Author: Aneela Khan

Hello there! My name is Aneela Khan. I am a blogger & writer who lives in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. I focus on blogging and writing on women's college basketball, (especially the women's college basketball rankings!) Team Canada senior women's national team and WNBA. I also write on some other online outlets as well. I love to read, write, watch basketball (and other sports) and enjoy my family. I hope you enjoy reading my blog posts. Take care, Aneela

Who are the 32 players in the G.O.A.T WNBA Bracket Challenge?

Greatest of All Time Player Bracket Challenge!

March 29, 2020April 3, 2020 ~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

We released the WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge and we have had great response to it. Our Round of 64 is now completed and now we move on to the Round of 32. Listed below are the 32 players left in the WNBA G.O.A.T Bracket Challenge who moved on thanks to the voting.

The Round of 32 will begin tomorrow at 10 am EST via Twitter Polls and we thought it would be a great idea to have the bios of the 32 WNBA Players so all of you would have an informed opinion on who to vote for in every region. . We are starting with the first region W, followed by the second region, N, then the third region B and the final region A.

Region W

#1 overall seed Diana Taurasi vs #8 Dawn Staley

#1 Diana Taurasi

Regarded as one of the most intense players, Diana Taurasi has backed it up in 15 seasons with the Mercury delivering 3 championships and becoming known as one of the toughest playoff competitors in league history. Spending her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury she has led the Merc to new heights winning the 2009 MVP 5 scoring titles including 4 in a row, while making 9 all star and ten all WNBA teams. But DT’s biggest accomplishments have come in the post season winning the Finals MVP twice on her way to being known as one of the best clutch performers in WNBA history. – Glenn

#8 Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley is one of the WNBA’s most recognizable players and is currently the head coach of South Carolina women’s basketball team. Dawn originally played for the ABL before being drafted in the WNBA in 1999. She played for six seasons for the Charlotte Sting and was traded to the Houston Comets during her last season in the WNBA in 2006. She led the Charlotte Sting to the title game in 2001. She was a six time WNBA All Star. Aneela

#2 Sheryl Swoopes vs #7 Ticha Penicheiro

#2 Sheryl Swoopes (1997- 2011)

Three time MVP, four time champion, three time defensive player of the year, two time scoring champ, and a list of additional accolades too long to include here. Swoopes was one of the faces of the league from its inception and one of the most enduringly popular figures ever to grace a WNBA court. – Kevin

#7 Ticha Penicheiro

Penicheiro is one of the best passers the WNBA has ever seen. Currently, she ranks 2nd All-Time in both assists and steals. Over her 15-year career, Penicheiro led the league in assists 7 times, including a career-high 8 assists per game in 2002. She also won a WNBA championship with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005. – Michael

#3 Candace Parker vs #6 Chamique Holdsclaw

#3 Candace Parker (2008 – present)

Two time MVP, eight time All WNBA, and league champion. Parker led the league in rebounding and blocks twice each. One of the most engaging and popular players in league history, she has been one of the faces of the league from the moment she was drafted #1 in 2008. – Kevin

#6 Chamique Holdsclaw

A six-time WNBA All-Star and a three-time All-WNBA Second Team selection. She played 11 seasons with her longest stint being her six seasons with the Washington Mystics. She was the 1999 Rookie of the Year and won her only scoring title in 2002. She also won back-to-back rebounding crowns too. – Lamar

#4 Sylvia Fowles vs #5 Becky Hammon

#4 Sylvia Fowles

A 6-foot-6 center known as a great rebounder and defender, has played 12 seasons in the WNBA and currently plays for the Minnesota Lynx. Fowles is a two-time WNBA Champion, a two-time WNBA Finals MVP and a one-time WNBA MVP. Fowles also is a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and a six-time WNBA All-Star. – Nathan

#5 Becky Hammon

A six time WNBA All Star and 16 year WNBA veteran. Hammon has split her WNBA career between the New York Liberty and the San Antonio Stars where the Stars have since retired her jersey. She has made the All – WNBA Team four times, she won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and took the San Antonio Stars to their only WNBA Finals appearance in 2008 – Lamar

