List of Connecticut Huskies in the WNBA Draft

Sue Bird
Sue Bird was the first Connecticut Huskies alumna to be drafted first overall.

The University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies women's basketball team has had 36 players selected in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft. 23 of those selections were in the first round of the draft; five players—Sue Bird in 2002, Diana Taurasi in 2004, Tina Charles in 2010, Maya Moore in 2011, and Breanna Stewart in 2016—were picked first overall. At least one Connecticut women's basketball alumna has been selected or allocated in each of the past eleven consecutive WNBA Drafts and in each WNBA Draft save two.[General]

Each WNBA franchise seeks to add new players through their respective annual draft. The WNBA uses a draft lottery to determine the order of selection for the first picks of the draft; the teams that did not make the playoffs the previous year are eligible to participate. After the first picks are decided, the remaining teams select in reverse order of their win–loss record.[1] The WNBA requires that players be at least 22 years old during the calendar year of the applicable seasons, have either graduated from a four-year university or have completed their intercollegiate basketball eligibility, or have played at least two seasons for another professional basketball league.[2]

In addition to the 36 draftees, two UConn women's basketball players—Rebecca Lobo in 1997 and Nykesha Sales in 1999—were allocated to specific teams during the initial formation of the WNBA.[3][4] Lobo was assigned to the New York Liberty and is considered one of the WNBA's first players.[3] Sales was the first player for the expansion Orlando Miracle;[4] the team would later relocate and become the Connecticut Sun.[5][6]

Connecticut women's basketball alumni have had a significant impact on the WNBA. Four players—Taurasi, Charles, Moore, and Stewart—were named WNBA Rookie of the Year, and three of those players—Taurasi, Charles, and Moore—later were named WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). Several other UConn alumni have been named to All-WNBA teams or selected as WNBA All-Stars on multiple occasions. Seven UConn players have been named to the All-Rookie Team, including three of the school's four Rookies of the Year (Taurasi's rookie season predated the 2005 establishment of the All-Rookie Team). Twelve Connecticut alumni have been part of WNBA championship teams, and one has been named WNBA Finals MVP: Maya Moore in 2013.

Player selection

Diana Taurasi
First-overall selection and UConn women's basketball alumna Diana Taurasi was named WNBA Most Valuable Player in 2009.
Tina Charles
Tina Charles was the third Connecticut player to be selected first overall, in 2010. She was named WNBA Most Valuable Player in 2012.
Maya Moore
The fourth UConn alumna to be selected first overall, Maya Moore was the 2014 WNBA Most Valuable Player.
Breanna Stewart
Breanna Stewart is the fifth and most recent UConn women's basketball player (as of 2016) to be drafted first overall, and the fourth to be named WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Allocations

Year Player name Position WNBA team[Note 1] Notes Refs
1997 Rebecca Lobo Center / Forward New York Liberty All-WNBA Second Team (1997)
All-Star (1999)
Hall of Fame (2017)		 [3][7][8]
1999 Nykesha Sales Guard / Forward Orlando Miracle All-WNBA Second Team (2004)
All-Star (1999–2006)		 [4][6][9]

