Indiana surprises by taking Stanford's Hull at No. 6
Former Stanford star Lexie Hull was projected to be a second-round pick in Monday's WNBA Draft, but the Indiana Fever had other ideas.
The Fever, who owned four of the top 10 picks in Monday's draft, surprised draft analysts by using the No. 6 overall pick to select Hull, one of just three players in Stanford history to be named to the All-Pac-12 team three times.
Hull joins No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith (Baylor), No. 4 pick Emily Engstler (Louisville) and No. 10 pick Queen Egbo (Baylor) on a Fever team that controlled the top of the WNBA Draft this year.
“We have four top picks, so there is the opportunity for this team to grow tremendously,” Smith said after being selected behind Rhyne Howard, the Kentucky star who went first overall to the Atlanta Dream.
Hull was the second Pac12 player selected Monday as she came off the board immediately following Oregon forward Nyara Sabally, who was chosen fifth by the New York Liberty.
Hull's 1,402 career points at Stanford ranked 24th in program history and her 191 3-pointers places her 11th all-time for the Cardinal.
“You truly could not ask for someone to do more for a team than Lexie Hull has done,” Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer said in a statement after Hull declared for the WNBA Draft last week. “She has been the engine that's made us run, while excelling at such a high level in every facet of her life. With her hard work ethic and drive, Lexie is sure to find success.”
After losing to UConn in the Final Four, the Cardinal return most of their top players including former Mitty star Haley Jones and leading scorer Cameron Brink.
The Mystics chose Shakira Austin from Ole Miss third and New York drafted Oregon's Sabally in between Indiana's top two selections.
Sabally got to practice with New York point guard
Sabrina Ionescu from Orinda's Miramonte High when the two were at Oregon and she is excited to have a chance to play with her on the Liberty.
“Sab is such an amazing point guard,” Sabally said. “I saw her in practice every day and am excited to share the court with her.”
Dallas took Veronica Burton of Northwestern with the seventh pick. Las Vegas, which made a trade with Minnesota on Sunday, drafted Mya Hollingshed of Colorado eighth. The Aces then took Florida Gulf
Coast's Kierstan Bell at 11.
Bell won the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award the last two years and now will get a chance to play for her.
Los Angeles drafted Tennessee's Rae Burrell ninth and Connecticut finished off the first round by picking Nia Clouden of Michigan State.
The WNBA season tips off on May 6, with training camps opening later this week.