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WNBA Mock Draft Big Board 4.0: The best-laid plans

By Howard Megdal

NEW LONDON, CT - MAY 21: Lee Watrous of Habitat for Humanity and Connecticut Sun Assistant Coach Bernadette Mattox and Connecticut Sun Head Coach Mike Thibault review the floorplan at a Habitat for Humanity work site on May 21, 2011 in New London, Connecticut. 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 2011 NBAE (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW LONDON, CT - MAY 21: Lee Watrous of Habitat for Humanity and Connecticut Sun Assistant Coach Bernadette Mattox and Connecticut Sun Head Coach Mike Thibault review the floorplan at a Habitat for Humanity work site on May 21, 2011 in New London, Connecticut. 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 2011 NBAE (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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PALO ALTO, CA – JANUARY 20: Stanford Forward Alanna Smith (11), who scored a career high 34 points, follows through after a made three-pointer over Washington State Center Maria Kostourkova (20) during the women’s basketball game between the Washington State Cougars and the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion on January 20, 2019 in Palo Alto, CA. (Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CA – JANUARY 20: Stanford Forward Alanna Smith (11), who scored a career high 34 points, follows through after a made three-pointer over Washington State Center Maria Kostourkova (20) during the women’s basketball game between the Washington State Cougars and the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion on January 20, 2019 in Palo Alto, CA. (Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

6. Minnesota Lynx: Alanna Smith, 6’4 F, Stanford

Should the draft shake out as above, I see Cheryl Reeve with two options here: Jessica Shepard, or Alanna Smith. But we now have information we didn’t have in the last time we Big Boarded. We know that the Lynx have Christmas-Kelly, we know they don’t have Maya Moore in 2019, and we know they’ve signed Damiris Dantas to an offer sheet, which I previously explained almost certainly means she’ll be a member of the Lynx. So what does that mean the Lynx need? Well, more backcourt help, but the chances they get a starter should Ogunbowale and Durr go early in the first round are slim without reaching. It is, however, easy to imagine a starting front line with Sylvia Fowles, Smith and Christmas-Kelly starting, using Dantas to supplement both Fowles and Smith. She’s hyper-efficient from the field, shooting north of 43 percent from three, over 58 percent from two, with a block rate of nine percent and an excellent presence on the defensive boards. She’s the next generation of WNBA 4, and you can be sure Reeve knows this.

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