Twenty-nine of the 36 players selected in the 2021 WNBA draft played college basketball, led by No. 1 pick Charli Collier of the University of Texas. Those 29 players came from 24 different schools and 10 different conferences.
Texas A&M had the most players chosen with three, while the SEC led all conferences with nine draft picks across five schools. Listed below is every school and conference that had at least one player taken in the 2021 draft, followed by the complete draft board.
Number of draft picks by school
3 — Texas A&M
2 — Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor
1 — Alabama, Auburn, Central Michigan, Georgia, Lafayette, Louisville, North Carolina, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Pacific, Rutgers, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, Towson, UT Martin, Wake Forest, West Virginia
Number of draft picks by conference
9 — SEC
5 — Big 12, Pac-12
3 — ACC
2 — Big 10
1 — CAA, MAC, OVC, Patriot League, WCC
DON’T MISS: College basketball teams with the most WNBA first-round draft picks
Here is the entire draft board, with capsule bios on college players.
First round
1. Charli Collier, Texas (Big 12), Junior — Dallas Wings
A two-time All-Big 12 first-team selection, Collier spent three seasons with the Longhorns. The center averaged 19.0 points and 11.3 rebounds per game during the 2020-21 season. Collier is graduating with a degree in physical culture & sports.
2. Alak Kuier, Finland — Dallas Wings
3. Aari McDonald, Arizona (Pac-12), Senior — Atlanta Dream
Aari McDonald was the first-ever Wildcat to be selected in the opening round of the WNBA draft. The guard was named the 2021 Pac-12 Player of the Year and Co-Defensive Player of the Year. She was also the conference’s defensive player of the year in 2020.
4. Kysre Gondrezick, West Virginia (Big 12), Redshirt senior — Indiana Fever
When the Fever took Kysre Gondrezick fourth overall, she became the Mountaineers’ highest draft pick in program history. The guard was unanimously named to the All-Big 12 first-team in 2021.
5. Chelsea Dungee, Arkansas (SEC), Redshirt senior — Dallas Wings
No player has scored more points in an Arkansas uniform than Chelsea Dungee. Her 2,147 career points are the most all-time for Razorback women’s basketball. Dungee was also named an AP Third Team All-American. She joined Shameka Christon (2004) as the only other All-American Razorback.
6. Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA (Pac-12), Senior — New York Liberty
Michaele Onyenwere is the first UCLA women’s basketball player with two AP All-American selections. She was also named to the All-Pac-12 team three times. The guard averaged a career-high 19.1 points per game in her senior season.
7. Jasmine Walker, Alabama (SEC), Senior — Minnesota Lynx
While nine SEC players were taken in this year’s draft, only one in the entire conference finished in the top five in points and rebounds during the 2020-21 season. That player was Jasmine Walker. She averaged 19.1 points and 9.4 boards per game for the Crimson Tide as a senior.
8. Shyla Heal, Australia — Chicago Sky
9. Rennia Davis, Tennessee (SEC), Senior — Minnesota Lynx
Rennia Davis is one of four Tennessee players to rank in the program’s all-time top 10 in four statistical categories: points, points per game, rebounds and rebounds per game. The other three? Candace Parker, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings. Those names should ring a bell.
10. Stephanie Watts, North Carolina (ACC), Grad student — Los Angeles Sparks
Stephanie Watts ranks second in North Carolina women’s basketball history with 275 career 3-pointers. The sharp shooter earned her degree in public policy.
11. Aaliyah Wilson, Texas A&M (SEC), Senior — Seattle Storm (traded to Indiana)
Now to the first of those three Aggies. Aaliyah Wilson led Texas A&M in scoring this season with 12.7 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting. The guard was named an AP All-American and received All-SEC second team honors.
12. Iliana Rupert, France — Las Vegas Aces
Second round
13. Dana Evans, Louisville (ACC), Senior — Dallas Wings
Dana Evans led the ACC in scoring this season with 20.1 points per game. The guard was named a first-team All-American by espnW and Sports Illustrated. Evans was also crowned the ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
14. Destiny Slocum, Arkansas (SEC), Redshirt senior — Las Vegas Aces
In her lone season at Arkansas, Destiny Slocum averaged an even 15 points per game on 48.3 percent shooting. She was named to the All-SEC second team by the league’s coaches.
15. Raquel Carerra, Spain — Atlanta Dream
16. Natasha Mack, Oklahoma State (Big 12), Senior — Chicago Sky
Initially, Natasha Mack decided not to play college basketball. But then she gave it another shot, and that decision would pay off. Mack became the sixth Oklahoma State women’s basketball player to be selected in the WNBA draft. She was also named the Naismith and WBCA Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.
17. DiDi Richards, Baylor (Big 12), Senior — New York Liberty
Last fall, a collision during practice left DiDi Richards temporarily paralyzed. Fortunately, she was able to not only walk again, but to continue her stellar basketball career. Richards won both the WBCA and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year awards in the 2019-20 season. She was also named to the All Big-12 defensive team three times.