Regular draft

Year Rnd Pick Overall Player name Position WNBA team[Note 1] Notes Refs
1998 2 3 13 Rita Williams Guard Washington Mystics All-Star (2001) [10][11]
1999 3 12 36 Kara Wolters Center Houston Comets WNBA champion (1999) [12][13]
1999 4 12 48 Jennifer Rizzotti Guard Houston Comets WNBA champion (1999, 2000) [14][15]
2000 2 15 31 Paige Sauer Center Los Angeles Sparks — [16][17]
2001 1 7 7 Svetlana Abrosimova Forward Minnesota Lynx WNBA champion (2010) [18][19]
2001 1 14 14 Kelly Schumacher Forward / Center Indiana Fever — [20][21]
2001 3 8 40 Shea Ralph Guard Utah Starzz [Note 2] [22]
2002 1 1 1 Sue Bird Guard Seattle Storm WNBA champion (2004, 2010)
WNBA All-Decade Team (2006)
All-WNBA First Team (2002–05, 2016)
All-WNBA Second Team (2008, 2010, 2011)
All-Star (2002–03, 2005–07, 2009, 2011, 2014–15)		 [23][24]
2002 1 2 2 Swin Cash Forward Detroit Shock WNBA champion (2003, 2006, 2010)
All-WNBA Second Team (2003, 2004)
All-Star (2003, 2005, 2009, 2011)		 [25][26]
2002 1 4 4 Asjha Jones Forward Washington Mystics WNBA champion (2015)
All-WNBA Second Team (2008)
All-Star (2007, 2009)		 [27][28]
2002 1 6 6 Tamika Williams Forward Minnesota Lynx — [29][30]
2004 1 1 1 Diana Taurasi Guard Phoenix Mercury WNBA champion (2007, 2009, 2014)
MVP (2009)
Rookie of the Year (2004)
All-WNBA First Team (2004, 2006–11, 2013, 2014)
All-WNBA Second Team (2005, 2016)
All-Star (2005–07, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014)		 [31][32]
2005 2 11 24 Jessica Moore Center Charlotte Sting — [33][34]
2005 2 12 25 Ashley Battle Forward Seattle Storm — [35][36]
2006 1 11 11 Barbara Turner Guard Seattle Storm — [37][38]
2006 2 1 15 Ann Strother Guard Houston Comets — [39][40]
2006 2 8 22 Willnett Crockett Forward Los Angeles Sparks — [41][42]
2008 1 12 12 Ketia Swanier Guard Connecticut Sun WNBA champion (2009) [43][44]
2008 3 2 30 Charde Houston Forward Minnesota Lynx WNBA champion (2011)
All-Star (2009)		 [45][46]
2009 1 4 4 Renee Montgomery Guard Minnesota Lynx WNBA champion (2015)
All-Star (2011)
All-Rookie Team (2009)		 [47][48]
2010 1 1 1 Tina Charles Center Connecticut Sun Rookie of the Year (2010)
All-WNBA First Team (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016)
All-WNBA Second Team (2010, 2013, 2014)
All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015)		 [49][50]
2010 3 1 27 Kalana Greene Guard New York Liberty WNBA champion (2015)
All-Rookie Team (2010)		 [51][52]
2011 1 1 1 Maya Moore Forward Minnesota Lynx WNBA champion (2011, 2013, 2015)
MVP (2014)
Rookie of the Year (2011)
All-WNBA First Team (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
All-WNBA Second Team (2012)
All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015)
WNBA Finals MVP (2013)
All-Star Game MVP (2015)		 [53][54]
2012 2 2 14 Tiffany Hayes Guard Atlanta Dream All-Rookie Team (2012) [55]
2013 1 11 11 Kelly Faris Guard Connecticut Sun — [56]
2014 1 6 6 Stefanie Dolson Forward Washington Mystics All-Star (2015) [57]
2014 1 7 7 Bria Hartley Guard Seattle Storm All-Rookie Team (2014) [57]
2015 1 3 3 Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis Forward Seattle Storm — [58]
2015 1 11 11 Kiah Stokes Center New York Liberty All-Rookie Team (2015) [58]
2016 1 1 1 Breanna Stewart Forward / Center Seattle Storm Rookie of the Year (2016)
All-WNBA Second Team (2016)
All-Rookie Team (2016)		 [59]
2016 1 2 2 Moriah Jefferson Guard San Antonio Stars — [59]
2016 1 3 3 Morgan Tuck Forward Connecticut Sun — [59]
2017 3 2 26 Saniya Chong Guard Dallas Wings — [60]
2018 1 4 4 Gabby Williams Forward Chicago Sky —
2018 1 6 6 Azura Stevens Forward Dallas Wings —
2018 1 10 10 Kia Nurse Guard New York Liberty —

Notes

  1. 1 2 This is the team that drafted the player, not the player's most recent team.
  2. ↑ Despite being drafted, Shea Ralph would never play in the WNBA. After suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee in February 2002—the third ACL tear in her left knee and her fifth ACL tear overall—she opted to retire.[22]

