Arike Ogunbowale didn’t watch the 2023 WNBA Draft. She was doing what she does every Monday night — playing pick-up basketball. But her cell phone was close by, and she kept checking it for updates.

Ogunbowale liked what she saw. Dallas not only grabbed NCAA leading scorer Maddy Siegrist at No. 3 overall, but continued to accumulate top-tier shooters as the rest of the draft unfolded, making four selections in the first round and and six overall.

“I thought we did really good,” she says. “It’s pretty much what I envisioned them to be drafting. I was happy with it.”

Since she entered the WNBA as the Dallas Wings’ fifth overall pick in the 2019 draft, Ogunbowale has become the backbone of the franchise, and Dallas has been intent on building the team around her. But while Ogunbowale has racked up many individual accolades over the past four seasons, including WNBA scoring champion in 2020 and All-Star MVP in 2021, the Wings have struggled to achieve consistent roster balance and find success in the postseason. They were bounced from the playoffs in a single-elimination first-round game in 2021 and, after finishing the regular season with a .500 record, lost 2-1 in a first-round series against the Connecticut Sun last season.

At this point in her four-year career, Ogunbowale wants more for her team and for the city of Dallas, which has not had a winning season since 2015 or a playoff series win since 2009. Ogunbowale wants to experience a full postseason run.

“My first year (in the playoffs), that’s when it was still the one and done. Last year’s was two out of three. Sadly, I wasn’t able to play in that because I was injured,” says Ogunbowale, 26. “I’m just excited to actually play a playoff series at that and get a chance to go. But the goal for sure is more than the first round this year.”

It’s not as if Wings president and CEO Greg Bibb hasn’t tried to round out the roster with additional talent and find the best combination of players, particularly through the draft, to try to achieve that same goal.

In 2020, Dallas plucked Satou Sabally (Oregon) with the second overall pick, Bella Alaire (Princeton) with the fifth, Tyasha Harris (South Carolina) with the seventh and Luisa Geiselsöder (Germany) in Round 2. In 2021, the Wings used their first and second picks to grab bigs Charli Collier (Texas) and Awak Kuier (Finland), then added Chelsea Dungee (Arkansas) and Dana Evans (Louisville). The 2022 draft yielded Veronica Burton (Northwestern) and Jazz Bond (North Florida).

Still, out of all of the players drafted in the past four years, only five remain in Dallas — Burton, Collier, Kuier, Sabally and Ogunbowale.

“We’ve been on a multi-year journey in terms of building our roster,” Bibb says. “And I believe we were at a spot by the end of last season where we were very much on the way to where we want to be, but there were several roster-related shortcomings or deficiencies that we wanted to address — first in free agency and then in the draft.”

During the WNBA’s frenetic February free agency period, Dallas picked up Diamond DeShields, Natasha Howard and Crystal Dangerfield through trades. And this year’s draft produced another haul of riches. The Wings cast a wide net, selecting Siegrist (Villanova), Lou Lopez Sénéchal (UConn) and Abby Meyers (Princeton) in the first round, then added Ashley Joens (Iowa State) and Paige Robinson (Illinois State) with their subsequent picks. Dallas also traded future draft picks for the rights to Stephanie Soares (Iowa State), who was originally selected fourth overall by the Washington Mystics.

With six draftees and no trades to garner any future picks for themselves, the Wings appeared to be scooping up as much talent as they could to throw out on the court in training camp this week and see what sticks. It’s seemingly the same script they followed for the past few seasons under former head coaches Brian Agler (2019-20) and Vickie Johnson (2021-22).

Bibb insists that isn’t the case.

“A lot of people ask us about our draft class. It’s kind of become this thing, this narrative that Dallas always drafts a ton of players and always has too many players and not enough spots,” he said in the Wings’ introductory team press conference in April. “I’m not sure where the narrative that Dallas does this over-drafting or draft-and-stash [comes from]. It’s just not what we do.”

After losing their second- and third-leading scorers Marina Mabrey and Allisha Gray in offseason trades, Bibb says he targeted what Dallas needed the most through the draft — shooters. But he also added size for position, focusing on players who have the ability to excel in multiple positions and use their individual skills in a variety of ways on the court.

Siegrist fits that mold perfectly. As the all-time leading scorer in the Big East and the leading scorer in the nation this past season at 29.2 points per game, she has the ability to get buckets at all three levels. More importantly, depending on how many minutes new coach Latricia Trammell grants her, Siegrist can go in and compete right away.

