New York (AP) – Paige Bueckers is clearly the best known player of Monday draft wnbaBut Dominique Malonga de France is among the most interesting.
Curiosity around the 6 -foot attacker seems to grow.
Advertisement
“She is an incredibly intriguing player because she has size, athletics and the range,” said former director general of Washington Mystics, Mike Thibault. “She has a wide range of skills, which makes her quite intriguing.”
There is not much doubt that Bueckers will have an immediate impact in Dallas on and off the field as the first choice of the team, giving the wings one of the most effective players who have been going out of university for some time.
If other Project players Can offer quick help to the teams will be seen in the coming months. Much of this depends on which team writes players and the way this adjustment is evolving.
This certainly applies to Malonga, who played for the French national team at the Paris Olympic Games from last year.
Advertisement
Still at just 19 years old, she has an average of 15.0 points and 10.3 rebounds this season while playing professional basketball for Lyon.
“If she was in the United States,” said Thibault, “she would be a second year student with all this potential in front of her.”
ESPN analyst Debbie Antonelli thinks that players in this project have a chance to succeed, although they do not bring the recognition of the name or take over the players from last year.
“I think that the time of this class with the expansion and increased value of franchises and in the growth of the game will bring another incredible level of play of these players who have already been on a similar scene,” said Antonelli.
Advertisement
Five League teams do not even have a choice in the first round: New York, Indiana, Phoenix and Atlanta have all exchanged their choices. Las Vegas lost his choice following an investigation by the League in 2023 which noted that the franchise had violated the league rules concerning the inadmissible advantages of players and the working policies.
Washington has three choices in the first round and Connecticut has two. The two teams rebuild and the players could find many minutes available there. There is also the Golden Expansion State franchise which should also have a lot of open points.
Here are some players to keep an eye on who could dictate the processing of the project once Dallas has made Bueckers the N ° 1 planned: selected: selected:
French connection
Advertisement
Malonga is not the only draft player to have perfected his skills in France. Just Jocyte, his Malonga teammate in Lyon in the French basketball league, should also be taken in the first round.
If Seattle takes its second place, it will be associated with an already strong front area alongside Ezi Magbegor and Nneka Ogwumike, which could give the storm a great front line.
Jocyte is a versatile player who can play any of the positions of the guard and is really effective in the pick and roll. The Lithuanian, who is also 19 years old, scored 22 points against Belgium in Eurobasket qualifying a few months ago. She has tenacity about her and is fundamentally solid.
“She is left -handed and knows how to play with or without the ball in her hands,” said Thibault. “Not a real leader, but can manage the ball. He is an intelligent player who knows how to use screens.”
Advertisement
The time of Morrow is today
Aneesah Morrow Has a nose for the ball with the desire to get it.
It has only 6-1, but led the nation in double-doubles, with an average of 18.7 points and 13.5 rebounds per game with LSU to finish second of all time behind Courtney Paris in this category. She is able to grasp boards on much larger opponents and just have a talent to bounce back. She pulled 49% of the field, but most of her shots came from near the basket. It will have to increase its scope.
Markers who are fantastic facilitators
Georgie Amoore And Hailey Van Lith are combo guards that can mark and also distribute to teammates.
Advertisement
Amoore collected an average of 19.6 points and 6.9 assists in Kentucky this season after the transfer of Virginia Tech. At 5-6, she could have more difficulty getting her shot, she did it at university.
Van Lith benefited from playing the Olympic Games and winning a bronze medal with the USA Basketball 3 team against 3 last year. It collected on average 17.7 points and 5.4 assists last season to help TCU reach the elite eight for the first time in school history.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-mazing