References

General

  • "All-Time WNBA Draft List". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  • "WNBA - WNBA Most Valuable Player Award Winners". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  • "WNBA - WNBA Rookie of the Year Award Winners". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  • "WNBA - WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Winners". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  • "WNBA - WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award Winners". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  • "WNBA - WNBA Most Improved Player Award Winners". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  • "WNBA - WNBA All-WNBA Teams". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  • "WNBA - WNBA All-Rookie Teams". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  • "WNBA - WNBA All-Defensive Teams". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
Specific
  1. ↑ "Atlanta Dream Win Top Pick in 2009 WNBA Draft". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. December 9, 2008. Archived from the original on November 18, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Hoops 101: Reneé Brown". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on November 18, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 "WNBA.com: Rebecca Lobo Player Info". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 Rose, Shannon (September 16, 1998). "Sales Now On Board". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  5. ↑ Riley, Lori (January 23, 2003). "Sales' Wnba Team Coming To State". Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  6. 1 2 "WNBA.com: Nykesha Sales Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Rebecca Lobo WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  8. ↑ Jacobs, Jeff (April 2, 2017). "Jeff Jacobs: UConn Legend Rebecca Lobo Gets Call For The Basketball Hall". The Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Nykesha Sales WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  10. ↑ "WNBA.com: Rita Williams Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Rita Williams WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  12. ↑ "WNBA.com: Kara Wolters Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-02-09. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Kara Wolters WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  14. ↑ "WNBA.com: Jennifer Rizzotti Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-02-09. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Jennifer Rizzotti WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  16. ↑ "WNBA.com: Paige Sauer Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-02-09. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Paige Sauer WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  18. ↑ "WNBA.com: Svetlana Abrosimova Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Svetlana Abrosimova WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  20. ↑ "WNBA.com: Kelly Schumacher Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-02-09. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Kelly Schumacher WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  22. 1 2 Goldberg, Jeff (August 2, 2002). "City Schools Hiring Ralph". Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  23. ↑ "WNBA.com: Sue Bird Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on 2012-02-09. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Sue Bird WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  25. ↑ "WNBA.com: Swin Cash Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Swin Cash WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  27. ↑ "WNBA.com: Asjha Jones Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  28. ↑ "Asjha Jones WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  29. ↑ "WNBA.com: Tamika Williams Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  30. ↑ "Tamika Raymond WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  31. ↑ "WNBA.com: Diana Taurasi Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  32. ↑ "Diana Taurasi WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  33. ↑ "WNBA.com: Jessica Moore Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  34. ↑ "Jessica Moore WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  35. ↑ "WNBA.com: Ashley Battle Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  36. ↑ "Ashley Battle WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  37. ↑ "WNBA.com: Barbara Turner Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  38. ↑ "Barbara Turner WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  39. ↑ "WNBA.com: Ann Strother Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  40. ↑ "Ann Strother WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  41. ↑ "WNBA.com: Willnett Crockett Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  42. ↑ "Willnett Crockett WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  43. ↑ "WNBA.com: Ketia Swanier Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  44. ↑ "Ketia Swanier WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  45. ↑ "WNBA.com: Charde Houston Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  46. ↑ "Charde Houston WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  47. ↑ "WNBA.com: Renee Montgomery Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on May 25, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  48. ↑ "Renee Montgomery WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  49. ↑ "WNBA.com: Tina Charles Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  50. ↑ "Tina Charles WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  51. ↑ "WNBA.com: Kalana Greene Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  52. ↑ "Kalana Greene WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  53. ↑ "WNBA.com: Maya Moore Playerfile". WNBA.com. WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on August 3, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  54. ↑ "Maya Moore WNBA Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  55. ↑ "Draft Board". WNBA. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  56. ↑ "Draft Board". WNBA. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  57. 1 2 "WNBA Draft Board 2014". WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  58. 1 2 "2015 WNBA Draft Board". WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  59. 1 2 3 "2016 WNBA Draft Board". WNBA Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  60. ↑ Fuller, Jim (April 13, 2017). "Maryland's Brionna Jones taken by Sun; UConn's Saniya Chong goes to Dallas". New Haven Register. Journal Register Company. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

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