Region N

#1 Lauren Jackson vs #8 Candice Dupree

#1 Lauren Jackson

Seen as one of the world’s greatest women’s players and one of the WNBA’s best post players in history. Lauren Jackson came to the WNBA at the tender age of 19 and did not disappoint quickly becoming the anchor in the middle of the great Storm teams of the 2000’s. Teaming up with Sue Bird they quickly formed one of the greatest inside outside tandems seen in the WNBA. Winning two titles in her 12 season career Injuries cut Lauren’s career short but she still was remembered as a 2 time scoring champion and one time rebounding champion who was a severe threat whenever she stepped onto the court. – Glenn

#8 Candice Dupree

Candice Dupree is a model of consistency. Every time that she steps on to the court, she is going to get what she wants. This consistency is what led her to make 7 all-star games. Dupree was also a member of the 2014 Phoenix Mercury team that won a championship. She currently ranks in the top ten all-time for both total points and rebounds. – Michael

#2 Cynthia Cooper vs #7 Teresa Weatherspoon

#2 Cynthia Cooper

Quite simply the WNBA’s first megastar. Cynthia Cooper transcended a long career in Europe and exploded onto the American scene at the ripe age of 34. She was the scoring and overall leader of the legendary Houston Comets dynasty. Winning the WNBA title in each of her four full seasons and being named Finals MVP in each of those seasons. The 3 time scoring champ and 2x WNBA MVP in her first two seasons, Cooper set the benchmark for excellence that WNBA players still strive for today. – Glenn

#7 Teresa Weatherspoon

Teresa Weatherspoon is one of the WNBA’s inaugural players and was a dynamic guard for the New York Liberty. She became well known for her half court shot to tie the WNBA Finals series with the Houston Comets in 1999. She helped guide the Liberty to it’s first ever WNBA Finals appearance in 1997 and then in 1999. She won the first ever WNBA DPOY in 1997 and won again the following year. – Aneela

#3 Seimone Augustus vs #6 Brittney Griner

Seimone Augustus (2006 – present)

Six time All WNBA player, eight time All Star, and four time champion. The #1 pick of the 2006 draft, Augustus won rookie of the year and became the face of the Lynx throughout their 2010’s dynasty including winning finals MVP. – Kevin

#6 Brittney Griner

A six-time WNBA All-Star that has played seven seasons all for the Phoenix Mercury. Griner has made All-WNBA five times and has made the All-WNBA Defensive First Team three times and the All-WNBA Defensive Second Team three times. A two-time Defensive Player of the Year who averages 3.0 bpg over her career. She is a two-time scoring champ and has scored over 20ppg the last three years. Griner won a WNBA title in 2014 and an Olympic gold medal in 2016. – Lamar

#4 Elena Delle Donne vs #5 Lindsay Whalen

#4 Elena Delle Donne

A 6-foot-5 forward known has arguably the most talent player currently in the WNBA, has played seven seasons in the WNBA and currently plays for the Washington Mystics, averaging 20.3 points and 7.0 rebounds for her career. Delle Donne is a one-time WNBA Champion, a two-time WNBA MVP and a six-time WNBA All-Star. Delle Donne also was a WNBA Rookie of the Year and in 2019 became the only player in WNBA history to join the 50-40-90 club. – Nathan

#5 Lindsay Whalen

A 5-foot-9 known as one of the most consistent and reliable WNBA players in history, played 15 seasons in the WNBA and retired in 2018 with the Minnesota Lynx. Whalen was a four-time WNBA Champion, a five-time All-Star and a three-time All-WNBA First Team. Whalen also was a three-time WNBA assists leader and currently has the most assists in WNBA Playoff history. – Nathan

Region B

#1 Maya Moore vs #8 Breanna Stewart

#1 Maya Moore

Quite simply the greatest player from the 2010’s. Maya Moore transformed the Minnesota Lynx from the bottom into a dynasty within one year of her arrival. She helped create one of the most respected franchises in the process. The 2014 MVP added leadership and scoring which went on to win four WNBA titles and 6 finals in 8 years. She was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2013. In 2019, Maya Moore stepped away from the game to pursue social justice opportunities and in the process added even more respect to an already legendary career. – Glenn

#8 Breanna Stewart

What Breanna Stewart has done in her career is incredible. At just 25 years old, Stewart has already won both the regular-season league MVP and finals MVP. She has also made 2 all-star games in 2017 and 2018. She lost her 2019 season due to an achilles injury, so there will be a lot eyes on her to see if she can pick up where she left off in 2018. Breanna Stewart might be young, but by the time she wraps up her career, she will be among the league greats. – Michael