“I love a scorer. You know I’m a scorer, so I love that (Maddy) can score in a lot of different ways and do it easily,” says Ogunbowale. “I think adding her is really good. She has good size, so she’ll help us with that department. But I think she’ll stretch the floor for sure, she can knock it down. I’m really excited about her.”

Soares is still recovering from a torn ACL she suffered in January and is being billed as a future investment, with the hope that she’ll be ready to go next season. Lopez Sénéchal played with a lingering knee injury for the second half of UConn’s season, and it remains to be seen how it will affect her play. But she, along with Meyers, Joens and Robinson, will be front and center of what is expected to be a highly competitive Wings training camp.

Seeing all of the picks taken before and after her, Meyers knows there’s no time to revel in the dream of getting drafted. The reality of the situation is clear to the former Ivy League Player of the Year — every draftee is competing for a spot alongside established young talent and valuable veterans.

“I think for me, I gotta do really well at the intangibles. I have to do really well at the small things,” Meyers says. “So I have to shoot well, I have to move off the ball well, I have to communicate well. I gotta do everything that makes a great all-around player.”

Since arriving in Dallas, Meyers has been hitting the gym and training with the other rookies, having fun and soaking up as much knowledge as she can. She’s also spoken with some of the vets, including DeShields, who told her to drop the rookie mindset and remember that, at the end of the day, they’re all pros.

“I know what I need to show and work on,” Meyers says. “But yeah, it’s gonna come down to the little things I think. It’s gonna come down to consistency, come down to meeting expectations of not only myself as a player, but also the expectations of what the coaches are looking for in a player for the team.”

Dallas currently has 18 players on its roster and only 12 open slots. As has become the norm, getting drafted in the second and third rounds is often more of an open invitation than a guarantee. But Trammell has said she’s going to treat every player that steps on the court as if they’re going to be with the team all season.

“It’s probably the most competitive that it’s been, honestly even since before I was here,” Ogunbowale says. “There’s so many good players — the players we have now and the players added, we got a lot of players in free agency. I think it’s gonna be super, super competitive. I’m excited to watch people compete, I’m excited to obviously compete against them. Hopefully my spot is locked down.”

“The competition is unreal.” 🔥
- Coach LT following day 1️⃣ of camp pic.twitter.com/i8sO9Rkimq

— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) April 30, 2023

As camp begins and the WNBA season fast approaches, the Wings’ new coaching staff has their work cut out for them. With the roster cutdown deadline set for May 18 and their season opener against the Atlanta Dream on May 20, the Wings have just over two weeks to finalize the roster and figure out rotations, player combinations and positions with the hope of contending in a newly top-heavy league.

The question remains: Will this be the year it all comes together?

Ogunbowale is optimistic.

“I think this is gonna be our best year yet. I feel like with the new coaching staff, they’re excited and seem super knowledgeable in the sport and just want to see us be great. They seem like they’re putting everything together to give us the tools to be great,” she says.

“I think we have players now that are super skilled, that have won championships. Just adding those other pieces and the pieces that we have, I think it’s gonna be a really good season for us.”

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering the WNBA. She also contributes to The Athletic and is the co-author of Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League. Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21.

Fresh off an action-packed and historic NCAA Tournament, the WNBA will welcome its next class of rookies at the 2023 draft in New York City on Monday night.

Now that the WNBA has released the official list of players who have declared for the WNBA Draft, it’s time for our final mock draft. Barring any trades, here is my projection for every team’s first-round pick heading into the 2023 season.

1. Indiana Fever

Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina

Boston has been our projected No. 1 pick since we started our 2023 mock draft in November, so it’s no surprise she remains at the top now. The Fever could use a dominant post presence to add to their repertoire of young, promising talent, and Boston is exactly that player.

The 6-foot-5 South Carolina center officially declared for the draft after the Gamecocks lost in the Final Four, putting to rest the rumors she might use an additional year of NCAA eligibility. Boston bore the brunt of double and triple teams the last two years, closing out her senior season averaging 13 points, 9.8 rebounds and two blocks on 54.8 percent shooting from the field. Boston makes an impact as much on the defensive end as she does on offense, winning the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.

