2017 WNBA Draft Pick 7: Atlanta Dream Selects Brittney Sykes

Mar 19, 2017; Storrs, CT, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Brittney Sykes (20) drives the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard/forward Napheesa Collier (24) in the second half during the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. UConn defeated Syracuse 94-64. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2017; Storrs, CT, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Brittney Sykes (20) drives the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard/forward Napheesa Collier (24) in the second half during the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. UConn defeated Syracuse 94-64. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

With the seventh pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, the Atlanta Dream selected Brittney Sykes, guard out of Syracuse.

Sykes brings Atlanta a lot of what they need. First: the three-point shooting, with Sykes checking in at 39.3 percent from deep in her 2016-17 campaign with the Orange. But Sykes also provides a defensive presence, ability to guard twos and some threes, and should pick up more of the scoring load during Angel McCoughtry’s absence.

Sykes managed to overcome two ACL tears in less than a year. Her basketball IQ is through the roof. She returned to school to maximize her draft stock, and it looks like it worked.