#2 Tamika Catchings vs #7 Rebekkah Brunson

#2 Tamika Catchings

The most respected woman in WNBA history for her class on the court and her community leadership off it. Tamika Catchings is known as one of the greatest ever to play the game. She reached 3 WNBA Finals and she was a WNBA champion in 2012. She’s a 5 time Defensive Player of the Year and was the 2011 WNBA MVP. Catchings’s all around game was second to none in her 15 year career, all with the Indiana Fever. She led the Fever to the WNBA playoffs in all but two of them. Her community work and leadership has made Tamika Catchings one of the WNBA’s greatest ambassadors and she continues in a new role as Fever President and General Manager. – Glenn

#7 Rebekkah Brunson

Brunson is a 5 time All-Star over her 15-year career. During this span, she won 5 championships, the most in WNBA history. Brunson is also the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder with a total of 3,356 rebounds. Rebekkah Brunson was a fierce defender which earned her a spot on 7 All-Defensive teams, 1 being First Team (2011) and 6 being Second Team. (2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018) – Michael

#3 Angel McCoughtry vs #11 Skylar Diggins-Smith

#3 Angel McCoughtry (2009 – present)

Six time All WNBA player, five time All Star, seven time All Defensive team, and two time scoring champ. McCoughtry was the #1 pick in 2009 and won rookie of the year. She led the league in steals twice. Abrasive and mercurial, McCoughtry has a reputation for being hard on coaches and teammates. Despite that, many players have had their best seasons playing alongside her. -Kevin

#11 Skylar Diggins – Smith

Diggins-Smith is a perennial all-star currently set to play for the Phoenix Mercury in this upcoming season. In 2014 she won the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award after averaging 20.1 points per game. Her resume also includes 2 First Team All-WNBA appearances (2014,2017) and one 1 Second Team All-WNBA appearance. (2018) Also during the 2018 season she set her career high for points with 35. – Michael

#5 Swin Cash vs #13 Courtney Vandersloot

#5 Swin Cash

A 6-foot-1 forward known has one of the most consistent players in WNBA history, played 15 seasons in the WNBA and retired in 2016 with the New York Libery. Cash was a three-time WNBA Champion and a four-time WNBA All-Star. – Nathan

#13 Courtney Vandersloot

A 5-foot-8 guard known as arguably the best passer in WNBA history along with Sue Bird, has played nine seasons in the WNBA and all for the Chicago Sky. Vandersloot is a two-time WNBA All-Star and was All-WNBA First Team in 2019. Vandersloot also is a four-time WNBA assists leader as she currently has the all-time average for assists, hovering at 6.2 assists in the regular season and 7.0 assists in the postseason. – Nathan

Region A

#1 Lisa Leslie vs #8 Penny Taylor

#1 Lisa Leslie

One of the allocated Cornerstones of the WNBA Lisa Leslie created the LA sparks into the model franchise it continues to be today. Her massive post presence and inside shooting touch made her one of the most feared players on the court and her marketing savvy made her one of the most respected players off it. A 3 time MVP and the force behind the Sparks back to back titles in 2001 and 2002, Leslie is rightfully one of the WNBA’s true legends. – Glenn

#8 Penny Taylor

Penny Taylor is one of the best all-around players to ever play in the WNBA. In 2001 Taylor was drafted to the Cleveland Rockers with the 11th pick in the first round. She played a total of 13 seasons in the league, 3 of which resulted in championships. She also made 3 all-star appearances and was even named to the All-WNBA First team in 2007.– Michael

#2 Sue Bird vs #7 Cappie Pondexter

#2 Sue Bird (2002 – present)

Eight time All WNBA player, 11 time All Star, three time assist leader, and three time champion. Bird is the epitome of a WNBA point guard, balancing her own offense with her teammates perfectly. She is the league’s all time assist leader and helped Lauren Jackson and Breanna Stewart to MVP status. – Kevin

#7 Cappie Pondexter

Cappie Pondexter will go down as one of the most explosive guards in the history of the WNBA. When she came into the league in 2006 she made an immediate splash averaging 19.5 points per game for the Phoenix Mercury. Pondexter is a two-time WNBA champion with the Mercury. She also took home the Finals MVP trophy for her performance in the 2007 WNBA Finals. Cappie finished her career as a 7-time all-star among many other accolades. – Michael

#3 Tina Thompson vs #6 Nneka Ogwumike

#3 Tina Thompson (1997 – 2013)

