WNBA Draft 2022: Mock Draft Roundup

With the 2022 WNBA Draft less than three weeks away, it’s time to start marking projections on how things may play out on Monday, April 11 (7:00 p.m., ESPN) in New York City. Here is a look at some of the latest mock draft projects for the opening round.

1. Washington Mystics

  • ESPN: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor, Forward, 6-4)
  • Bleacher Report: Rhyne Howard (Kentucky, Guard, 6-2)
  • Winsidr: Rhyne Howard (Kentucky, Guard, 6-2)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Rhyne Howard (Kentucky, Guard, 6-2)
  • W Basketball Blog: Rhyne Howard (Kentucky, Guard, 6-2)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Rhyne Howard (Kentucky, Guard, 6-2)

2. Indiana Fever

  • ESPN: Rhyne Howard (Kentucky, Guard, 6-2)
  • Bleacher Report: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor, Forward, 6-4)
  • Winsidr: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor, Forward, 6-4)
  • Her Hoops Stats: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor, Forward, 6-4)
  • W Basketball Blog: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor, Forward, 6-4)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor, Forward, 6-4)

3. Atlanta Dream

  • ESPN: Shakira Austin (Ole Miss, Center, 6-5)
  • Bleacher Report: Shakira Austin (Ole Miss, Center, 6-5)
  • Winsidr: Shakira Austin (Ole Miss, Center, 6-5)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Shakira Austin (Ole Miss, Center, 6-5)
  • W Basketball Blog: Ashley Joens (Iowa State, Guard/Forward, 6-1)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Shakira Austin (Ole Miss, Center, 6-5)

4. Indiana Fever (from Los Angeles)

  • ESPN: Nyara Sabally (Oregon, Forward, 6-5)
  • Bleacher Report: Nyara Sabally (Oregon, Forward, 6-5)
  • Winsidr: Ashley Joens (Iowa State, Guard/Forward, 6-1)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Nia Clouden (Michigan State, Guard, 5-8)
  • W Basketball Blog: Sika Kone (Mali, Forward, 6-3)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast, Guard, 6-1)

5. New York Liberty

  • ESPN: Elissa Cunane (North Carolina State, Center, 6-5)
  • Bleacher Report: Emily Engstler (Louisville, Forward, 6-1)
  • Winsidr: Naz Hillmon (Michigan, Forward, 6-2)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Nyara Sabally (Oregon, Forward, 6-5)
  • W Basketball Blog: Shakira Austin (Ole Miss, Center, 6-5)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Naz Hillmon (Michigan, Forward, 6-2)

6. Indiana Fever (from Dallas)

  • ESPN: Emily Engstler (Louisville, Forward, 6-1)
  • Bleacher Report: Ashley Joens (Iowa State, Guard/Forward, 6-1)
  • Winsidr: Elissa Cunane (North Carolina State, Center, 6-5)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Naz Hillmon (Michigan, Forward, 6-2)
  • W Basketball Blog: Destanni Henderson (South Carolina, Guard, 5-7)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Nia Clouden (Michigan State, Guard, 5-8)

7. Dallas Wings (from Chicago)

  • ESPN: Rae Burrell (Tennessee, Guard, 6-1)
  • Bleacher Report: Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast, Guard, 6-1)
  • Winsidr: Sika Kone (Mali, Forward, 6-3)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast, Guard, 6-1)
  • W Basketball Blog: Veronica Burton (Northwestern, Guard, 5-9)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Ashley Joens (Iowa State, Guard/Forward, 6-1)

8. Minnesota Lynx (from Phoenix)

  • ESPN: Queen Egbo, Baylor University, Center, 6-3
  • Bleacher Report: Elissa Cunane (North Carolina State, Center, 6-5)
  • Winsidr: Destanni Henderson (South Carolina, Guard, 5-7)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Sika Kone (Mali, Forward, 6-3)
  • W Basketball Blog: Lorela Cubaj (Georgia Tech, Forward, 6-4)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Sika Kone (Mali, Forward, 6-3)

9. Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle)

  • ESPN: Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast, Guard, 6-1)
  • Bleacher Report: Rae Burrell (Tennessee, Guard, 6-1)
  • Winsidr: Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast, Guard, 6-1)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Evina Westbrook (Connecticut, Guard, 6-0)
  • W Basketball Blog: Rae Burrell (Tennessee, Guard, 6-1)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Rae Burrell (Tennessee, Guard, 6-1)

10. Indiana Fever (from Minnesota)

  • ESPN: Ashley Joens (Iowa State, Guard/Forward, 6-1)
  • Bleacher Report: Christyn Williams (Connecticut, Guard, 5-11)
  • Winsidr: Lorela Cubaj (Georgia Tech, Forward, 6-4)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Elissa Cunane (North Carolina State, Center, 6-5)
  • W Basketball Blog: Naz Hillmon (Michigan, Forward, 6-2)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Nyara Sabally (Oregon, Forward, 6-5)

11. Las Vegas Aces

  • ESPN: Christyn Williams (Connecticut, Guard, 5-11)
  • Bleacher Report: Evina Westbrook (Connecticut, Guard, 6-0)
  • Winsidr: Nia Clouden (Michigan State, Guard, 5-8)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Ashley Joens (Iowa State, Guard/Forward, 6-1)
  • W Basketball Blog: Elissa Cunane (North Carolina State, Center, 6-5)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Lorela Cubaj (Georgia Tech, Forward, 6-4)

12. Connecticut Sun

  • ESPN: Sika Kone (Mali, Forward, 6-3)
  • Bleacher Report: Veronica Burton (Northwestern, Guard, 5-9)
  • Winsidr: Rae Burrell (Tennessee, Guard, 6-1)
  • Her Hoops Stats: Lorela Cubaj (Georgia Tech, Forward, 6-4)
  • W Basketball Blog: Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast, Guard, 6-1)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: Jade Melbourne (Australia, Guard, 5-10)

Takeaways

Examining these six mock drafts, we get a strong picture of how the first three picks will play out, with Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard going No. 1, followed by Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith at No. 2 and Ole Miss center Shakira Austin at No. 3. Each player was slotted in that specific position in five of the six mock drafts.

That trio was joined by Iowa State’s Ashley Joens and Florida Gulf Coast’s Kierstan Bell as the only players to appear in the first round on all six mock drafts. Tennessee guard Rae Burrell, NC State center Elissa Cunane and Mali forward Sika Kone each appeared on five of the six mocks. Oregon forward Nyara Sabally, Georgia Tech forward Lorela Cubaj and Michigan forward Naz Hillmon appear on four of the six mock drafts.

That’s 11 players that finished among the top 12 in more than half of the mock drafts surveyed. Of course, plenty of surprises could come on draft night, but this gives a strong indication of the first round talent that is available in this year’s draft class.

Sources

  • ESPN: WNBA mock draft 2022, version 4.0: Did March Madness performances help or hurt draft prospects? (3/23)
  • Bleacher Report: 2022 WNBA Mock Draft: Pre-March Madness Predictions (3/16)
  • Winsidr: 2022 WNBA Mock Draft 2.0 (3/12)
  • Her Hoops Stats: 2022 WNBA Mock Draft 1.0 (2/28)
  • W Basketball Blog: 2022 WNBA Mock Draft 3.0 (2/16)
  • Beyond Women’s Sports: WNBA Mock Draft 3.0: March Madness Edition (3/14)

Longtime WNBA reporter Brian Martin writes articles on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

NCAA players mentioned in this article will become eligible for the 2022 draft at such point as they renounce their remaining NCAA eligibility and thereby make themselves available for the draft.