Seattle takes Wagner alum Williams in second round
Kiana Williams began Thursday being honored by her hometown for leading Stanford to the NCAA championship and finished it by being selected in the WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm.
Williams was picked in the second round and 18th overall by the reigning champion Storm, who have won four WNBA titles overall.
“Winning is in my DNA,” Williams said. “Going from one winning culture to another winning culture is a blessing. I'm going to go there like a sponge and soak in as much as I can.”
The 5-foot-8 point guard averaged 14.0 points, 3.1 assists and made 82 3pointers for the Cardinal this season. Williams left Stanford as the program's alltime leading 3-point shooter with 311.
Some mock drafts had Williams projected to be taken as high as No. 8. Although she was taken below where many mocks had her, she was not disappointed.
“I was staying patient, not really worried about where I was picked,” Williams said. “I wanted to get drafted in the right situation. … It was worth the wait.”
Williams adds guard depth to the Storm. Getting to work behind legendary Sue Bird is a plus. Bird announced last month that she will return for an 18th WNBA season.
“I have the opportunity to learn from Sue Bird, one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game,” Williams said.
Storm coach Dan Hughes is the former coach and general manager of the defunct San Antonio Stars, who moved to Las Vegas in 2018.
Williams said she and Hughes shared texts shortly after she was picked Thursday night. She also spoke to him last week. He told her he remembered seeing her play when she was 14.
“He told me he hoped that he would get to coach me,” Williams said.
The selection capped a day that began with Williams being recognized by San Antonio's City Council for leading Stanford to the NCAA title with a 54-53 victory against Arizona on April 4 in the Alamodome.
“To be here in my city in front of family and loved ones, and Dan Hughes, we have that San Antonio connection,” Williams told ESPN. “I'm proud to be from San Antonio, and I'm going to rep my city wherever I go, and right now, that's Seattle, and I'm so grateful.”
Williams is a former Express-news Player of the Year. She shared that honor with Brandeis' Gabby Connally in 2017. Connally just finished her career at Georgia.