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

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins gives a postmortem on this era of the Las Vegas Aces, before claiming the Liberty as WNBA championship frontrunners and prepping for Tuesday's Game 5 semifinal between the Lynx and the Sun.

Then, she chats about Orlando’s incredible run to the 2024 NWSL Shield, the individual NWSL records primed to fall, and aimlessness further down the league table.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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After splitting their first four games, tonight's Game 5 semifinal will determine who will go on to face New York in the 2024 WNBA Finals: the Minnesota Lynx or the Connecticut Sun.

The two teams' best-of-five series has been the tightest of the 2024 postseason thus far. Both claimed one road win and one at home, and even the series score sheet is wildly close, with the Lynx putting up 321 points across the four games and the Sun posting 315.

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New WNBA season, same elimination game matchup

Tonight's tilt marks the pair's second-straight season competing in a winner-takes-all playoff showdown after the Sun beat the Lynx 90-75 in Game 3 of 2023's first round.

"At this point, you know each other inside and out," said Sun coach Stephanie White after Sunday's win. "It's about players making plays. It’s about the extra efforts. The hustle plays. It's about not being denied and finding something deep inside of you that allows you to come out on top."

Unlike the Lynx, the Sun have the added motivation of hunting a franchise-first WNBA championship. Minnesota, on the other hand, boasts four titles already, most recently in 2017.

It's something top-of-mind for veteran Sun forward DeWanna Bonner, who called the atmosphere in Minneapolis for Game 1 and 2 "absolutely insane."

"I can only imagine what it will be like in a Game 5. We know that," Bonner continued. "I wouldn’t tell the team anything other than focus in on each other. They have great fans, championship fans. They’ve won multiple championships. They’re hungry for another one."

Stats pave a complicated road to the Finals

To overcome Minnesota's hunger, Connecticut will likely defer to Sunday's winning formula. The return of guard Ty Harris from injury had an immediate impact, as did the Sun's performance behind the arc — Connecticut sank 53% of their three-pointers while the Lynx failed to crack 40%.

For their part, Minnesota will be aiming to stifle Connecticut's offense, which saw five Sun players score double-digits on Sunday.

"We have to get back to what got us in this position in the first place, which is our defense," noted Lynx star Napheesa Collier, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

How to watch Sun vs. Lynx in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA semifinals

The Sun and Lynx will tip off in Minneapolis at 8 PM ET tonight, with live broadcast and streaming coverage on ESPN2.

With three regular-season matches left, the still-undefeated Orlando Pride clinched the 2024 NWSL Shield with Sunday's rainy 2-0 win over the second-place Washington Spirit.

Marta converted the 57th-minute game-winning penalty kick, securing her team's first-ever piece of hardware with her eighth goal of the season.

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"I stayed here because I want to make history with this team," the Brazilian soccer icon, who's been with the Pride for eight years, said afterwards. "And then we did tonight, and then we go for more."

Though the Pride's dominance this season is unmatched, Washington was notably without several key players. Between injuries and yellow card suspensions, the Spirit faced Orlando without Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger, Hal Hershfelt, Leicy Santos, or Ouleye Sarr.

Chawinga ties Kerr's NWSL scoring record

It took less than two minutes for Kansas City's Temwa Chawinga to find the back of the net in Saturday's 2-0 win over Louisville, tying former Chicago Red Star Sam Kerr's single-season NWSL scoring record with her 18th goal.

With three matchdays to go, the Malawian striker is all but guaranteed to upend Kerr's 2019 record.

"I think that Temwa's ability to get behind the line and then drive towards the goal, and being aggressive going towards the goal, is something that differentiates her," KC head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the match. "Temwa's just a pure goalscorer. We're happy that she's done it for us this season and hopefully she continues to do it."

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Other noteworthy NWSL results

In other NWSL news, fifth-place North Carolina punched their postseason ticket with Saturday's 2-1 win over San Diego. The day before, last-place Houston become the first club eliminated from the 2024 playoff picture.

Gotham’s 5-1 Saturday blowout of Bay has the defending NWSL champs achingly close to leaping second-place Washington on the table. The two clubs are tied for points, with the Spirit's shrinking goal differential giving them the tenuous edge.

On the other hand, Saturday's 2-1 loss to 12th-place Utah extended Portland's NWSL winless streak to seven matches. The Thorns are remarkably still in seventh-place, but sit tied for points with eighth-place Bay FC. With lower-table teams hungry to rise above the postseason cutoff line, every match left could see Portland fall from contention.

Sunday's WNBA semifinals action saw top-seeded New York end back-to-back defending champion Las Vegas's season while the Connecticut Sun staved off elimination to force a deciding Game 5 against the Minnesota Lynx.

New York ends Aces' WNBA three-peat campaign

The Liberty claimed a second-straight trip to the WNBA Finals with Sunday's 76-62 victory​ over the Aces, ending to the defending champs' three-peat dream in four semifinal matchups.

After being held to just four points in Game 3, Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 22 points. Teammate Breanna Stewart was just behind with a 19-point, 14-rebound double-double.

Though New York led nearly wire-to-wire, Las Vegas kept Game 4 within reach, thanks in large part to three-time MVP A'ja Wilson's 19 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks. The Aces trailed by just two points after three quarters, but a 16-2 fourth-quarter Liberty run ultimately earned them the win.

"They've been the best team all year — let's be real," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon said about New York after the game. "Their group earned it. They earned it all year."

Having walked away disappointed last season, New York — the only original franchise still playing without a title — knows that nothing is guaranteed in their upcoming sixth Finals appearance.

"We haven't done anything yet," a fired up Ionescu said after Sunday's win. "We're three wins away, and that’s really important to understand. We got to come out and we got to punch because nothing has been given to us yet."

How to watch the Liberty in the 2024 WNBA Finals

Game 1 of the best-of-five Finals tips off in Brooklyn at 8 PM ET on Thursday. Live coverage will air on ESPN.

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Connecticut forces winner-take-all Game 5 against Minnesota

After Friday's home-court loss to Minnesota, the Sun tied up their semifinal series with a come-from-behind 92-82 win on Sunday, forcing a winner-take-all Game 5.

Trailing by seven points at the break, Connecticut staged a second-half comeback. The Sun outscored the Lynx 49-32 to keep their first-ever WNBA title dream alive.

Ty Harris led Connecticut with a career-high 20 points in her post-injury return to the starting lineup. Four of her teammates also put up double-digits: Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner each had 18 points and eight rebounds, while DiJonai Carrington and Marina Mabrey added 15 and 10 points, respectively.

2024 Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, who led the Lynx with a 29-point, 13-rebound double-double, said her team needs to step it up when the series moves back to Minnesota on Tuesday.

"We have to go home and defend our home court. We're both playing for our lives, so we have to play with that level of intensity," Collier said after the loss.

How to watch Sun vs. Lynx in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA semifinals

The Sun and Lynx will tip off Game 5 in Minneapolis at 8 PM ET on Tuesday. Live coverage will air on ESPN2.