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2018 WNBA Draft Big Board v. 5.0: March movement

By Howard Megdal

KNOXVILLE, TN - MARCH 18: Tennessee Lady Volunteers guard/forward Jaime Nared (31) and Oregon State Beavers center Marie Gulich (21) fight for a ball during a game between the Oregon State Beavers and Tennessee Lady Volunteers on March 18, 2018, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - MARCH 18: Tennessee Lady Volunteers guard/forward Jaime Nared (31) and Oregon State Beavers center Marie Gulich (21) fight for a ball during a game between the Oregon State Beavers and Tennessee Lady Volunteers on March 18, 2018, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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STORRS, CT – FEBRUARY 13: South Carolina’s Forward A’ja Wilson (22) goes to the basket around UConn Huskies Guard Gabby Williams (15) during the second half of a women’s division 1 basketball game between 6th ranked University of South Carolina and Connecticut.
STORRS, CT – FEBRUARY 13: South Carolina’s Forward A’ja Wilson (22) goes to the basket around UConn Huskies Guard Gabby Williams (15) during the second half of a women’s division 1 basketball game between 6th ranked University of South Carolina and Connecticut. /

Make no mistake: future WNBA players can make or break their draft status come March.

This is a bigger deal than it might first appear. After all, whether a team selects you tenth or 22nd, it would seem you’d have the same opportunity to come to training camp and compete for a spot, right?

Well, not exactly. You get picked in the first round, a team is far likelier to want to keep you around. You get picked 22nd, there’s a pretty good chance a player they already like more is going to beat you for that roster spot you both are probably competing for. Really, you get picked tenth, there’s an even better chance that latter pick gets used on someone who can be stashed overseas, making your pathway to opening night even clearer.

Accordingly, those doing work in March—I’m looking at you, Marie Gulich—can open team eyes. A big game against another potential WNBA pro, with all eyes on you, can change draft boards.

And so it is the case with ours, too: and not just because Jill Barta already began the early entry decisions this past weekend. Here’s what we’re hearing, based on conversations with more than 25 WNBA talent evaluators, coaches and agents.

All stats courtesy of HerHoopStats.com and National Statistical, as of March 27. And we have new videos featuring more of the prospects, courtesy of Wayne Gethers.

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