Eight time All WNBA player, nine time All Star, and four time champion. Thompson was the first player chosen in the inaugural college draft in 1997. She was a precursor to the ubiquitous “stretch four” of today, mixing the ability to bang in the paint with long range shooting accuracy. – Kevin

#6 Nneka Ogwumike

A six-time WNBA All-Star and has played eight seasons in the league. She has spent her whole career with the Los Angeles Sparks and is currently their third all-time leading scorer. She was the 2016 WNBA MVP and has been All-NBA four times. She has made the All Defensive Team four times. And she hit the series winning shot in the 2016 WNBA Finals to bring the Sparks their first title in 14 years. – Lamar

#4 Katie Smith vs #5 Tina Charles

#4 Katie Smith

A 5-foot-11 wing known as a great scorer, played 15 seasons in the WNBA and retired in 2013 with the New York Liberty. Smith was a two-time WNBA Champion and a one-time WNBA Finals MVP. Smith was also a seven-time All-Star and had one of best scoring seasons in WNBA history with 23.1 points per game in 2001. – Nathan

#5 Tina Charles

A five-time WNBA All-Star and the 2012 league MVP. She has won two Olympic gold medals. Charles has All-WNBA eight times and is one of three players in WNBA history to lead the league in scoring and rebounding. She’s led the league in rebounding four times and is the New York Liberty’s all-time rebounding leader. She has been in the league for 10 seasons. – Lamar

Who is the Greatest WNBA Player of All Time? Tournament Bracket Challenge!

March 28, 2020March 30, 2020 ~ Aneela Khan ~ 3 Comments

Welcome to the Greatest WNBA Player of All Time Tournament Bracket Challenge presented by wbasketballblog.com!

The constant debates between who REALLY is the Greatest WNBA Player of All Time can be put to rest in this bracket challenge. There are so many different ideas of what makes a great player in terms of scoring the ball, defending, rebounding and what kind of impact they had in the game, etc. We thought it would be a great idea to put it in the public’s hands once and for all to determine who is the Greatest WNBA Player of All Time.

The world is consumed of bad news everyday and since the NCAA Tournament was cancelled, why not throw our own tournament but still represent the WNBA and women’s basketball? So, we came up with this idea.

In order to undertake this challenge of putting the top 64 players, I reached out to ask individuals if they would like to participate. In turn, I received a lot of interest and we were able to quickly form a committee. The following committee members are: Kevin Brown, Glenn Starkey, Nathan Hiatt, Lamar Smith, Michael Olsen and myself (Aneela Khan).

As a committee, we decided that Diana Taurasi is the overall #1 seed and the four #1 seeds are Diana Taurasi, Lauren Jackson, Maya Moore and Lisa Leslie. The four regions are named W, N, B and A. Tomorrow, we will release the 64 players bios to give you an informed opinion on who to vote for.

Voting will begin at 10 am EST on Monday, March 30th and we will conduct the polls via Twitter. We will do one region each day. The winner will be announced some time in April. Voting will be for 24 hours.

The G.O.A.T bracket is below. (We apologize for the size of the table and how small it is but it will make it easier for you to see.) Again, we deeply apologize for the size and the fact that there are no printed copies. Truly.

Listed below are the committee members bios who contributed to making this bracket happen. They are very diverse and come from different walks of life.

Aneela Khan – Twitter – @whoopsblogger

Aneela Khan is the owner of wbasketballblog.com. She became a fan of the WNBA in the year 2008 when Candace Parker entered the league. She was a fan of the San Antonio Stars before they were sold to Las Vegas. She started to blog and write about women’s college basketball, WNBA, Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team seriously in the year 2016.

Glenn Starkey – Twitter – @Starkman55

Glenn Starkey has followed the WNBA since the year 2000. In 2004, he became a season ticket holder to the New York Liberty. He married a fellow New York Liberty fan, Rebecca in 2011. He has seen the New York Liberty go through many ups and downs throughout their tenure and has found a community with many other fellow Liberty fans. Glenn works in business insurance and also supports six women’s college basketball teams.

Kevin Brown – Twitter – @over_short

Kevin Brown has been a WNBA fan since the inaugural season. He preferred the WNBA over the ABL because of how dominant Sheryl Swoopes was. Kevin has tracked WNBA stats and trivia over at his personal website WNBA odds and ends in which he has kept records from old and new seasons. His site has been simply instrumental in keeping WNBA data when there was no other option.

Lamar Smith – Twitter – @inside380

Lamar Smith is a sports journalism Masters graduate at Arizona State University. He is an avid basketball fan and in the fall he will be publishing his first book.

