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2019 WNBA Draft: Best fits for potential early entry candidates

By Jenn Hatfield

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 27: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the Oregon Ducks shoots a jumper against the Washington Huskies at the Alaska Airlines Arena on January 27, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 27: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the Oregon Ducks shoots a jumper against the Washington Huskies at the Alaska Airlines Arena on January 27, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – FEBRUARY 10: Notre Dame Fight Irish guard Jackie Young (5) looks into the lane during the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on February 10, 2019, at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend IN. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – FEBRUARY 10: Notre Dame Fight Irish guard Jackie Young (5) looks into the lane during the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on February 10, 2019, at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend IN. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Jackie Young, 6’0” guard, Notre Dame

2018-19 stats: 31.2 minutes, 14.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists per game; 55.0% shooting from the field and 77.5% from the free-throw line

Biggest strength: As with Ionescu, it’s tempting to just say that Young is good at everything. That is certainly true, and any WNBA team would love to add her versatility and size. But I’ll focus on her scoring, especially her ability to drive the ball. In high school, Young set the all-time state scoring record for either gender with 3,268 points and scored 40 points 10 times as a senior. In college, Young has averaged over 14 points per game in the past two seasons, mostly from inside the arc. This season, she is attempting nine 2-pointers and less than one 3-pointer per game. Despite not shooting much from deep, she has also consistently gotten to the free throw line. This season, she ranks 94th in the nation with 53 free throw trips, and 25% of her points this season have come from the free throw line.

Best WNBA fit: New York. Several of the Liberty’s guards from last season are free agents right now, but the fit is about more than that. Young and Kia Nurse would be a terrific backcourt pairing, with both players being tough defenders and versatile offensive threats. Both can run the point or play off the ball, and Young’s driving ability would perfectly complement Nurse’s deadeye three-point shooting. The Liberty also desperately need scorers: they ranked second-to-last in the WNBA last season in points per game and free throw attempts per game and third-to-last in field goal percentage. Adding Young would be a great step toward fixing those issues.

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