Washington Mystics’ first overall pick is seventh in the 2018 WNBA Draft Thursday night in hopes of grabbing fresh talent.
The Washington Mystics have three picks throughout the entire WNBA Draft. Including the seventh overall pick, the Mystics have the 19th pick (second round) and the 31st pick (third round).
An ideal pick for Washington would be the power forward from South Carolina, A’ja Wilson, but word is definitely out that she’s going first overall to the Las Vegas Aces. We could dream right?
Although Washington has three picks, the focus is on their first round pick and who they may choose. A huge loss to the Mystics’ offense was Emma Meesseman who has decided to focus on the 2018 FIBA World Cup and play with Belgium. Now Washington could decide to pick a player that’ll fill in the gap Meesseman will leave behind this season or look ahead at other weaknesses.
Based on where the Mystics are in the draft, there’s two distinct players that can play a vital role in Washington:
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
Victoria Vivians is a strong wing shooting guard, standing six foot one, who’s a good scorer and defender in all aspects. Head coach Mike Thibault is well aware of who she is especially since his daughter, Carly Thibault-DuDonis, is part of the Mississippi State staff. Vivians is a big guard that takes what she’s given and molds it into improvement in her skill. One thing that hurt Washington a lot was not being able to defend the back-court on other teams and Vivians is the one who can do just that.
Former WNBA star Rebecca Lobo spoke on Vivians stating many would like her because of her size and the ability to score. Lobo even went on to say Vivians was the type of player to adjust her role and be versatile.
Kia Nurse, UConn
An addition to the Mystics back-court would be useful as well, although not absolutely needed. Kia Nurse, a shooting guard from UConn, has the effective ability on defense to take out quick guards in the back-court, while also adding some depth offensively. Behind the arc, Nurse shot 44 percent while averaging 13.5 points per game and a total of 102 assists.
Washington has some young guards, but also some who are getting up in age. A young athlete like Nurse can help shift the team in the right direction.
Find out in due time as the 2018 WNBA Draft is held at the Nike Headquarters in New York City beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
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More predictions at Doc’s Sports.
