2023 WNBA Draft brings 36 college stars into the pros

On Monday, April 10, the WNBA Draft kicked off in Spring Studios in New York City to determine where 36 college stars will take the professional stage. The New York Liberty held the 30th pick in the draft as their one and only selection.

Many big names were selected in this draft, and many more will come in a few years. Star forward Aliyah Boston was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever, followed by New Jersey native Diamond Miller to the Minnesota Lynx and Maddy Siegrist going third to the Dallas Wings. The Dallas Wings selected former Princeton standout Abby Meyers as the 11th pick, surprising many.

WELCOME TO MINNESOTA, @lovediamond01 pic.twitter.com/xPBK90lxNY

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) April 10, 2023

Liberty's Pick

With the Liberty's 30th pick, they selected guard/forward Okako Akida from the University of Southern California. This offseason was huge for the Brooklyn-based team as they acquired star talents such as Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot and Jonquel Jones to accompany Sabrina Ionescu and Marine Johannes.

Welcome to NY, Okako Adika!! 🗽 pic.twitter.com/anNcichguH

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) April 11, 2023

Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said, "Okako Adika is a promising talent who we're really excited about. As a versatile 3-and-D wing with familiarity in a pro-style offense, she's someone who we can really use down the line."

Akida provides solid defense and shooting for the New York team. She shot .386 from the field and .387 from beyond the arc, totaling 152 rebounds. She may not get her chance on the 12-player squad right away, but Kolb mentions that she can be a big piece of the Liberty's future.

Jersey Ties

Miller, from Somerset, New Jersey, went to Franklin High School and went on to play college basketball at the University of Maryland. The Lynx picked Miller, where she will try to start her professional journey. This past season, she averaged 19.7 points per game. Against ranked teams, she averaged 22.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Miller has a strong presence in the paint which will help the Lynx after losing center Sylvia Fowles to retirement this past year. If she can make the 12-player roster, it seems she'll have a long career in front of her.

Ivy 🤝 Big 10 🔜 WNBA pic.twitter.com/guCLM31E1z

— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) April 12, 2023

Meyers played with Miller this last season at the University of Maryland after playing at Princeton for the first three years of her college career. The Wings selected Meyers with the 11th pick, shocking many people who did not think the Maryland grad would make the first round. She was a part of three Ivy League Championships during her time with the Tigers, and in her final year, she helped the team defeat No. 6 seed Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament with a career-high 29 points. Meyers' sharp shooting will allow her to pair with Arike Ogumbowale and Siegrist outside the arc to give the Wings a killer offense.

2023 WNBA Draft Results

*Rights traded to Dallas Wings

The WNBA season officially starts on Friday, May 19. The Liberty begin play on the 19th against the Washington Mystics in Washinton, D.C. at 7 p.m. Miller and the Lynx begin their season on the 19th as they face the Chicago Sky in Minneapolis, Minnesota at 8 p.m. Meyers and the Wings start their season on the 20th as they face the Atlanta Dream in Arlington, Texas at 1 p.m. on ABC.

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Marisa Dambach

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