Michael Olson – Twitter – @colombianmikey

Michael Olsen is a senior in high school. He is from Minnesota and is a Lynx fan and was able to witness the Lynx’s great dynasty. He really became supportive of the WNBA in 2016 and in his free time, he watches women’s college basketball, the WNBA and he also plays basketball. He also likes to study both the history of the league and historical players while still watching the young talent we see in the game today.

Nathan Hiatt – Twitter – @NATE_HIATT

Nathan Hiatt is a sports journalist who graduated from Oklahoma State University in May 2018. He currently attends Arizona State University as a graduate student and is set to graduate this coming May.

Canadian Senior Women’s Basketball Team Member Kayla Alexander speaks on the postponed Olympics and COVID-19.

March 26, 2020 ~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

The corona virus continues to spread across the world and wreak havoc on sporting events, both big and small. It has now forced the International Olympic Committee to postpone the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo to no later than summer 2021. The Olympic Games were set to start from July 24 to August 9th.

The IOC were originally supposed to have a decision come April, but national team federations such as Canada and Australia pulled their athletes from the Games and Team Australia even told their athletes to prepare for the games in summer 2021 before there was even a final decision made.

The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team was headed to the Olympics after they went 3-0 in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. This was one of their best teams ever assembled as they had a mix of youth, experience and great defense and Team Canada was ranked fourth in the world, the highest standing yet.

Team Canada women’s basketball member Kayla Alexander was set to debut in her first Olympics this year and she took some time out of her day to answer questions regarding the Olympics, COVID-19 and the WNBA. Recently, she signed a standard contract with the Minnesota Lynx.

Q: As a Canadian Senior Women’s National Team member who was vying for a spot on the team, how were you training as COVID – 19 virus was becoming more and more serious?

KAYLA: When it was becoming more serious I was in season in Poland. Things progressed pretty quickly once the NBA suspended the season and the NCAA cancelled March Madness and all spring sports. Shortly after that our season went from the possibility of having a condensed playoff format to cancelled. When I returned home a decision had not yet been made by the COC and IOC, so I was doing what I could at home. My dad has some old workout equipment in the basement so our CB trainer created some strength workouts for me that I could do at home based on the equipment I had. I was also using the Nike NTC app for more endurance/cardio type workouts and yoga.

It was hard, but I am sure many athletes were trying to do the best with what we had. There is no way to replicate all of the skills and physical aspects required to play basketball, at home, so I could only imagine what other athletes felt not having access to pools, climbing walls, pole vaults, tracks, etc.

Q: How did you feel about the IOC still wanting to continue with the Olympics despite the global outbreak?

KAYLA: I think that they, like myself and I am sure many others, were trying to remain positive and see how the virus would play out. None of us know the future, and what would take place, so I think they were waiting and hoping that something positive would happen regarding the virus.

At the same time, it was frustrating not being able to train at the level that I wanted and needed to in order to prepare for the games. I can only imagine the stress this was causing fellow athletes, having to try to stay/ be fit, but also dealing with the unknown of what tomorrow held. I don’t think that the IOC would put the athletes, staff and the world at risk and expect us all to show up and perform if it wasn’t safe, and would have made a decision soon.

Q: What was your real, raw reaction when you got the news that Team Canada was not going to send it’s athletes to the Games?

Heartbroken, sad and upset if I’m being honest. This would have hopefully been my first ever games. However, the leadership role Canada took as a nation, makes me proud of our country. I respected their decision because it showed that their priority was to concentrate on the collective health and well being and take all necessary steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In due time, sports will bring the world together again, when it’s safe for each and everyone of us.

Q: Your thoughts on the IOC’s postponement on the Games to summer 2021 and how it affects your plans going forward?

I think it was the right call, we will all still have a chance to compete in the future when it is safe to do so. It’s also takes a little of the stress out of the situation knowing that we have at the very least an idea of when to expect the games instead of a question mark. I don’t know at what extent it affects my plans going forward because at this time, none of us know the future, we don’t know how long until we find a cure, how long it will spread, when it will be safe again, etc. So I am focused on the present, staying positive and doing my part, and trying my best to stay as ready as I can for when sports are safe again.

Q: Finally, your thoughts on the WNBA season? Should it go on? What do you think the WNBA should do if you were the WNBA commissioner?

