NEW YORK — Fresh off leading the University of Connecticut women’s basketball program to its record-extending 12th NCAA Division I tournament title, Paige Bueckers is clearly the best-known prospect for Monday’s WNBA draft.
Dominique Malonga of France is certainly among the most interesting, though, and curiosity about the 6-foot-6 forward seems to be growing.
“She is a unbelievably intriguing player because she has size, athleticism and range,” former Washington Mystics general manager Mike Thibault said. “She’s got a wide range of skills, which makes her pretty intriguing.”
There’s not much doubt Bueckers is going to have an immediate impact on and off the court for the Dallas Wings, who have the No. 1 overall pick this year and are expected to select the Huskies star. She’s one of the most efficient players coming out of college in quite some time.
Whether other players in the draft pool can offer quick help to teams will be seen over the next few months. A lot of that depends on which franchises select which players and how that fit evolves.