2. Minnesota Lynx

Diamond Miller, G, Maryland

Beyond specific positional needs, the Lynx are searching for sheer talent and a franchise player with this No. 2 pick.

Miller arguably has the most upside of any player on the draft board. The 6-3 guard has a pro-ready build, is a high-level competitor and was dominant all season long, leading Maryland in scoring with 19.7 points per game. She can do a little bit of everything, but the most impressive aspect of Miller’s game is her ability to grab a rebound, advance the ball and make decisions in the open floor. She is a major threat when going downhill. Miller’s production was consistent throughout her senior season, and she took her game to another level against top-ranked opponents and on the biggest stages.

3. Dallas Wings

Maddy Siegrist, F, Villanova

Siegrist steadily worked her way up our draft board this season as she showcased her length, efficiency and sheer dominance on the offensive end of the floor. The nation’s leading scorer at 29.2 points per game in 2023, Siegrist would fill a lot of scoring holes for the Wings. She is the most dominant and prolific scorer in this class and, at 6-2, is anything but one-dimensional. She can stretch the floor, as evidenced by her career 34.9 percent 3-point shooting, and she is highly efficient from the floor, averaging a 48.3 field-goal percentage for her career.

4. Washington Mystics

Stephanie Soares, F/C, Iowa State

The 6-6 center is officially draft eligible after she tore her ACL 13 games into the college season and was denied a waiver for an additional year of NCAA eligibility. Soares joined the Cyclones in 2022 after being named two-time NAIA Player of the Year. Even though her first season at the Power 5 level was cut short, her impact and potential were felt immediately.

Players with Soares’ skill set and size don’t come around very often. She can protect the rim with her length and athleticism, and she can also stretch the floor with a strong 3-point shot. In 13 games this season, Soares averaged 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds while shooting 54.4 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from the perimeter. While she needs to get healthy and rehab her knee, which will force her to miss the upcoming WNBA season, Soares brings a unique package of size, length and skill that teams would be crazy not to consider. With the right development, her best basketball is ahead of her.

5. Dallas Wings

Jordan Horston, G, Tennessee

If Horston is available here, Dallas has the opportunity to lock up an elite wing with next-level potential. When Horston is at her best, she is one of the most elite players in the country. That potential was on full display in the postseason, with Horston averaging 19 points during Tennessee’s run to the SEC tournament championship game and 16 points in the NCAA Tournament.

At 6-2, Horston has length and athleticism that should translate well to the next level on both ends of the floor. She can score, rebound the ball and elevate over opponents, and her passing ability is underrated. The guard had her most efficient scoring season for Tennessee in 2022-23, shooting 43.8 percent from the field.

6. Atlanta Dream

Haley Jones, G, Stanford

Atlanta will have the chance to add versatility, shot creation and defense with this pick. Jones has long been touted as a lottery selection, so if she were to drop to this point, the Dream could be getting a steal.

Jones is a cerebral player with a proven ability to make those around her better. The 6-1 guard is in a category of her own in this draft class. She can initiate offense as a point-forward, averaging a career-best four assists per game this season, and when she gets downhill in the open floor, her decision-making is elite. On defense, she can handle any matchup handed to her and would fit right into head coach Tanisha Wright’s defensive system.

Jones’ downside is her perimeter shooting: She made only three 3-pointers this past season under 10 percent from deep. She will need to continue to develop her range to stretch defenses at the next level.

7. Indiana Fever

Grace Berger, G, Indiana

The Fever could go in a number of different directions with this pick. In Berger, Indiana would not only be getting an in-state college product but also one of the most experienced and composed players in the draft class. The 6-0 guard has the “it” factor as a tough and disciplined competitor.

While Indiana’s roster looks guard-heavy at first glance, Berger would bring a unique skill set with her mid-range efficiency and her ability to play on or off the ball and rebound from the guard spot. Berger averaged a career-best 5.8 assists per game for Indiana this season, and while she’s not known for her 3-point shot, she averaged 40.7 percent from range this season. Her on-court leadership would be a welcome addition to the Fever’s young, rebuilding roster.

8. Atlanta Dream

Dorka Juhász, F, UConn

Atlanta needs to address interior depth, and with many of the top post prospects returning to the NCAA, this class is slim at the position. Within that group, Juhász stands out as one of the most consistent forwards from her time playing professionally in Hungary and at top collegiate programs in Ohio State and UConn.

