With the 2023 NCAA Women’s Tournament underway, the work for WNBA teams gets off to a rapid start.
For the Seattle Storm, their desired prospects in the upcoming draft play under the bright lights of March Madness. As a part of their rebuilding efforts, the draft is the key to their success. With the No. 9 pick in the upcoming draft, there are many options for success to return in the Emerald City.
A Storm Rages In The Sweet 16
The first prospect leading her team to the Sweet 16 is UCLA Bruins senior guard Charisma Osborne. Her 15.9 points per game during the season is good for fifth in the Pac-12. In Round 2 of the tournament, she posted a career-high 36 points against Oklahoma. Osborne adds her defensive play-making by notching 1.5 steals per game during each of her four collegiate campaigns. She would fill a position vacated by Sue Bird and fit well with veteran Kia Nurse and young guard Jade Melbourne to mentor her in the pros.
Your regularly scheduled AND-OOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE tweet 🗣️
📺: ESPN2
📲: https://t.co/k4TYTqJZEU#GoBruins | #MarchMadness | @CharismaOsborne pic.twitter.com/BUlVFvRPTQ— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 21, 2023
Another prospect that can help Seattle is UConn senior guard Lou Lopez Senechal.
The Storm could select another Husky which has proven past success with Bird and Breanna Stewart. Senechal has averaged 15.3 points per game and shoots a team-high 43.5% from three-point land this season. Even though she may not be the star, she has stepped up with injuries to Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.
Senechal has proven her importance to the team and has earned the respect of her head coach, Geno Auriemma. She scored 22 points in a win against 14th ranked Villanova and Auriemma said, “If we didn’t have Lou, I hate to think where we would be.” Seattle needs a player like Senechal to add to their three-point wing depth. She’s a perfect fit behind Jewell Loyd, and Sami Whitcomb, who can also mentor her as veterans of the league.
The Storm have two more picks in the second and third rounds, where the deep sleepers can be identified.
Sleepless In Seattle
The second and third rounds of the draft become very interesting for rebuilding teams, but they are usually just a formality for Seattle. With their retooling mantra, however, they will likely keep their second-round selection on the roster.
A prospect that would improve the Storm’s post depth is another UConn Husky, Dorka Juhasz. She has averaged 14.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game this season. The senior forward has the size and passing ability to earn a WNBA roster spot. She also has the UConn lineage which is known for producing rewarding pro talent. She stands at 6’5″ and would add depth to the center position behind Ezi Magbegor and Mercedes Russell.
Juhasz has the talent to warrant a first-round selection even if others may not see her value.
Another sleeper that would improve Seattle is Iowa State wing, Ashley Joens. The five-year Cyclone averaged 26.7 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting 40.6 percent from the field during their run at a Big 12 tournament title. Joens really improved her draft stock during the tournament, showing she is a pure shooter and a high-volume scorer. Her usability will likely take a dip in the WNBA, but it likely won’t matter with her development and shooting ability.
Like Senechal, Joens will fit well behind Whitcomb and Loyd as another wing, but will likely be a second-round pick. Although she could fall to the bottom of the first round, Joens has the ceiling of a mid-first-round pick.
Emerald City Madness
In the upcoming draft, the Seattle Storm have three picks, and they could keep all of them. There is no better time than the NCAA tournament to watch how their desired prospects perform under the bright lights. Even if certain prospects aren’t competing in March Madness, the work for them is just beginning for their pro careers.
The question remains for the team in the Pacific Northwest: Who will they add to their thunderous rebuild in the 2023 WNBA Draft?
