WNBA Mock Draft Big Board 6.0: A big move

1. Las Vegas Aces: Teaira McCowan, 6’7 C, Mississippi State

Look, Bill Laimbeer likes going big. He’s a believer in it, he’s not going to change now, and that  means A’ja Wilson at the four, and no extended Moriah Jefferson/Kelsey Plum/Kayla McBride minutes (per Positive Residual, last season, McPlumerson was good for a 131.5 offensive rating at a pace and net rating that would have led the WNBA in just over 51 minutes), and instead, the bully ball that, to be fair to Laimbeer, has been extremely successful everywhere he’s gone. But whether it is out of step with the direction of the WNBA or a skillful zig as the league zags, adding McCowan is going all-in on a bigger, more traditional distribution of points. A team that received just 13.5 percent of its points from beyond the arc (no other W team was below 20 percent) will be adding a piece who, well, also doesn’t shoot threes. McCowan does, however, rebound like no one else in this draft, rim protect, and is an efficient finisher around the rim. She’ll certainly contribute, and right away.