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2011 WNBA draft
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| 2011 WNBA draft | |
|---|---|
![]() | |
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Date | April 11, 2011 |
| Location | Bristol, Connecticut |
| Networks | ESPN, NBATV, ESPNU |
| Overview | |
| League | WNBA |
| First selection | Maya Moore Minnesota Lynx |
The 2011 WNBA draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 11, 2011, at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut. The first round was shown on ESPN (HD), while the second and third rounds were shown on NBA TV and ESPNU.
Draft lottery
[edit]The lottery selection to determine the order of the top four picks in the 2011 draft occurred on November 2, 2010. The Minnesota Lynx won the first pick, while the Tulsa Shock, Chicago Sky and Lynx were awarded the second, third and fourth picks respectively. The remaining first-round picks and all the second- and third-round picks were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win–loss records in the previous season.
Below were the chances for each team to get specific picks in the 2010 draft lottery, rounded to three decimal places:
| Team | 2010 record |
Lottery chances |
Pick | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||||
| Tulsa Shock | 6–28 | 442 | .442 | .316 | .181 | .062 | |
| Minnesota Lynx | 13–21 | 276 | .276 | .310 | .270 | .144 | |
| Chicago Sky | 14–20 | 178 | .178 | .230 | .317 | .275 | |
| Minnesota Lynx (from Conn.) | 17–17 | 104 | .104 | .145 | .232 | .520 | |
| Shaded block denotes actual lottery result. | |||||||
Transactions
[edit]- March 11, 2010: Atlanta and San Antonio swap second-round picks as part of the Michelle Snow transaction.
- April 7, 2010: Connecticut receives a second-round pick from Tulsa as part of the Chante Black/Amber Holt transaction.
- April 8, 2010: Minnesota receives Connecticut's first-round pick and Tulsa's second-round pick from Connecticut as part of the Kelsey Griffin transaction.
- May 13, 2010: Chicago receives a second-round pick from Los Angeles as part of the Kristi Toliver transaction.
- May 27, 2010: Tulsa receives a second-round pick from Indiana as part of the Shavonte Zellous transaction.
- July 23, 2010: Tulsa receives a first-round pick from Phoenix as part of the Kara Braxton/Nicole Ohlde transaction.
Source[1]
Invited players
[edit]The WNBA announced on April 6, 2011, that 15 players had been invited to attend the draft.[2]
Danielle Adams, Texas A&M
Jessica Breland, North Carolina
Liz Cambage, Bulleen Boomers (Australia)
Sydney Colson, Texas A&M
Victoria Dunlap, Kentucky
Amber Harris, Xavier
Jantel Lavender, Ohio State
Maya Moore, Connecticut
Kayla Pedersen, Stanford
Ta'Shia Phillips, Xavier
Jeanette Pohlen, Stanford
Danielle Robinson, Oklahoma
Carolyn Swords, Boston College
Jasmine Thomas, Duke
Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga
Key
[edit]| ! | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
| ^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-WNBA Team |
| + | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game |
| # | Denotes player who never played in the WNBA regular season or playoffs |
| Bold | Denotes player who won Rookie of the Year |
Draft selections
[edit]Round 1
[edit]| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maya Moore * ^ ! | Minnesota Lynx | Connecticut | |
| 2 | Liz Cambage * | Tulsa Shock | Bulleen Boomers (Australia) | |
| 3 | Courtney Vandersloot * | Chicago Sky | Gonzaga | |
| 4 | Amber Harris | Minnesota Lynx (from Connecticut) | Xavier | |
| 5 | Jantel Lavender + | Los Angeles Sparks | Ohio State | |
| 6 | Danielle Robinson * | San Antonio Silver Stars | Oklahoma | |
| 7 | Kayla Pedersen | Tulsa Shock (from Phoenix) | Stanford | |
| 8 | Ta'Shia Phillips (traded to Washington) | Atlanta Dream | Xavier | |
| 9 | Jeanette Pohlen | Indiana Fever | Stanford | |
| 10 | Alex Montgomery | New York Liberty | Georgia Tech | |
| 11 | Victoria Dunlap | Washington Mystics | Kentucky | |
| 12 | Jasmine Thomas + | Seattle Storm | Duke |
Round 2
[edit]| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Jessica Breland + (traded to New York) | Minnesota Lynx (from Tulsa via Connecticut) | North Carolina | |
| 14 | Felicia Chester (traded to Atlanta) | Minnesota Lynx | DePaul | |
| 15 | Carolyn Swords | Chicago Sky | Boston College | |
| 16 | Sydney Colson (traded to New York) | Connecticut Sun | Texas A&M | |
