The WNBA is about to embark on its 25th season, having just increased its average viewership by 68 percent during the pandemic-impacted 2020 campaign. And as the year tips off with the 2021 WNBA Draft set to take place Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, an influx of new talent will look to help continue that growth.
The selection show will be hosted virtually for the second consecutive year. The Dallas Wings own three of the first five picks and four total in the first of the three rounds.
Here's NESN.com's predictions for how the first round will go:
No. 1 Dallas Wings -- Charli Collier, C, Texas
Collier isn't the scoring threat you'd except to see from a No. 1 overall pick, but you don't turn down a 6-foot-5 big when presented with the opportunity. Especially when you have three other first-round picks.
No. 2 Dallas Wings -- Aari McDonald, G, Arizona
The point guard got some disrespect this season in the shadow of a certain freshman phenomenon in Connecticut, but McDonald's stock went through the roof after her performance that helped Arizona win the national championship. She may be undersized, but she'll put you in prison on defense.
No. 3 Atlanta Dream -- Awak Kuier, PF, Finland
International players can get risky, but there's something to be said about a 6-foot-5 forward who has shown flashes of a complete offense while competing professionally (Italy's Virtus Eirene Raguse) at just 19 years old.
No. 4 Indiana Fever -- Arella Guirantes, G, Rutgers
If McDonald goes in the top 3, a great option for the Fever would be Guirantes, a top guard in the class who is a natural and efficient scorer, good defender, and has improved her playmaking as well.
No. 5 Dallas Wings -- Rennia Davis, G/F, Tennessee
With as many selections as they have, it's hard to imagine Davis not being a lottery pick. One of, if not the best wing prospects in the draft, the All-SEC First Teamer is incredibly efficient and versatile on defense.
No. 6 New York Liberty -- Natasha Mack, F, Oklahoma State
Mack is a strong defender who led Division I in blocks, made easy by her 6-foot-4 frame and 6-foot-11 (!!!) wingspan. You can't leave that reach on the board too long.
No. 7 Dallas Wings -- Jasmine Walker, F, Alabama
Walker is a 6-foot-3 rebounding machine who averaged a double-double her senior year with the Crimson Tide. The Wings certainly could use her presence grabbing boards.
No. 8 Chicago Sky -- Dana Evans, G, Louisville
The ACC Player of the Year, Evans was the lone senior for Louisville this year. As a result, she did it all for them, specifically on offense. She doesn't have the same defensive chops as McDonald, but she brings it on the other side of the ball.
No. 9 Minnesota Lynx -- Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA
The Lynx could find themselves poised to grab perhaps the best all-around athlete of the class, and certainly one of the most versatile. At 6 feet, she actually can play positions 1 through 5 and it's earned her two All-American distinctions.
No. 10 Los Angeles Sparks -- Kiana Williams, Stanford
Williams is a smart point guard and a solid shooter from deep, but what makes her most impressive is the way she sees the game and has orchestrated Stanford's offense. The 5-foot-8 guard has a great gauge on when to create for herself and others.
No. 11 Seattle Storm -- Chelsea Dungee, G, Arkansas
A much different style of point guard, Dungee is a scoring machine who would fit well off the bench as a deep shooting threat. Not to mention, at 5-foot-11, her size makes her incredibly versatile for defensive-centric lineups. And she gets to learn from Sue Bird's example.
No. 12 Las Vegas Aces -- Dijonai Carrington, G, Baylor
Carrington earned herself some credit in the NBAA tournament as a versatile, defensive-minded guard. She's scrappy on that end, racking up steals and pulling down rebounds. As we saw, she's liable to take over a game on offense, too.
