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

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 10: Katie Lou Samuelson moves through the crowd during the 2019 WNBA Draft on April 10, 2019 at Nike New York Headquarters in New York, New York. 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 Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. Chicago Sky selected Katie Lou Samuelson, 6’3 F, Connecticut

Easy to see why Chicago did this. Samuelson is a pro-ready player in every way, from an ability to avoid turnovers to an excellent skill as secondary distributor, and of course there’s that three-point shot she can get on the catch or even with her move to single-dribble, creating space.

The Sky can operate with Samuelson as a sixth woman, playing in a second unit with Cheyenne Parker and Alaina Coates, or utilize her next to Diamond DeShields or Gabby Williams to create mismatches in both size and strength and 2-3-4. My fantasy is some lineups where they let Stef Dolson, who will obviously thrive with Samuelson and create some five-out lineups themselves, in a trio of forwards, center-less, alongside DeShields and Williams. It’s basically a death lineup, but all three can be Draymond Green.

You can be sure the hyper-creative James Wade has already thought of all this, by the way. Chicago is primed to improve in a huge way, and Samuelson is yet another reason why.

The other picks are more pragmatic — Chloe Jackson at 15 is insurance because of Jamierra Faulkner’s terrible luck with injuries, and Maria Conde is a bow to the reality that it’s going to be really hard for a third rounder to make the roster in Chicago, though you can be sure Wade, with his massive overseas experience, knows if she can.

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