| 17 | Angie Bjorklund | Chicago Sky (from Los Angeles) | Tennessee | |
| 18 | Rachel Jarry (traded to Minnesota) | Atlanta Dream (from San Antonio) | Bulleen Boomers (Australia) | |
| 19 | Brittany Spears # | Phoenix Mercury | Colorado | |
| 20 | Danielle Adams + | San Antonio Silver Stars (from Atlanta) | Texas A&M | |
| 21 | Italee Lucas # | Tulsa Shock (from Indiana) | North Carolina | |
| 22 | Angel Robinson # (traded to Minnesota) | New York Liberty | Marquette | |
| 23 | Karima Christmas | Washington Mystics | Duke | |
| 24 | Ify Ibekwe | Seattle Storm | Arizona |
Round 3
[edit]| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Chastity Reed | Tulsa Shock | Arkansas–Little Rock | |
| 26 | Kachine Alexander # | Minnesota Lynx | Iowa | |
| 27 | Amy Jaeschke # | Chicago Sky | Northwestern | |
| 28 | Adrienne Johnson # | Connecticut Sun | Louisiana Tech | |
| 29 | Elina Babkina (pick later voided) | Los Angeles Sparks | Lotos VBW Clima Gdynia (Poland) | |
| 30 | Porsha Phillips | San Antonio Silver Stars | Georgia | |
| 31 | Tahnee Robinson # (traded to Connecticut) | Phoenix Mercury | Nevada | |
| 32 | Kelsey Bolte # | Atlanta Dream | Iowa State | |
| 33 | Jori Davis # | Indiana Fever | Indiana | |
| 34 | Mekia Valentine # | New York Liberty | UC Santa Barbara | |
| 35 | Sara Krnjić # | Washington Mystics | Pécs 2010 (Hungary) | |
| 36 | Krystal Thomas | Seattle Storm | Duke |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ http://www.wnba.com/transactions/WNBA_2010.html 2010 WNBA Transactions
- ^ "Top Prospects Invited to Attend WNBA Draft" (Press release). Women's National Basketball Association. April 6, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
- "All-Time WNBA Draft List". WNBA. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008.
External links
[edit]2011 WNBA draft
View on GrokipediaOverview
Event Details
The 2011 WNBA Draft took place on April 11, 2011, at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut.[1] The event was broadcast live, with the first round airing on ESPN in high definition beginning at 3 p.m. ET and simulcast on ESPN3.com, while the second and third rounds were covered on ESPNU and NBA TV from 4 to 5:30 p.m. ET.[1][3] The draft consisted of three rounds, resulting in 36 total selections across the league's 12 teams, with each team receiving three picks.[4] The order of the first round was determined by a draft lottery held on November 2, 2010, among the four non-playoff teams from the 2010 season, based on the reverse order of their regular-season records; the remaining first-round picks (5–12) and all picks in the second and third rounds followed the reverse order of the 2010 regular-season records.[5] As the league's annual player selection process, the 2011 WNBA Draft enabled teams to choose from eligible amateur and international players to build their rosters for the upcoming season.[2]Selection Format
The selection order for the 2011 WNBA draft was primarily determined by the reverse order of the teams' regular-season records from the 2010 season, with the four teams that missed the playoffs entering a draft lottery to decide the top four picks in the first round.[5] The lottery involved assigning odds based on each team's 2010 record, using 1,000 possible combinations where the worst-performing team received the highest probability (e.g., the Tulsa Shock had 442 chances out of 1,000).[5] Ties in regular-season records were broken using head-to-head results from the prior season.[5] Following the lottery, the remaining picks in the first round (5 through 12) and all picks in the second and third rounds followed the straight reverse-order format without reversal between rounds.[6] Player eligibility for the 2011 draft followed standard WNBA criteria, requiring domestic players to have exhausted their college eligibility, be at least 22 years old during the calendar year of the draft, or have graduated from a four-year college or university and be four years removed from their high school graduation.[7] International players were eligible if they were at least 20 years old during the calendar year of the draft and had not enrolled in a U.S. college or university, allowing for broader global participation without the same age restrictions as domestic prospects.[7] A notable aspect of the 2011 draft was its emphasis on international scouting, exemplified by the selection of Australian center Elizabeth Cambage as the No. 2 overall pick by the Tulsa Shock, marking one of the highest placements for a non-U.S. college player and reflecting the league's growing interest in overseas talent.[6]Pre-Draft Developments
