Atlanta Dream coach Nicki Collen called it “the most unpredictable draft” she’s ever been a part of in the WNBA. By the fourth pick, everyone who’d filled out a mock draft prior to Thursday night’s virtual event was feeling the same way.

After the Dallas Wings took Charli Collier and Awak Kuier with the first and second picks, as most expected, the Dream bet big on 5-foot-6 Arizona guard and Pac-12 Player of the Year Aari McDonald at No. 3. The Indiana Fever then shocked nearly everyone by taking guard Kysre Gondrezick out of West Virginia. Most mock drafts projected Gondrezick going off the board in the mid-second or third round, so fourth overall was a downright surprise.

The excitement — and talk of disrespect — picked up from there. With plenty of first-round talent plunging down the board, it seems only appropriate that we address the biggest steals of the draft as we inch closer to the first day of competitive WNBA training camps.

Rennia Davis (No. 9, Minnesota Lynx)

As the draft moved toward Minnesota’s first pick at No. 9, with top-tier talent left on the board, you had the feeling of “here we go again.”

Just a year ago, the Lynx had the steal of the draft when they tabbed point guard Crystal Dangerfield with the 16th overall pick. The UConn product went on to average 16.2 points and 3.6 assists in her first WNBA season and win the Rookie of the Year award.

Rennia Davis has the all-around talent to give coach Cheryl Reeve another dangerous, versatile option off the bench. Davis finished her career at Tennessee as one of only four players to rank in the top 10 in points, points per game, rebounds and rebounds per game — putting her in elite company. At 6-foot-2, she has the athleticism to finish around bigger players in the paint and grab rebounds on defense. The Lynx have championship aspirations after swinging big in free agency, and Davis bolsters their case.

Rennia Davis was locked in on her highlights 😂 @Legend_Hooper pic.twitter.com/9I8wO5crk6

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 16, 2021

Dana Evans (No. 13, Dallas Wings)

Wings president Greg Bibb couldn’t believe Evans was still on the board as they prepared to make their fourth pick of the night (the first of the second round). The two-time ACC Player of the Year was a standout guard at Louisville who showcased her elite speed and playmaking ability this past season as a senior.

“I can’t even put into words how much it motivates me,” Evans said in her draft press conference after going 13th overall to Dallas. “I told somebody that I’m ready to just get in the gym tonight. I kind of feel disrespected, overlooked, but that’s just been my career, my path and my journey.”

I had the Wings taking Evans fifth overall in my mock draft because of her talent and ability to compete for a starting spot right away. At point guard, Evans can create offense and open up the floor for Arike Ogunbowale. She’s also a nuisance for opponents on defense and is a threat from 3-point range, where she connected on 35.3 percent of her shots in 2020-21.

The @DallasWings just keep adding more talent 😤

Dana Evans is the first pick in the second round of the WNBA draft. pic.twitter.com/CAtURL6hNR

— espnW (@espnW) April 16, 2021

Natasha Mack (No. 16, Chicago Sky)

Natasha Mack’s senior season at Oklahoma State catapulted her late into the first round of many mock drafts. Named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after leading the nation in blocks (4.0 per game) and ranking ninth in rebounds (12.4), Mack looked like one of the most WNBA-ready bigs.

She fell to the Sky with the fourth pick in the second round and, at first, couldn’t believe how long she’d had to wait.

“I got a little frustrated, like I guess I’m not going to be called anytime soon,” Mack said. “I have a chip on my shoulder. I’m ready. Like I’ve been saying, I’ve always been slept on, so this is nothing new to me. It’s just time to go out there and prove myself.”

The Sky are entering the 2021 season with one of their deepest rosters in years. Mack will be able to learn from one of the best post players in the game, 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Candace Parker, and should provide a spark off the bench as Chicago makes a deep postseason push.

From working in a chicken plant to the @ChicagoSky 👏

What a journey to the @WNBA for Natasha Mack. pic.twitter.com/JBNW5QKJdq

— espnW (@espnW) April 16, 2021

N’dea Jones (No. 23, Seattle Storm)

N’dea Jones’ stats don’t jump off the page, which likely contributed to her drop down the board, but she makes up for it with her basketball IQ and efficiency on both ends of the floor. She also knows how to win, as a key contributor on Texas A&M teams that won over 20 games every year she was there.

“A really big part of my game is rebounding, and it’s really all effort and energy, and I hope I can bring that to Seattle,” Jones said Thursday night. “I hope that the coaches see that I’m a hard worker — I don’t like to quit on plays, I go hard on the boards… I’m a role player, and I think that’s something that’s gotten me far in life.”

