Malian basketball standout Sika Kone is reportedly entering the 2022 WNBA Draft, according to Howard Megdal of The Next Hoops.

At just 19 years old, Kone has played with SPAR Gran Canaria in the Spanish Endesa Women’s League since 2019. In an interview with El Perimetro, Kone called the WNBA “a dream since I was very little.” She also cited Candace Parker as someone she looks up to.

“I watch a lot of Candace Parker videos,” she told the website. “I love how she plays and I want to be like her in the future. How she plays, her movements… I like everything about her.”

So far this season, the power forward is averaging 14.2 points and 12.2 rebounds with Gran Canaria and is a candidate for regular season MVP.

In addition to her success overseas, Kone also had a standout summer with the Malian U19 National Team at the 2021 U19 FIBA World Cup in Hungary. Named to the tournament’s All-Star Five, Kone averaged 19.7 points and 14.8 rebounds throughout the tournament. Under her leadership, the Mali U19 team became the first African team to qualify for the semifinals of the U19 Women’s World Cup.

The Washington Mystics are set to pick first overall after winning the 2022 WNBA Draft Lottery. Picking second are the Indiana Fever while the Atlanta Dream will pick third and the Dallas Wings fourth.