Rookie Report: South Carolina Duo Thriving in Dallas

Justin Lester

After a much-anticipated draft that featured the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, WNBA fans are still waiting on the debut of the No. 1 overall pick. Kelsey Plum played in one preseason game – she tallied 19 points and five assists – before suffering an ankle injury that has caused her to miss the San Antonio Stars’ first three regular-season contests.

Nevertheless, this rookie class has already produced some standout performances early in the season. Here are four first-year players that have stood out thus far.

Kaela Davis, Dallas Wings

The No. 10 pick in the draft, Davis is proving she was more than ready for the WNBA when she decided to forego her final season at South Carolina. She had one of the best games of any player on opening weekend, finishing with 20 points, four assists and two steals as the Wings defeated the Mercury. Davis then scored just seven points against Minnesota, but she made several trips to the free throw line, where the guard is 12-for-12 on the season.

[wnba_video id=”52594″]

Allisha Gray, Dallas Wings

Gray is starting in the Wings’ backcourt alongside former All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith. After winning the national title alongside Davis last month, she has picked up right where she left off, scoring 13 points per game on 43 percent shooting. The lefty had 15 against the star-studded Lynx over the weekend and seems poised to live up to her No. 4 overall selection. Like Davis, Gray turned pro after her junior season at South Carolina.

[wnba_video id=”53498″]

Stephanie Talbot, Phoenix Mercury

Her numbers aren’t as flashy as Gray or Davis, but Talbot is established as one of the vital bench players on an exciting Mercury squad. She’s played 23 minutes per game and seems to be gaining confidence, as evidenced by her 12-point, five-rebound outing against New York on Tuesday. The 22-year-old was originally drafted by the Mercury three years ago but opted to play in her home country of Australia. She’s now one of three players in Phoenix that represented Australia in the 2016 Olympics (Leilani Mitchell, Cayla George).

Sydney Wiese, Los Angeles Sparks

In a game full of established WNBA superstars, it was Wiese that exploded for 22 points to help her Sparks defeat the visiting Mystics last Friday. The lefty nailed 8-of-13 shots overall and 6-for-10 from three-point range, an area she excelled in her four years at Oregon State. It was hard enough task for Wiese to make the roster of the defending champions, but now she’s proving to be a contributor right away.

[wnba_video id=”53366″]