Draft Lottery
The 2011 WNBA Draft Lottery was held on November 2, 2010, in New York City to determine the order of the first four picks in the upcoming draft.[5] Only the four non-playoff teams from the 2010 season participated, with selection odds assigned inversely proportional to their regular-season records to promote competitive balance among rebuilding franchises.[8] The Tulsa Shock, who finished with the league-worst 6-28 record, entered with the highest probability at 442 out of 1,000 chances (44.2 percent).[5] The Chicago Sky, with a 14-20 mark, had 178 chances (17.8 percent), while the Minnesota Lynx, holding their own pick (from a 13-21 season) plus the traded pick from the Connecticut Sun (17-17 record), combined for 380 chances (38 percent).[5][9][10] The lottery utilized a random drawing of 1,000 combinations, where each participating team's allocations reflected their odds, ensuring no team could receive consecutive top-four picks unless via prior trades.[8] In the draw, the Minnesota Lynx secured the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Tulsa Shock at No. 2 and the Chicago Sky at No. 3.[5] The fourth pick defaulted to the Lynx via their acquired rights from the Sun trade, positioning Minnesota to make two selections in the top four.[5][11] This outcome was particularly impactful for the Lynx, a team seeking to accelerate their rebuild after a 13-21 campaign that left them out of the playoffs via tiebreaker in the Western Conference.[9] By winning the top pick despite not having the highest odds, the lottery exemplified its role in leveling the playing field, allowing underperforming teams access to elite college talent to foster long-term competitiveness.[5] The process, overseen by WNBA executives, underscored the league's commitment to parity in an era of expansion and roster turnover.[8]Transactions
Several key trades involving future draft picks occurred in the lead-up to the 2011 WNBA draft, reshaping team assets for the selection process. On March 11, 2010, the Atlanta Dream and San Antonio Silver Stars agreed to swap their second-round picks in the 2011 draft as part of a larger transaction that sent center Michelle Snow from Atlanta to San Antonio in exchange for guard Dalma Ivanyi.[12] In another significant pre-draft deal, the Minnesota Lynx acquired the Connecticut Sun's first- and second-round picks in the 2011 draft on April 8, 2010, by trading forward Kelsey Griffin—whom they had just selected third overall in the 2010 draft—to the Sun.[13] Later, on July 23, 2010, the Tulsa Shock obtained the Phoenix Mercury's first-round pick in the 2011 draft, along with forward/center Nicole Ohlde, in exchange for center Kara Braxton.[12] No major intra-draft trades of picks took place during the 2011 WNBA draft itself, though several teams exchanged rights to players selected that day shortly after their selections. These pre-draft maneuvers notably positioned rebuilding teams like the Lynx and Shock to accumulate multiple lottery-influenced first-round selections based on the traded teams' prior-season records.[2]Prospects
Invited Players
On April 6, 2011, the WNBA announced that 15 players had been invited to attend the draft held on April 11 in Bristol, Connecticut. These invitees consisted primarily of standout college seniors from U.S. universities, along with one international prospect, and were selected as the elite group of eligible draftees anticipated to draw significant interest from teams. Attendance at the draft underscored their status as top talents, with many ultimately becoming first-round selections that shaped the league's future rosters.[1] The full list of invited players, as detailed in the official announcement, is as follows:| Name | College/Club | Position | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danielle Adams | Texas A&M | F/C | 6'1" |
| Jessica Breland | North Carolina | F | 6'3" |
| Elizabeth Cambage | Australia | C | 6'8" |
| Sydney Colson | Texas A&M | G | 5'8" |
| Victoria Dunlap | Kentucky | F | 6'1" |
| Amber Harris | Xavier | F | 6'5" |
| Jantel Lavender | Ohio State | C | 6'4" |
| Maya Moore | Connecticut | F | 6'0" |
| Kayla Pedersen | Stanford | F | 6'4" |
| Ta'Shia Phillips | Xavier | C | 6'6" |
| Jeanette Pohlen | Stanford | G | 6'0" |
| Danielle Robinson | Oklahoma | G | 5'9" |