At 6-5, Juhász has an elite combination of skill and size, with the mobility and versatility to score and defend. What flies under the radar are her overall basketball IQ and playmaking ability. She averaged a double-double this season for UConn, with 14.5 points and 10 rebounds per game, while also averaging 3.2 assists. Juhász impacts nearly every statistical category and has done so at the highest levels.

9. Seattle Storm

Zia Cooke, G, South Carolina

More than any other team in the league, the Storm need depth in the backcourt. Cooke is coming off one her best and most consistent seasons at South Carolina, having averaged 15.4 points per game while shooting a career-best 40.5 percent from the field. In addition to her scoring, she improved in nearly every area of her game this past season, and her draft stock rose with it. With the ball in her hands more often, she registered the fewest turnovers of her career. If Cooke falls to No. 9, Seattle cannot miss out on the opportunity to select her.

Coming off of playing under Dawn Staley and in three straight Final Fours, Cooke will enter the WNBA with a pro-ready mentality. In South Carolina’s loss to Iowa in the national semifinal, the 5-9 guard stepped up with a team-high 24 points as other players faltered on offense. In Cooke, Seattle would be getting a dynamic scorer and a player capable of initiating the offense, something they desperately need.

10. Los Angeles Sparks

Lou Lopez Sénéchal, G/F, UConn

The Sparks are in dire need of a scoring wing who can stretch the floor as a perimeter threat, and there are several promising prospects who fit that profile.

Lopez Sénéchal made the jump from Fairfield to UConn this past season and thrived in the high-pressure atmosphere as one of the best shotmakers in the country. She increased her efficiency while taking fewer shots per game, shooting a career-best 47.6 percent from the floor and 44 percent from the 3-point line. The 6-1 grad student was forced to step up as UConn dealt with injuries to several key players throughout the season, and she responded, helping the Huskies reach the Sweet 16. Lopez Sénéchal is just the type of wing who could be thrown into the fire her rookie season and produce right away.

11. Dallas Wings

Taylor Mikesell, G, Ohio State

Like the Sparks, the Wings need to add perimeter shooting and should be able to address it with their three first-round picks. Mikesell has a pro-ready frame, skill set and understanding of the game that should translate well to the next level. She is at her best when she can play alongside other aggressive, shot-creating guards. And when she can run off actions and get to her spots, she is one of the most efficient shooters in the country.

Mikesell has proven extremely durable over her career, especially this past season as she helped carry an injury-ridden Ohio State team that was without guard Jacy Sheldon for most of the year. Despite being the focal point of opposing scouting reports every night, the 5-11 guard shot 41.4 percent from deep and showed she can score in other ways. Mikesell has the tools to thrive as a pro when defenses aren’t honed in on her specifically.

12. Minnesota Lynx

Ashley Joens, G/F, Iowa State

Minnesota has a lot of holes to fill, but at this point in the draft, it comes down to the best player still remaining on the board. Joens fits the mold as a tough player with a unique skill set and five years of high-level experience. She has a nonstop motor and a strong work ethic, and when faced with adversity, she finds ways to impact games and manufacture points.

The 6-1 guard averaged 21.6 points per game and 35.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc for the Cyclones this season. She is a career 35.7-percent 3-point shooter with over 950 attempts from the perimeter during her last five seasons in Ames. She makes the right reads, exposes mismatches and creates offense when she needs to. She is also a strong rebounder from the guard spot and can play with her back to the basket. Joens is rarely rattled on the court, but she’ll need to be able to transition from being the go-to player to being efficient while taking way fewer shots in the WNBA.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

The 2023 WNBA Draft is almost here, with some of the nation’s top college stars available.

Just Women’s Sports breaks down everything you need to know ahead of the big event.

When is it?

The 2023 WNBA Draft is set for 7 p.m. ET Monday, April 10, in New York City.

Where can I watch the draft?

All three rounds of the draft will air on ESPN and ESPN+.

Who are the names to know?

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

• Boston is one of four Gamecocks players who you should keep your eyes on heading into the draft. The presumptive No. 1 pick, the 6-5 forward swept the national player of the year awards in 2022 and finished as the runner-up for those awards in 2023.

Stephanie Soares, Iowa State

• WNBA GMs reportedly like what they see in Soares, who was one of Iowa State’s best players before tearing her ACL in early January. After making the jump from the NAIA, Soares averaged 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game through 13 games. Just Women’s Sports’ Rachel Galligan even dubbed Soares as a potential “unicorn” based on her abilities to have a long WNBA career.

