The year a single college starting lineup conquered the professional draft
In short: In 2019, the WNBA witnessed a historic feat of collegiate dominance. For the first time in league history, every single player from one university's starting lineup was selected in the first 20 picks. It was a rare moment of collective transition from the campus to the professional stage.
The 2019 WNBA draft, held on April 10 at Nike New York headquarters, was defined by a unique concentration of talent from Notre Dame. While the league typically sees a diverse spread of collegiate stars, this year saw all five starters from the Notre Dame program selected within the first 20 picks. This marked just the second time in WNBA history that a single school's starting lineup was drafted in such a concentrated manner.
The path to the draft began months earlier, specifically on August 28, 2018. During the halftime of a playoff game between the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics, the league conducted its draft lottery. Indiana, New York, Las Vegas, and Chicago comprised the four non-playoff sides in the lottery. After choosing A'ja Wilson in 2018 and Kelsey Plum in 2017, the Las Vegas Aces claimed the first pick for a third straight season. The lottery odds were calculated based on the combined records of the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
The draft also served as a hub for immediate roster restructuring. On the day of the event, several notable trades occurred to balance team needs. The Atlanta Dream traded Brianna Turner, one of the Notre Dame players, to the New York Liberty in exchange for Marie Gülich from the Phoenix Mercury. Simultaneously, the Minnesota Lynx traded Natisha Hiedeman from Marquette for Lexie Brown of the Connecticut Sun. These moves highlighted the immediate professional mobility of the new class of talent.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2019 WNBA draft
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