Fans of the WNBA won’t see a physical draft this year. Scheduled for Friday, April 17 at 4 p.m. PST, commissioner Cathy Engelbert plans to make virtual announcements for each pick in the draft while top picks react to their selections over conference calls.
Despite the draft not having attendance, it still has the attention of Oregon fans. The Ducks have three players expected to be picked in the top 15 according to ESPN’s mock draft — senior guard Sabrina Ionescu, senior forward Ruthy Hebard and junior forward Satou Sabally, who decided to forego her senior season and declare for the draft early.
A virtual draft is an anticlimactic finish for a trio that led their team to a conference championship before their final seasons were cut short, but it doesn’t bother Ionescu; she’s planning on watching the draft at home with her family.
“Of course I’m disappointed that I’m not able to be in New York and walk across the stage and get that whole experience, but there’s more important things going on in the world right now,” Ionescu said in a media teleconference Tuesday. “I’m just happy I get to be here with my family and they’re still making it as special as they can.”
Fans can certainly expect a special moment at the virtual draft, where Ionescu will be speaking on behalf of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, Ionescu’s friend and mentor, who passed away earlier this year.
“It’s gonna be awesome to share that special moment with them and the other girls they’re going to be honoring,” Ionescu said. “Obviously it’s going to be hard because normally they would be celebrating with me, but I’m excited to know they’ll be celebrating in a better place.”
A lock for the first overall pick, Ionescu will most likely be drafted by the New York Liberty. The women’s college basketball spotlight has shone on Ionescu for the past two seasons, so she feels she can handle the extra pressure of a big-market team.
“I don’t really know a lot about New York, but I’m definitely excited for the opportunity to play there and at Barclays Center,” Ionescu said. “Just the marketability that there is in New York and the hustle and bustle is something I think could be beneficial not only to myself as a person but as a brand for women’s basketball.”
Ionescu said her conversations with new Liberty head coach Walt Hopkins have gone well, and she has experience with players on the team. She played alongside Liberty guard Asia Durr on the USA Basketball U24 Team for three years.
This draft experience presents an unconventional situation for everyone, but Ionescu still must manage the hype that comes with being a first overall pick. She’s in the process of securing a sneaker deal, with prospects from Stephen Curry and Under Armour, Nike, Puma and others. A process that usually involves a plethora of meetings and team introductions must now take place online. Nonetheless, she wants a company that will be able to use her talents to advocate for something bigger than just basketball, and hopes to make a decision on a company before the draft.
On top of that, Ionescu is navigating the last quarter of her master’s program in advertising and brand responsibility at Oregon, which the university switched to a completely online format last month.
It’s a lot of pressure for someone confined to the walls of their own house, just like the rest of the country. The WNBA postponed its season on April 3 — the tip-off originally scheduled for March 15 — leaving the hype surrounding Ionescu to stir amidst an uncertain start date for the season. Ionescu will carry her legacy and leadership with her wherever and whenever she takes the court next.
