make a vital affect at the professional aspect. 

Then it used to be DFW’s personal Wings’ 3rd variety — Siegrist, who led the country in scoring with 29 issues in step with recreation and averaged 9.2 rebounds. Siegrist scored a career-best 50 issues in opposition to Seton Hall on Feb. 11, 2023 – on 20 of 26 capturing. 

“It’s a dream come true,” she mentioned to ESPN’s Holly Rowe after being selected by way of the Wings. 

The two-time Big East Player of the Year mentioned she’s in a position to suit it in anywhere for the Wings, even though it is simply rebounding for megastar level guard Arike Ogunbowale, she joked with Rowe. 

In a wonder transfer, the Washington Mystics traded quantity 4 pick Stephanie Soares to the Wings in trade for the next draft variety in 2024. 

Soares, a 6’6″ middle from Iowa State, used to be one of the most ideally suited gamers in program historical past ahead of tearing her ACL in January 2023. Soares averaged 14.4 issues, 9.9 rebounds and 1.4 lend a hand in step with recreation for the Cyclones. 

The Sao Paulo local additionally represented Brazil at the 2022 FIBA South American Women’s Championship the place she averaged 10.2 issues and six.6 rebounds and helped lead Brazil to a Gold Medal.

Then, with the fifth pick, the Wings decided on guard Lopez-Senechal of UConn. She totaled greater than a 3rd of her baskets this previous season from three-point vary — a task the Wings had been taking a look to fill after the lack of Marina Mabrey within the offseason. 

Lopez-Senechal averaged 15.5 issues in step with recreation for the Huskies, with a spotlight 26-point efficiency in opposition to the Lady Vols. 

The Grenoble, France local used to be identified because the Metro Atlantic Conference Tournament (MAAC) Most Valuable Player in 2022 ahead of shifting to UConn for her senior 12 months. 

“I think this year I had the confidence and the trust of everyone around…to compete at this level,” she advised Rowe after her variety. 

Back up at the quantity 11 variety, the Wings completed off their first around selection with Maryland guard Meyers — who averaged 14.3 issues, 5.1 rebounds and a couple of.3 assists. 

Meyers used to be named the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year, ahead of taking at the function as co-captain of the Terrapins. She used to be additionally named a 2022 All-American Honorable Mention and used to be maximum lately title to the 2023 All-Big Ten Second Team. 

The Wings decided on Ashley Joens with the quantity 19 pick. The 6-foot-1 ahead is flexible on offense and completed her profession at Iowa State with 21.6 issues in step with recreation, 9.7 rebounds and a couple of.0 assists. She could be a excellent facilitator at the following stage, WNBA nice and ESPN reporter/analyst Rebecca Lobo mentioned. 

“Now it’s back to work and getting to play in the W,” Joens advised Rowe after being decided on. 

Joens concluded her five-year profession at Iowa State ranked 9th all-time NCAA Division I ladies’s basketball with 3,060 profession issues. She used to be additionally named the Cheryl Miller Award winner for the 3rd instantly season following her 3rd season with greater than 600 issues. She’s one of the most country’s best small ahead gamers. 

And what does she have to mention to the individuals who underneath estimate her dimension and recreation play? 

“You just have to have a lot of heart…My parents say nothing is given to you, you have to earn it,” Joens mentioned. 

The Wings rounded out the 2023 Draft with Paige Robinson because the thirty first pick. Robison, a 5’10” guard from Illinois State, averaged 18.3 issues, 4.8 rebounds and three.0 assists. 

Robinson had a standout season-high efficiency in opposition to Wisconsin the place she scored 37 issues (14-19 from the sector). 

In her ultimate season with Illinois, she used to be a First-Team All-Mid West Region and First Team All-Great Lakes Valley honoree. 

No doubt there may be long run WNBA All-Star skill on this 12 months’s draft magnificence. And the Wings have had good fortune in opting for gamers which were named Rookie of the Year, Rookie All-Team and feature reached All-Star standing. 

Since shifting to Dallas in 2016, the Wings has drafted one Rookie of the Year (Allisha Gray, 2017) and two WNBA All-Stars (Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally). The Wings even have had an All-Rookie group member in all however 12 months. 

Last 12 months, the group completed sixth total within the WNBA after dropping in a heartbreaker Game 3 playoff matchup in opposition to the Connecticut Sun. 

The group is coming into its 8th season in North Texas and performs all of its house video games at College Park Center in Arlington. With the brand new gamers in tow, the Wings are anticipated to make some other run within the postseason.

It will probably be a aggressive camp in Dallas, particularly at the wing spot. We’ll see who makes the beginning roster. The Wings’ house opener in opposition to the Atlanta Dream is scheduled for Saturday, May 20 and can tipoff on ABC (WFAA Channel 8) at midday. 

The Associated Press attributed to this record.