| Carolyn Swords | Boston College | C | 6'6" |
| Jasmine Thomas | Duke | G | 5'9" |
| Courtney Vandersloot | Gonzaga | G | 5'8" |
Top Prospects
The 2011 WNBA draft class was headlined by a group of elite college and international talents, with particular emphasis on versatile wings and guards to address league-wide needs for scoring, playmaking, and perimeter defense. Among standout college players, Maya Moore from the University of Connecticut emerged as the consensus top prospect, prized for her versatility as a scorer and defender across multiple positions. At 6 feet tall, Moore excelled as a national champion and Most Outstanding Player in the 2011 NCAA tournament, averaging 19.7 points per game over her career while demonstrating quickness, length, and the ability to score from the paint or beyond the arc, though scouts noted room for improvement in ball-handling and defensive positioning.[14][15][16] Amber Harris, a 6-foot-5 forward from Xavier University, drew attention for her face-up skills and post dominance, making her a projected early lottery pick as a two-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Year who averaged 18.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in her senior season with a 52.5% field goal percentage. Danielle Robinson, the 5-foot-9 quicksilver guard from Oklahoma, was valued for her speed, passing vision, and decision-making, averaging 18.3 points and 5.1 assists per game in 2010-11, though her limited three-point range was seen as an area for development in a league prioritizing backcourt creators.[17][18][19][20][21] Internationally, Australia's Elizabeth Cambage stood out as a 6-foot-8 center with dominant post presence, entering the draft at just 19 years old after a breakout performance for her national team since 2008 and strong play in Australia's WNBL, where her size and skill level made her an intriguing, high-upside prospect despite being a work in progress. Pre-draft mock drafts consistently projected Moore as the No. 1 overall selection to the Minnesota Lynx, with Cambage slotted second to the Tulsa Shock, reflecting broad scouting consensus on their immediate impact potential. Many of these top prospects, including Moore, Harris, Robinson, and Cambage, were among the players invited to the draft event.[22][20][23][24][25]Draft Results
Round 1
The first round of the 2011 WNBA Draft occurred on April 11, 2011, at ESPN Studios in Bristol, Connecticut, where the league's 12 teams made selections to build their rosters with emerging talent. The draft order for the top picks was determined by the WNBA Draft Lottery held on November 2, 2010, which the Minnesota Lynx won with a 38% chance (380 out of 1,000), combining their own allotment with one acquired from the Connecticut Sun, securing the No. 1 overall selection based on their 13-21 regular-season record from 2010.[5] Prior trades further influenced the round, notably giving the Lynx the fourth pick from the Connecticut Sun (acquired in a 2010 deal involving Taj McWilliams-Franklin) and the Tulsa Shock the seventh pick from the Phoenix Mercury (from a 2010 trade for Tanisha Wright).[2] These factors allowed Minnesota to make two high selections, targeting versatile forwards to bolster their lineup. The round featured a mix of college standouts and international prospects, with all 12 picks ultimately signing WNBA contracts and appearing in at least one game, though career durations varied. Below is the complete list of first-round selections:| Pick | Team | Player | School/Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | Maya Moore | Connecticut (USA) | Consensus top prospect; immediate starter. |
| 2 | Tulsa Shock | Elizabeth Cambage | Australia | 6'8" center; first Australian selected in top two. |
| 3 | Chicago Sky | Courtney Vandersloot | Gonzaga (USA) | Point guard; led nation in assists as senior. |
| 4 | Minnesota Lynx (from Connecticut Sun) | Amber Harris | Xavier (USA) | Forward; second Xavier player drafted in round. |
| 5 | Los Angeles Sparks | Jantel Lavender | Ohio State (USA) | Center; Big Ten Player of the Year. |
| 6 | San Antonio Silver Stars | Danielle Robinson | Oklahoma (USA) | Guard; All-Big 12 selection. |
| 7 | Tulsa Shock (from Phoenix Mercury) | Kayla Pedersen | Stanford (USA) | Forward; Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. |
| 8 | Atlanta Dream | Ta'Shia Phillips | Xavier (USA) | Forward; rights traded to Washington Mystics along with Kelly Miller and a 2012 first-round pick in exchange for Lindsey Harding and a 2012 second-round pick. |