Maddy Siegrist, Villanova

• Siegrist played her way into a first-round pick this season, having a career-best year while leading the nation in scoring with 29.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. She became the Big East’s all-time leading scorer and she broke a record held by Kelsey Plum, scoring at least 20 points in every single game this season.

Diamond Miller, Maryland

• The 6-3 guard has a ton of upside, having dominated all season long with a team-leading 19.7 points per game. She also has range on the perimeter, and she is an outstanding rebounder that could help lift any team to new heights.

What is the draft order?

First round

• 1. Indiana Fever
• 2. Minnesota Lynx
• 3. Dallas Wings
• 4. Washington Mystics
• 5. Dallas Wings
• 6. Atlanta Dream
• 7. Indiana Fever
• 8. Atlanta Dream
• 9. Seattle Storm
• 10. Los Angeles Sparks
• 11. Dallas Wing
• 12. Minnesota Lynx

Second round

• 13. Indiana Fever
• 14. Los Angeles Sparks
• 15. Atlanta Dream
• 16. Minnesota Lynx
• 17. Indiana Fever
• 18. Seattle Storm
• 19. Dallas Wings
• 20. Washington Mystics
• 21. Seattle Storm
• 22. Connecticut Sun
• 23. Chicago Sky
• 24. Minnesota Lynx

Third round

• 25. Indiana Fever
• 26. Los Angeles Sparks
• 27. Phoenix Mercury
• 28. Minnesota Lynx
• 29. Phoenix Mercury
• 30. New York Liberty
• 31. Dallas Wings
• 32. Washington Mystics
• 33. Seattle Storm
• 34. Connecticut Sun
• 35. Chicago Sky
• 36. Las Vegas Aces

As the college basketball season comes to a close, players are declaring for the 2023 WNBA Draft, with nearly 80 already throwing their hats in the ring.

Players have 48 hours after their final collegiate game to declare their intent to enter the draft. So far, those who have declared include Tennessee’s Jordan Horston and Iowa State’s Stephanie Soares. Stanford’s Haley Jones, Indiana’s Grace Berger and Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist also feature on the list.

But others, including Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson, have opted to stay at their colleges another year.

Projected No. 2 overall pick Diamond Miller has yet to declare for the draft following Maryland’s loss to South Carolina on Monday, with the clock ticking. The senior also could opt to use her COVID-19 eligibility year.

Other players who could return to use their COVID years include South Carolina seniors Zia Cooke, Brea Beal and even presumptive No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston, who remained coy when asked Monday about whether or not she planned to return to the Gamecocks for a fifth season. Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley also will have a choice to make following the end of the Hokies’ run in the NCAA Tournament.

The WNBA has utilized the opt-in process since 2021, when the NCAA granted every winter sport athlete an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023 WNBA Draft is set to take place at 7 p.m. ET Monday, April 10.

View the full list of players who have declared for the draft here.

March still has plenty of madness left for college basketball fans as the Sweet 16 tips off Friday, but as the season draws to a close, so too are the campaigns of the biggest stars in the game. There have been plenty of memorable performances this season, both by teams and individuals.

While the remaining 16 squads battle it out for the NCAA title, it’s time for individual awards. Here are my picks for Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year and the All-American Teams.

Player of the Year: Caitlin Clark, Iowa

It’s been the year of Caitlin Clark in women’s basketball. The Iowa star is averaging 26.8 points per game (third in the country), 8.6 assists per game (first in the country) and 7.3 rebounds per game. Stats aren’t everything, but Clark’s paint a compelling picture. This season, she’s led her team to a 28-6 record, a Big Ten tournament title and, so far, an appearance in the Sweet 16 (the Hawkeyes play Colorado on Friday afternoon for a spot in the Elite Eight).

Thanks to her logo 3-pointers, Clark is regarded as a prolific scorer. The junior certainly knows how to put the ball in the basket, but there is much more to her game. Her ability to read the floor, run the fastbreak and find teammates with precise passes is also what sets her apart.

The Hawkeyes are an excellent offensive team, scoring an NCAA-leading 87.4 points per game. Offensively, everything that happens for Iowa happens because of Caitlin Clark. And for that reason, she’s my Player of the Year.