Jones averaged a double-double as a senior for the Aggies and was a big reason they lost just one game during the regular season while playing a tough SEC game slate. Developing under players like Breanna Stewart and Katie Lou Samuelson with the Storm will serve Jones well in her WNBA future.

Chelsey Perry (No. 26, Indiana Fever)

The only third-round selection on this list, Chelsey Perry is probably the most accustomed to being overlooked.

A four-year starter at UT Martin in the Ohio Valley Conference, Perry was destroying opposing defenses by her junior and senior seasons. She averaged 22.9 points per game as a senior, 11th in the nation, as well as 7.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. She also improved her 3-point shooting every year (averaging 42.2 percent from beyond the arc in 2020-21), a skill WNBA teams covet in their bigs. With her well-rounded offensive repertoire, Perry ranked seventh in offensive win shares per 40 minutes this past season.

The 6-2 forward will have to prove herself in training camp — the Fever have 20 players competing for 11 or 12 spots based on salary cap totals — but she has the potential to carry the mid-major torch into the WNBA.

Full draft results

First round

1. Dallas Wings — Charli Collier, F/C, Texas

2. Dallas Wings — Awak Kuier, F, Finland

3. Atlanta Dream — Aari McDonald, PG, Arizona

4. Indiana Fever — Kysre Gondrezick, G, West Virginia

5. Dallas Wings — Chelsea Dungee, SG, Arkansas

6. New York Liberty — Michaela Onyenwere, SF, UCLA

7. Los Angeles Sparks — Jasmine Walker, F, Alabama

8. Chicago Sky — Shyla Heal, PG, Australia

9. Minnesota Lynx — Rennia Davis, SF, Tennessee

10. Los Angeles Sparks — Stephanie Watts, G, North Carolina

11. Indiana Fever (from Seattle) — Aaliyah Wilson, SF, Texas A&M

12. Las Vegas Aces — Iliana Rupert, C, France

Second round

13. Dallas Wings — Dana Evans, G, Louisville

14. Las Vegas Aces — Destiny Slocum, G, Arkansas

15. Atlanta Dream — Raquel Carrera, F, Spain

16. Chicago Sky — Natasha Mack, C, Oklahoma State

17. New York Liberty — DiDi Richards, G, Baylor

18. Seattle Storm — Kiana Williams, G, Stanford

19. Indiana Fever — Unique Thompson, F, Auburn

20. Connecticut Sun — DiJonai Carrington, G, Baylor

21. Connecticut Sun — Micaela Kelly, G, Central Michigan

22. Los Angeles Sparks — Arella Guirantes, G, Rutgers

23. Seattle Storm — N’dea Jones, F, Texas A&M

24. Indiana Fever — Trinity Baptiste, F, Arizona

Third round

25. New York Liberty — Valerie Higgins, F, USC

26. Indiana Fever — Chelsey Perry, G/F, UT Martin

27. Atlanta Dream — Lindsey Pulliam, G, Northwestern

28. Los Angeles Sparks — Ivana Raca, F, Wake Forest

29. New York Liberty — Marine Fathoux, G, France

30. Connecticut Sun — Aleah Goodman, G, Oregon State

31. Indiana Fever — Florencia Chagas, G, Argentina

32. Phoenix Mercury — Ciera Johnson, C, Texas A&M

33. Indiana Fever — Maya Caldwell, G, Georgia

34. Los Angeles Sparks — Aina Ayuso, G, Spain

35. Seattle Storm — Natalie Kucowski, F, Lafayette

36. Las Vegas Aces — Kionna Jeter, G, Towson

USWNT stalwart Alex Morgan will miss at least one week of NWSL action after suffering a left ankle knock in her last club appearance, Wave manager Casey Stoney said on Thursday.

Morgan was helped off the field after rolling her ankle in the later stages of the Wave’s 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride last weekend, despite the San Diego side being out of available substitutes.

“She's got an ankle injury and she's out for this weekend, and then it'll be week by week from there,” Stoney said, confirming that Morgan’s been ruled out for Saturday’s showdown with NWSL newcomer Bay FC.

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Depending on its severity, Morgan’s ankle issue might have larger ramifications than missing a few weeks of NSWL play. Morgan was added to the team's Gold Cup roster after an ACL injury sidelined young striker Mia Fishel, and she's since made a number of USWNT starts in the team's Gold Cup and SheBelieves wins. A long-term injury could potentially derail the center forward’s Olympic plans.

With her return timeline uncertain, it's possible the injury could also impact Morgan's ability to participate in new head coach Emma Hayes' first U.S. friendlies in June and July.