18. Kiana Williams, Stanford (Pac-12), Senior — Seattle Storm
Fresh off a national championship, Kiana Williams is now the latest Stanford player to make the WNBA. She averaged an even 14 points and 3.1 assists per game this season to lead the Cardinal in both categories.
19. Unique Thompson, Auburn (SEC), Senior — Indiana Fever
Unique Thompson averaged 17.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game during the 2020-21 season. Her scoring average led the Tigers, while her rebounding average led the SEC. Thompson is also the first Auburn player to be drafted since DeWanna Bonner and Whitney Boddie in 2009.
20. DiJonai Carrington, Baylor (Big 12), Senior — Connecticut Sun
DiJonai Carrington’s senior season was, statistically, her best. The guard posted career-highs in points per game (14.1), total assists (63) and steals (56) during the 2020-21 campaign.
21. Micaela Kelly, Central Michigan (MAC), Senior — Connecticut Sun
Micaela Kelly is the second Chippewa to be selected in the WNBA draft, joining Crystal Bradford, who was taken seventh overall in 2015. Kelly was named the MAC Player of the Year during her junior season and ranks second on the program’s all-time scoring list with 2,173 points.
22. Arella Guirantes, Rutgers (Big 10), Redshirt senior — Los Angeles Sparks
In three seasons with the Scarlet Knights, Arella Guirantes averaged 17.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and an even 3 assists per game. The guard was a two-time All-American and earned three All-Big 10 team selections.
23. N’dea Jones, Texas A&M (SEC), Senior — Seattle Storm
The second Aggie taken in the 2021 draft is also the program’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,056) and double-doubles (41). N’dea Jones was selected to the All-SEC first team in both her junior and senior seasons.
24. Trinity Baptiste, Arizona (Pac-12), Senior — Indiana Fever
Trinity Baptiste only played one season at Arizona. But she was an integral part of the Wildcats’ run to the national championship game. Baptiste averaged 8.6 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game this year. The guard scored a season-high 18 points against Stony Brook in the first round of the 2021 NCAA tournament.
Third round
25. Valerie Higgins, Pacific (WCC), Redshirt senior — New York Liberty
The third round began with some history. Valerie Higgins became the first Pacific player to be selected in the WNBA draft. As a senior, Higgins averaged 16.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
26. Chelsey Perry, UT Martin (OVC), Senior — Indiana Fever
History was made, yet again, with the 26th pick. Chelsey Perry became UT Martin’s first-ever WNBA draft pick. She’s also the highest OVC player to be selected. Perry was a two-time OVC Player of the Year.
27. Lindsey Pulliam, Northwestern (Big 10), Senior — Atlanta Dream
Lindsey Pulliam was named to the All-Big 10 team three times during her career at Northwestern. She averaged 16.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and an even 2 assists per game in four seasons with the Wildcats.
28. Ivana Raca, Wake Forest (ACC), Senior — Los Angeles Sparks
Ivana Raca averaged 16.7 points and an even 9 rebounds per game during her senior season. She was named to the All-ACC team twice at Wake Forest.
29. Marine Fauthoux, France — New York Liberty
30. Aleah Goodman, Oregon State (Pac-12), Senior — Connecticut Sun
Aleah Goodman led the Beavers in points and assists per game this season with 16.2 and 4.9, respectively. She also ranked second in the country in 3-point field-goal percentage at 49 percent.
31. Florencia Chagas, Argentina — Indiana Fever
32. Ciera Johnson, Texas A&M (SEC), Senior — Phoenix Mercury
The third and final Aggie taken in this year’s draft was Ciera Johnson. She was Texas A&M’s captain for the 2020-21 season, and the program’s first-ever SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Johnson averaged 10.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a senior.
33. Maya Caldwell, Georgia (SEC), Senior — Indiana Fever
Over the last four years, the Georgia Bulldogs have played 122 games. Maya Caldwell appeared in every single one. She was named to the 2021 SEC all-tournament team. A two-time member of the SEC academic honor roll, Caldwell graduated with a degree in communication studies in May 2020. She’s pursuing a master’s degree in non-profit management and leadership.
34. Aina Ayuso, Spain — Los Angeles Sparks
35. Natalie Kucowski, Lafayette (Patriot League), Senior — Seattle Storm
Natalie Kucowski became the first Lafayette player ever taken in the WNBA draft. As a senior, she was named the Patriot League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
36. Kionna Jeter, Towson (CAA), Redshirt senior — Las Vegas Aces
The third round ended the way it began, with a historic selection. Kionna Jeter became Towson’s first-ever draft pick. She was also the first Tiger to receive three straight All-CAA first-team selections, and the first to appear on the CAA all-defensive team in consecutive seasons.