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: Victoria Vivians stands with WNBA President Lisa Borders after being selected /

The Indiana Fever have selected Victoria Vivians with the eighth overall pick. The No. 8 pick came by way of a trade with the Phoenix Mercury, which sent point guard Briann January to Phoenix.

Though Indiana has now said goodbye to all-time great Tamika Catchings and January, their longtime floor general, they have managed to add two players that can really fill it up from the outside.

Vivians saw her efficiency skyrocket this season playing primarily at the four for head coach Vic Schaefer and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Vivians shot 40.4% from deep in 2017-2018, up from 28.1% her junior season.

Indiana head coach and general manager Pokey Chatman now has an interesting mix of young players and veterans on the perimeter for 2018. No. 2 overall pick Kelsey Mitchell will be in a position to have the ball in her hands plenty, and Erica Wheeler is coming off a season in which she carried the offense down the stretch after three players went down to season-ending injuries.

Vivians will open up the floor with her outside stroke, and will likely get to stretch herself as a playmaker early on for the Fever. She may see big minutes early in the season with Shenise Johnson and Tiffany Mitchell both coming back from knee injuries.

Our own Arielle Chambers spoke with Vivians at the draft:

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