Morgan's injury concerns aren't uncommon in the U.S. player pool, but add a sense of urgency as Hayes eyes the NWSL for top-performing players in the upcoming weeks. Gotham's Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle have also been dealing with injuries: Lavelle has yet to appear for Gotham, while Davidson exited last weekend's match early with a hamstring injury.

Gotham has yet to issue an update concerning Davidson's status.

This week, legendary Brazilian superstar Marta announced that she’ll retire from the national team at the end of 2024.

In an interview with CNN Esportes published Thursday, the iconic footballer confirmed that she would be hanging up her boots regardless of whether or not she ends up making Brazil's 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” she said. “There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards.”

Marta will retire as a giant of the women's game, having appeared in five Olympics and multiple World Cups. When discussing her retirement, she stressed confidence in the rising generation of Brazilian players, noting that she was, “very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes." 

The statement echoes back to a plea she made during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after Brazil lost to France 2-1 in the Round of 16. “It's wanting more. It's training more. It's taking care of yourself more. It's being ready to play 90 plus 30 minutes. This is what I ask of the girls,” she said then, addressing the young players following in her footsteps. 

In 2023, she signaled a farewell to World Cup competition with the same sentiment, telling media, “We ask the new generation to continue where we left off.”

If selected for the 2024 Olympic team, Marta has a shot at extending her own consecutive-scoring record with the ability to score in an unbelievable sixth-straight Olympic Games. She currently stands as Brazil’s top goalscorer, racking up 116 career goals in 175 matches, as well as the leading goalscorer in any World Cup, women’s or men’s, with 17 to her name. 

Marta will continue to play for the NWSL’s Orlando Pride through at least the end of 2024. The longtime forward and club captain has already contributed to multiple goals this season.

U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday that the USWNT will play their last home game on July 16th in the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

The 2024 Send-Off Match against Costa Rica will take place at Washington, DC’s Audi Field — home to both the Washington Spirit and DC United — at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 16th. The friendly rounds out a four-game Olympic run-up campaign under incoming head coach Emma Hayes’ side, with the last two set to feature the finalized 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team roster.

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Hayes will appear on the USWNT sideline for the first time this June, helming the team as they embark on a two-game series against Korea Republic hosted by Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on June 1st followed by Allianz Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 4th. 

The team is then scheduled to meet a talented Mexico squad on July 13th at Gotham FC’s Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, where the Olympic-bound lineup will attempt to rewrite February’s shocking 2-0 loss to El Tri Femenil in the group stages of this year’s Concacaf W Gold Cup. And while clear roster favorites have emerged from both of this year’s Gold Cup and SheBelives Cup rosters, a spate of recent and recurring injuries means making it to the Olympics is still largely anyone’s game.

Broadcast and streaming channels for the USWNT's final July 16th friendly at Audi Field include TNT, truTV, Universo, Max, and Peacock.

The USA Basketball Women's National Team is still considering Caitlin Clark for a spot on the Paris Olympics squad, says selection committee chair Jennifer Rizzotti. 

On Monday, Rizzotti told the AP that the committee will be evaluating the college phenom’s Olympic prospects by keeping a close eye on her first few weeks of WNBA play with Indiana.

The move is somewhat unconventional. While Clark was invited to participate in the 14-player national team training camp held earlier this month — the last camp before Team USA’s roster drops — she was unable to attend due to it coinciding with Iowa’s trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

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Judging by the immense talent spread throughout the league in what might be their most hyped season to date, competition for a piece of the Olympic pie could be fiercer than ever before.

"You always want to introduce new players into the pool whether it's for now or the future," said Rizzotti. "We stick to our principles of talent, obviously, positional fit, loyalty and experience. It's got to be a combination of an entire body of work. It's still not going to be fair to some people."

Of course, Clark isn’t the first rookie the committee has made exceptions for. Coming off an exceptional college season that saw her averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for UConn, Breanna Stewart was tapped to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil less than two weeks after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Seattle Storm. Eight years prior, fellow No. 1 pick Candace Parker punched her ticket to the 2008 Games in Beijing just two weeks after making her first appearance for the L.A. Sparks.

In the lead-up to Paris’ Opening Ceremony on July 26th, USA Basketball Women’s National Team is scheduled to play a pair of exhibition games. They'll first go up against the WNBA's finest at the July 20th WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix before facing Germany in London on July 23rd.

While an official roster announcement date hasn’t yet been issued, players won’t find out if they’ve made this year’s Olympic cut until at least June 1st.