| 9 | Indiana Fever | Jeanette Pohlen | Stanford (USA) | Guard; started all games for national champions. |
| 10 | New York Liberty | Alex Montgomery | Georgia Tech (USA) | Guard; ACC All-Freshman Team. |
| 11 | Washington Mystics | Victoria Dunlap | Kentucky (USA) | Forward; SEC All-Freshman honoree. |
| 12 | Seattle Storm | Jasmine Thomas | Duke (USA) | Guard; ACC All-Defensive Team. |
Round 2
The second round of the 2011 WNBA Draft operated under the league's snake format, reversing the selection order from the first round to give teams with stronger records earlier picks in this phase.[4] With marquee stars like Maya Moore and Danielle Robinson already secured in round one, franchises shifted focus to role players—primarily guards and forwards—who could bolster bench depth, provide defensive versatility, and contribute in limited minutes without demanding starter roles.[2] This round yielded several immediate contributors, though outcomes varied, with some picks quickly integrating into rotations while others faced challenges breaking into the league or pursued opportunities overseas.[4] The following table details all 12 picks in round two (overall picks 13 through 24), including the selecting team (noting trades where applicable), player, and college or international origin. Several rights were traded immediately after selection, influencing initial team assignments.[2] Players who never appeared in a regular-season WNBA game are marked with an asterisk (*).[4]| Overall Pick | Team (Notes) | Player | College/Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Minnesota Lynx (traded to New York Liberty) | Jessica Breland | North Carolina |
| 14 | Minnesota Lynx (traded to Atlanta Dream) | Felicia Chester | DePaul |
| 15 | Chicago Sky | Carolyn Swords | Boston College |
| 16 | Connecticut Sun (traded to New York Liberty) | Sydney Colson | Texas A&M |
| 17 | Chicago Sky (from Los Angeles Sparks) | Angie Bjorklund | Tennessee |
| 18 | Atlanta Dream (from San Antonio Silver Stars, traded to Minnesota Lynx) | Rachel Jarry | Australia |
| 19 | Phoenix Mercury | Brittany Spears* | Colorado |
| 20 | San Antonio Silver Stars (from Atlanta Dream) | Danielle Adams | Texas A&M |
| 21 | Tulsa Shock (from Indiana Fever) | Italee Lucas* | North Carolina |
| 22 | New York Liberty (traded to Minnesota Lynx) | Angel Robinson* | Marquette |
| 23 | Washington Mystics | Karima Christmas | Duke |
| 24 | Seattle Storm | Ify Ibekwe | Arizona |
Round 3
The third round of the 2011 WNBA Draft, consisting of picks 25 through 36, followed the snake format by reverting to the order used in Round 1, starting with the teams that finished with the league's worst records from the 2010 season.[2] These selections focused on project players from smaller college programs, international prospects, and developmental talents often targeted for training camp tryouts rather than immediate roster spots, reflecting the draft's deepest and most speculative tier.[4] Of the 12 picks, only three players appeared in regular-season games, underscoring the round's emphasis on long-shot potential over proven contributors.[4] The round featured notable international depth, including Latvian guard Elina Babkina, selected by the Los Angeles Sparks after playing professionally in Poland, and Serbian forward Sarah Krnjic, chosen by the Washington Mystics following her stint with a Hungarian club.[2] Other picks highlighted under-the-radar college athletes, such as Chastity Reed from Arkansas-Little Rock and Krystal Thomas from Duke, the latter of whom went on to a seven-season WNBA career with the Seattle Storm.[4]| Pick | Team | Player | College/Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Tulsa Shock | Chastity Reed | Arkansas-Little Rock |
| 26 | Minnesota Lynx | Kachine Alexander | Iowa |
| 27 | Chicago Sky | Amy Jaeschke | Northwestern |
| 28 | Connecticut Sun | Adrienne Johnson | Louisiana Tech |
| 29 | Los Angeles Sparks | Elina Babkina | Lotos VBW Clima Gdynia (Poland) |
| 30 | San Antonio Silver Stars | Porsha Phillips | Georgia |
| 31 | Phoenix Mercury | Tahnee Robinson | Nevada |
| 32 | Atlanta Dream | Kelsey Bolte | Iowa State |
| 33 | Indiana Fever | Jori Davis | Indiana |
| 34 | New York Liberty | Mekia Valentine | UC Santa Barbara |
| 35 | Washington Mystics | Sarah Krnjic | Pécs 2010 (Hungary) |
| 36 | Seattle Storm | Krystal Thomas | Duke |