Coach of the Year: Lynne Roberts, Utah

In just one season, Roberts has elevated her team from a middle-of-the-pack Pac-12 squad (8-7 conference record, 21-12 overall in 2021-22), to one of the conference’s best contenders. The Utes finished the regular season with just four losses, including an undefeated record at home. They also reached their highest-ever AP ranking, rising to No. 3 at one point, and now find themselves in the Sweet 16 for just the third time in school history.

Roberts had a solid foundation last season, with players like Kennedy McQueen, Jenna Johnson, Gianna Keepkens and Issy Palmer all returning after a first-round victory in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. And while the Utes would have been good with that core, Roberts set out to make them great by securing Alissa Pili from USC in the transfer portal.

Roberts managed to integrate Pili into the lineup seamlessly and, with just one addition, changed the make-up of her entire team.

Defensive Player of the Year: Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

The reigning DPOY gets the nod once again as she continues to dominate for undefeated South Carolina. Boston has her team positioned as the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament once more, and her defense is a big reason why.

She’s averaging 2.0 blocks and 6.3 defensive rebounds per game, but more importantly, offenses have to game plan around the South Carolina big. She changes the way teams attack the Gamecocks because they have to be wary of her in the paint. Boston also allows her teammates to be aggressive in their defensive matchups because, if they get beat, she’s there to clean up with a block, an altered shot or a rebound.

South Carolina allows the fewest points per game in the country at 50.6, a statistic made possible by their rim protector.

Freshman of the Year: Ta’Niya Latson

Unfortunately, Latson didn’t get to showcase her skills in the NCAA Tournament. An injury kept the guard on the bench during Florida State’s opening-round loss to Georgia, but she did enough during the regular season to secure the Freshman of the Year award.

Latson, a five-star recruit, more than lived up to the hype in her first season at Florida State. She helped her team to a 23-10 record after the Seminoles went 17-14 the season before. Her 21.9 points per game ranked 11th among all NCAA players, and she contributed 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Latson recorded 34 points twice this season, 32 points twice and 31 points on three separate occasions.

The guard was also consistent with her scoring, finishing with fewer than 15 points only five times this season, and scoring in double figures in 29 of 31 games.

All-Americans

First Team

Caitlin Clark (Iowa), Aliyah Boston (South Carolina), Alissa Pili (Utah), Maddy Siegrist (Villanova), Angel Reese (LSU)

Second Team

Elizabeth Kitley (Virginia Tech), MaKenzie Holmes (Indiana), Diamond Miller (Maryland), Cameron Brink (Stanford), Olivia Miles (Notre Dame)

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Caitlin Clark headlined the list of four Naismith Player of the Year finalists released Tuesday, but one notable name was missing.

Iowa’s star junior is joined as a finalist by South Carolina senior Aliyah Boston, as well as Virginia Tech senior Elizabeth Kitley and Villanova senior Maddy Siegrist. Boston, who won the award last season, has led the Gamecocks to an undefeated record, while Siegrist leads the NCAA in scoring with 29.1 points per game.

Yet while all of these players have shined for their teams, the absence of LSU sophomore Angel Reese from their company was no less glaring.

🚨 ATTENTION🚨: Introducing the @jerseymikes Naismith Women's College Player of the Year Finalists🏀

Click the 🔗 to see the list: https://t.co/3b7enTpAXE pic.twitter.com/Y4CxVqiiJj

— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) March 21, 2023

Reese averages 23.8 points per game (fifth in Division I) and 15.7 rebounds per game (second in Division I) as a veritable double-double machine, with 27 in the regular season. She broke Sylvia Fowles’ program record for consecutive double-doubles in her first season at LSU after transferring from Maryland.

While Reese did make the list of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith award, she did not make the cut as a finalist. Neither did she make the list of semifinalists for the John R. Wooden Award, though LSU later revealed the sophomore is ineligible for that award as she does not meet all of the criteria.

Among the four finalists, Clark averages 8.6 assists per game, which puts her first in the NCAA in that category. She also ranks first in 3-pointers per game (3.38) and triple-doubles (four this season) and third in points per game (26.8). The Iowa guard is the only player in the country to average more than 20 points, five assists and five rebounds per game.

