WNBA Draft: Pick-by-pick analysis of the 2019 draft

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 10: Kristine Anigwe poses for a portrait after being selected number nine overall by the Connecticut Sun during the WNBA Draft on April 10, 2019 in New York, New York at the Nike New York Headquarters. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images) /

9. Connecticut selected Kristine Anigwe, 6’4 F/C, California

I suspect if you fed Curt Miller truth serum, he’d say that this came down to best available player over fit. Anigwe was the best rebounder in the country this season, and the Sun already had the best rebounding percentage in the league in 2018, thanks to returnees like Jonquel Jones and Chiney Ogwumike (both top ten in the league in rebound percentage) and other wings who can play the four in Morgan Tuck and Alyssa Thomas, the latter notably part of Connecticut’s most effective lineups.

So where does Anigwe fit? That’s still to be determined, but you obviously fit her somewhere, given her elite scoring ability, league-ready 6’4 frame, and high basketball IQ. I jokingly suggested a lineup with Anigwe/Jones/Ogwumike, and she was nice enough to humor me, though it certainly would be fascinating basketball, and the Sun would capture all of the available rebounds. The bigger point, which I’ve mentioned many times about the Sun, is they have a coming salary cap crunch coming, and having one of their bigs on a rookie deal for the next four years is a way to solve it (or at least mitigate it).

At 21, the Sun drafted Bridget Carleton, who had some looks late in the first round, but slid because many WNBA evaluators just don’t know if she can play the three at the next level. She can certainly shoot, and Connecticut is a really good place to find out.

I actually think Regan Magarity is a steal at 33. Got a chance to see her play at Virginia Tech, and she is a legit 6’3 who can bring the ball up as needed, can rebound and has range out to the three point line. Connecticut will be a tough roster to make, but she can show some things in preseason.

Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the Natisha Hiedeman deal. I understand Miller needed a third point guard and Lexie Brown didn’t want to be that point guard, but Brown has a chance to be great. Miller knows this, it’s why he drafted her. When she is playing major minutes for Minnesota, this one is going to sting.

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