A look at what’s in store on draft day

It has been spring ritual — UConn completes its NCAA Tournament run and all eyes turn to the next date on the basketball calendar.

The WNBA Draft has held special interest among UConn fans as one ex-Husky after another has advanced to the next level. From No. 1 picks to late-round selections, there’s always a UConn presence in the draft.

Not this year.

The Huskies, coming off another Final Four appearance, did not graduate a player. Evina Westbrook was eligible for the draft, but she elected to stay at UConn.

So Thursday night’s selection show (7 p.m., ESPN) won’t hold the same level of fascination for UConn followers.

Nor will it have much buzz for fans of Connecticut’s WNBA team. The Sun don’t have a first-round pick, so Connecticut will be looking for role players when it makes selections with the 20th and 21st selections.

HUSKY-LESS

The last time UConn did not have a player selection was 2007. Before that was 2003, so Geno Auriemma’s program has had at last one player picked in 21 of the past 22 drafts.

But this year’s team was young, a freshman-heavy roster with three juniors (Westbrook, Christyn Williams, Olivia Nelson-Ododa). Westbrook sat out a season after transferring from Tennessee, so she could have left and would likely have been a high draft pick in what is considered just an average draft.

Instead, she elected to return for another season.

Had Westbrook made herself eligible, she would have been UConn’s 27th first-round pick. The Huskies have had a first-rounder in seven of the past eight drafts, including Megan

Walker (seventh overall) last year.

Five UConn players have been the first overall pick (Breanna Stewart in 2016, Maya Moore in 2011, Tina Charles in 2010, Diana Taurasi in 2004, Sue Bird in 2002). UConn had the first three picks in 2016 (Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, Morgan Tuck).

The next No. 1 pick? Paige Bueckers might have been the top pick if she was available this year.

STAR-LESS

Bueckers, coming off her freshman season, is the face of her sport. Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu had the same pizzazz when she went No. 1 to the New York Liberty last year, similar to South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson (No. 1 to Las Vegas) in 2018 and Stewart in 2016.

This year’s draft lacks that can’t-miss player. Texas center Charli Collier is regarded as the likely No. 1 pick by the Dallas Wings.

Morry Gash / Associated Press Baylor’s DiJonai Carrington reacts to her shot during the second half against UConn in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament on March 29.