10. Phoenix Mercury select Arella Guirantes
Here’s the way to think about Arella Guirantes: what exactly doesn’t she do that you’d want in a starting two guard in this league? Can she score? Sure can, in volume as Rutgers’ top option this season, with 38.5 percent accuracy from deep. Can she distribute? Yep, her assist percentage jumped to 20 this season, even as she played off the ball for much of the season. How’s her defending? Elite, a block rate of 3.8 percent in line with 4/5s, steal rate north of 2. She rebounds well for a guard, with a strong 5’11 frame that’ll play well at the next level. She understands the game, and comes from C. Vivian Stringer’s program, which has bestowed many a WNBA player on rosters for years. She’s a late riser, yes, but she might not be finished rising yet, should she declare early. And she can learn from Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith right from the start.