High scorer Plum selected No. 1
Kelsey Plum, the University of Washington senior who broke the NCAA record for points in a season, was selected first in the WNBA draft on Thursday night by the San Antonio Stars.
The pick sends one of the greatest scorers in NCAA history to a team that averaged a league-low 72 points a game last season — eight below the Indiana Fever, the second-worst scoring team in the league, and more than 14 below the league-leading Chicago Sky.
“That kid just works hard,” former South Carolina player Kaela Davis said. “She keeps you guessing. As a defender, you can never expect one thing. You never know what’s coming next, and I think that stuff ’s always hard to guard.”
But the pick put her on a team that selected another scoring guard, Moriah Jefferson, in the 2016 draft, leaving questions about what her role would be or if she would be traded. Jefferson was the 2016 rookie of the year runner-up.
San Antonio, which finished the 2016 season with a 7-27 record, had the first and fifth picks in the first round, breaking the Seattle Storm’s two-year streak of having the first selection.
Plum set NCAA women’s scoring records for a season with 1,109 points and a career with 3,527 points. She also owns the NCAA record for made free throws with 912.
“I’m really excited. Coach (Vickie Johnson) has a great plan, from what I hear,” Plum said. “I’ve played with Moriah before, phenomenal player. And I’m a big fan of Kayla McBride. I’ve watched her throughout her college career and the pros and I’m just excited for the opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it.”
The WNBA held the draft at the Samsung event space in Manhattan, a change from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. In a contrast to the NBA draft where players are called to the stage, WNBA Commissioner Lisa Borders sat in a DJ-like booth to call the names.
Jay Parry, the league’s chief operating officer, said the new draft space synced with the league’s emphasis on connecting with fans through social media.
The players followed their post-pick interview with a tour of places to pose for social media. But it was an atmosphere far different from the NBA draft. Instead of being guided backstage, players could mingle with former players and their families on the second floor of the interactive experience after their big moment. Waiters walked around with appetizers, and a bar in the event space boasted cold brew coffee.
The idea, Parry said, was to give fans a chance to see the experience through videos and moments posted on Twitter, Snapchat and more.
The WNBA is coming off a season in which it reported 530 million impressions, and more than 50 million video views on social media, both of which were more than double from the 2015 season.