6. Minnesota Lynx: Jessica Shepard, 6’4 F, Notre Dame
Should the draft shake out as above, I see Cheryl Reeve with two options here: Shepard, or Alanna Smith of Stanford. Both are the kinds of player Reeve sees as the future of the game, do-it-all scorers capable of inside or outside work, the kind of player she somehow retrofitted Rebekah Brunson (who also deserves HUGE credit for doing it) into a few years back. I’ll bet the answer is Shepard in this case, due to an extra bit of defensive versatility and next-level passing, someone who fits comfortably next to Sylvia Fowles, rim-protector enough that Smith’s edge on that score isn’t reason for the Lynx to pick her over Shepard. Reeve also coached Shepard this past fall in USA Basketball camp, so the two know each other already. And if Brunson returns, Shepard can learn from a five-time WNBA champion at her position.