2018 WNBA Draft Diary: Pick-by-pick updates, analysis, news

By Ben Dull | Apr 12, 2018

NEW YORK - APRIL 13: WNBA President Lisa Borders and WNBA Legend Dawn Staley poses for a photo during the 2017 WNBA Draft on April 13, 2017 at the Samsung 837 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Michelle Farsi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 12: Kia Nurse stands with WNBA President Lisa Borders after being selected /

The New York Liberty were the third-ranked defense in the WNBA last season. UConn’s Kia Nurse, selected with the 10th overall pick, ought to fit right in with the team’s 11 returning players and that identity built around an ability to get stops.

Nurse has long been lauded for her ability as a one-on-one defender. She excelled at UConn in keeping opposing ball handlers out of the lane, or just flat out denying them the ball altogether out on the wing.

Nurse also shot 40% or better from deep in three of her four seasons as a member of the Huskies. Playing around perennial All-WNBA performer Tina Charles, Nurse will surely get a steady diet of open three-point attempts.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn’t believe Nurse will have a long pro career, but minutes may be tough to come by this season in New York with first year head coach Katie Smith. Bria Hartley, Epiphanny Prince and Shavonte Zellous return as the starters from last season’s No. 3 seed. Sugar Rodgers was an All-Star in 2017 coming off the bench by the end of the season. Lindsay Allen and Rebecca Allen got some run with backup units, and starting point guard Brittany Boyd is set to return from a torn Achilles.

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