Boston likely is Clark’s greatest competition across the Player of the Year races. The South Carolina center is ranked in the top five in the country in both offensive and defensive player rating. Even in what would be considered a down year by her high standards, Boston is averaging 13.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

Out of Villanova, Siegrist has not scored less than 21 points in any game this season. In seven games, she has scored 35 points or more, and she scored a career-high 50 in a February game against Seton Hall.

For Virginia Tech, Kitley won the ACC Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season. The 6-6 center is averaging 18.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game for the Hokies, and she also became the program’s all-time leading scorer.

The NCAA Tournament not only provides basketball fans with chills and thrills. March Madness also provides a sneak peek at the stars soon to join the WNBA ranks.

Just Women’s Sports analyst Rachel Galligan projected every first-round pick for the 2023 WNBA Draft in April. Based on her mock draft, here are the four potential lottery picks to watch as the NCAA Tournament gets underway.

Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina

The consensus No. 1 pick leads the No. 1 overall seed into the tournament with her sights set on a repeat title. Boston and the Gamecocks won the national championship against UConn last year, and the undefeated Gamecocks look even stronger this time around.

While Boston’s stats have not been as strong this season, her 13.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game are nonetheless impressive — especially when considering the heavy defensive pressure the 6-foot-5 post receives from opponents.

JWS Bracket Challenge: Sign up for a chance to win $150,000!

Diamond Miller, G, Maryland

The second-seeded Terrapins lost four of their starters in the offseason, two to the transfer portal and two to graduation. But you wouldn’t know it to look at them, in large part thanks to the skill and composure of Miller, their lone holdover in the starting lineup.

The 6-3 guard is averaging 19.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game for Maryland, the best numbers of her career. After an injury-plagued junior season, she has looked stronger than ever in her senior season.

Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee

The high-profile transfer had a rocky start to her Tennessee tenure, as she was benched for two games in early December due to a coach’s decision.

Since her return, though, Jackson has flourished for the fourth-seeded Volunteers. The 6-2 forward leads the team with 19.6 points per game, and she is peaking at the right time, with a 26-point double-double to lead Tennessee over LSU in the SEC tournament semifinals.

Haley Jones, G, Stanford

Jones’ value comes in her versatility. The 6-1 guard can score, she can create plays, and she can defend with the best of them. For Stanford this season, she is averaging 13.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

The No. 1 seed in the second Seattle region, Cardinal have lost two of their last three games — to Utah in their regular-season finale and to UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals. But with Jones’ steady presence, they still have what it takes to reach the Final Four for a third consecutive season.

Maddy Siegrist is putting the college basketball world on notice heading into Villanova’s weekend clash with conference rival UConn.

The senior forward scored a career-high 50 points in the No. 14 Wildcats’ win last Saturday against Seton Hall. That total also set the high-water mark for the season across women’s and men’s college basketball.

Siegrist followed that up with a 39-point performance Wednesday against St. John’s. has a double-double in each of her last three games, and she has not scored less than 21 points in any game this season.

While the reigning Big East Player of the Year entered the year as the favorite to win the award again, she’s risen to another level as Villanova (23-4) prepares to host No. 6 UConn (23-4) in front of a sellout crowd at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday.

The scene following a Villanova win and 39-point performance for Poughkeepsie, New York native Maddy Siegrist on the road at St. John’s.

Women’s sports >>> 🥹🥹❤️❤️@novawbb @BIGEASTWBB @20sMaddy pic.twitter.com/MpAzDIM8io

— Kim Adams (@Kim_Adams1) February 16, 2023

Not only does Siegrist lead the NCAA with 29.4 points per game, she is outscoring her nearest challenger, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (27.2), by more than two points per game. She has made 53.8% of her field goal attempts and 41.1% of her 3-point attempts this season.

In her 50-point performance, she broke the Villanova record for points in a single game, and she already broke the program’s career points record, both marks previously held by Shelly Pennefather. While Pennefather became a cloistered nun after her starring for Villanova in the 1980s, Siegrist had the chance to meet her as a freshman and held onto her words of encouragement.

“She said to me, ‘Why don’t you go break every record?'” Siegrist said. “I was almost in shock.”

In her senior season, Siegrist can’t stop breaking records. Also in her 50-point game, she became the all-time leading scorer in the history of Philadelphia women’s Division I college basketball with 2,610 and counting. She set Big East records for points (50) and made field goals (20) in a single game.

“I always wanted to be one of the better players, but I never thought, no, I never could have thought that,” she said. “Not right away at least.”