No. 1 Draft Pick Boston Joins WNBA Royalty Griner, Stewart, Plum, Wilson, Ionescu
Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12:22PM By Barry Janoff
Photo: WNBAUPDATED April 10, 2023: WNBA Draft First Round:
1. Indiana Fever Aliyah Boston South Carolina F/C
2. Minnesota Lynx Diamond Miller Maryland G
3. Dallas Wings Maddy Siegrist Villanova F
4. Washington Mystics* Stephanie Soares Iowa State F/C
(Rights traded to Dallas Wings)
5. Dallas Wings Lou Lopez Sénéchal Connecticut G/F
6. Atlanta Dream Haley Jones Stanford G/F
7. Indiana Fever Grace Berger Indiana G
8. Atlanta Dream Laeticia Amihere South Carolina F
9. Seattle Storm Jordan Horston Tennessee G
10. Los Angeles Sparks Zia Cooke South Carolina G
11. Dallas Wings Abby Meyers Maryland G
12. Minnesota Lynx Maïa Hirsch France C
April 8, 2023: South Carolina F Aliyah Boston, Maryland G Diamond Miller, Villanova F Maddy Siegrist and G Alexis Morris of NCAA women’s champion LSU are among the list of prospects invited to attend WNBA Draft 2023 presented by State Farm on April 10.
Boston is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick, currently held by the Indiana Fever.
If so, she would follow in the footsteps of such overall No. 1 picks as Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (2013), Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun (2014), Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (2016) Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces (formerly San Antonio Stars, 2017), A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (2018) and Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (2020).
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert will unveil the First Round draft picks live exclusively on ESPN (beginning at 7 PM ET).
The WNBA Draft presented by State Farm will take place in Spring Studios, located in the Tribeca section of New York, for the second consecutive year.
“Following an enormously successful 2022 season and with a fascinating off-season filled with significant trades and free agent signings, what better way to continue ramping up the momentum for the tip-off of our 27th season than with WNBA Draft 2023 presented by State Farm,” Engelbert said via the league.
“With the continued support of ESPN, State Farm, and associate partners SAP and U.S. Bank, we anticipate hosting a truly memorable evening for WNBA teams and fans and, especially, for the incredible athletes for whom this night represents the launch of the next phase of their basketball journey, and the realization of a dream come true.”
The formal tip-off of Draft Night festivities will take place when the invited prospects walk the WNBA’s iconic “Orange Carpet.”
Earlier that day, the prospects will visit the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony to celebrate the 2023 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm.
Other prospects scheduled to be in attendance include F Laeticia Amihere (South Carolina), G Brea Beal (South Carolina), G Grace Berger (Indiana), guard Zia Cooke (South Carolina), G Jordan Horston (Tennessee), G/F Ashley Joens (Iowa State), G/F Haley Jones (Stanford), F Dorka Juhász (Connecticut), guard/forward Lou Lopez Sénéchal (Connecticut), G Taylor Mikesell (Ohio State) and F/C Stephanie Soares (Iowa State).
The WNBA has already seen significant player movement during the off-season en route to the 2023 campaign, including Breanna Stewart going from the Seattle Storm to the New York Liberty and Candace Parker leaving the Chicago Sky to join the defending Las Vegas Aces, both as free agents.
The Liberty also added 2021 Kia WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones and six-time league assists leader Courtney Vandersloot to a roster that already included 2022 All-WNBA selection and Ionescu.
WNBA ’23 will also see the return of Griner to the Phoenix Mercury after missing the 2022 season due to her incarceration in Russia. 
The 2023 regular season will include a record-high 40 games per team, up four games from the previous high of 36 last season. Each team will play 20 home games and 20 road games.
The Indiana Fever hold the top pick in the draft by virtue of winning the WNBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm last November. Indiana also has the No. 7 pick in the First Round.
The Minnesota Lynx currently select No. 2, Dallas Wings No. 3 and No. 5 and the Washington Mystics No. 4.
In preparation for the WNBA Draft 2023 presented by State Farm, ESPN2 will broadcast the WNBA Draft Preview Show on April 8.
WNBA.com’s “Draft Central” offers comprehensive coverage that includes an interactive Draft Board, prospect profiles with insights powered by SAP, in-depth features on the top prospects and coverage of all draft events.
Content across @WNBA channels will feature stories and personalities of the prospects via Instagram and TikTok, a Twitter Spaces Mock Draft Debate and cross-platform live coverage that includes the “Orange Carpet.”
WNBA Draft Order (subject to change):
1. Indiana Fever
2. Minnesota Lynx
3. Dallas Wings
4. Washington Mystics
5. Dallas Wings
6. Atlanta Dream
7. Indiana Fever
8. Atlanta Dream
9. Seattle Storm
10. Los Angeles Sparks
11. Dallas Wings
12. Minnesota Lynx
The last ten No. 1 overall WNBA draft picks:
2013: Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun
2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm
2017: Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces (formerly San Antonio Stars)
2018: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
2019: Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
2020: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
2021: Charli Collier, Dallas Wings
2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
WNBA ’23 On ESPN: More Griner, Games, Google
Griner Officialy Re-Signs With Phoenix For ’23
Candace Parker Playing Her Aces In WNBA Move
Breanna Stewart Leaving Seattle For New York
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