I believe Cathy and the league will make a decision when appropriate that prioritizes the health and wellness of everyone. We don’t know what the future holds, but I am sure they will monitor the situation closely and come to a conclusion soon. Being my optimistic self, I’d like to hope that the world quickly heals from this virus and the WNBA can proceed as scheduled, but the health and safety of everyone will always come first.

2020 WNBA Mock Draft Version 3.0

megan walker, connecticut, 2020 wnba draft

March 21, 2020March 23, 2020 ~ Aneela Khan ~ 1 Comment

We are now in March and normally around this time, the NCAA Tournament would be kicking off. Unfortunately due to the corona virus spreading across the world, the tournament was cancelled. It was for good reasons, although I, like many others were crushed since the NCAA tourney brings so many good memories and great performances. It also allows seniors to raise their stock and for the WNBA general managers to see what certain players are made of.

It also makes junior Megan Walker’s decision to join the draft early somewhat intriguing because there is still no word on whether or not the WNBA season will be cancelled and how they will deal with the draft which is happening in less than a month

I debated on whether or not to publish this latest version of the WNBA Mock Draft, but I thought my subscribers deserved a treat since I am not releasing it on Twitter and Instagram, so if you are viewing this post, it means you are viewing my blog and for that, I appreciate it. If you would like to view past versions (Version 1.0 and Version 2.0) you may do so here for Version 1.0 and here for Version 2.0. Thanks for your continued support!

ROUND ONE

New York Liberty- Sabrina Ionescu
Dallas Wings – Satou Sabally
Indiana Fever – Chennedy Carter**
Atlanta Dream – Lauren Cox
Dallas Wings – Megan Walker
Minnesota Lynx – Tyasha Harris
Dallas Wings – Ruthy Hebard
Chicago Sky – Beatrice Mompremier
Dallas Wings – Kiah Gillespie
Phoenix – Mikiah Herbert Harrigan
Seattle Storm -Crystal Dangerfield
Washington – Bella Alarie

ROUND TWO

New York Liberty – Te’a Cooper
Indiana Fever – Joyner Holmes
Dallas Wings – Kathleen Doyle
Minnesota Lynx – Nicki Ekhomu
Atlanta Dream – Kaila Charles
Phoenix Mercury – Mikayla Pivec
Seattle Storm – Nausia Woolfolk
Los Angeles Sparks – Haley Gorecki
Dallas Wings – Leaonna Odom
Los Angeles Sparks – Japreece Dean
Connecticut Sun – Stephanie Jones
Washington Mystics – Jocelyn Willoughby

ROUND THREE

Atlanta Dream – Sara Rhine
New York Liberty – Ciara Duffy
Atlanta Dream – Becca Hittner
Indiana Fever – Taryn McCutcheon
Phoenix Mercury – Ja’Tavia Tapley
Chicago Sky – Reili Richardson
Seattle Storm – Katie Campbell
Chicago Sky – Kylee Shook
Las Vegas Aces – Jazmine Jones
Los Angeles – Nadia Fingall
Connecticut – Jordan Danberry
Washington – Juicy Landrum

Women’s College Basketball Final Overall Player Rankings for 2019/2020 – Class by Class!

March 12, 2020March 12, 2020 ~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

After 17 weeks of my weekly women’s college basketball players rankings, it is time to unveil the FINAL OVERALL Women’s College Basketball Players Rankings for the 2019/2020 season. From November to March, there have been some incredible moments and performances from seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen across the nation.

For 17 weeks, I took the best of the best women’s college basketball players and put them on my weekly lists. I looked at over 50+ schools this season because of the parity and the wide variety of upsets happening every week and the amount of upsets had usurped previous years which also required me to do an extra week of the weekly women’s college basketball rankings. I had never done that before as 16 weeks was often enough. I also tried my best to make the ratings fair and include a wide variety of big and small conferences. These rankings can take quite a bit of time to put together because they require a ton of time and attention.

I have been compiling these rankings for four years now and if you would like to check out last year’s edition, you may do so here. If you would like to check out the 2017/2018 edition, you can view it here. If you would like to view the 2016/2017 edition, you can view it here. If you have questions or this is your first time viewing the rankings, please read the FAQ page first.

Listed below are the top seniors, the top juniors, the top sophomores and the top freshmen for 2019/2020.

SENIORS

Sabrina Ionescu – Oregon
Ruthy Hebard – Oregon
Lauren Cox – Baylor
Mikayla Pivec – Oregon State
Kaila Charles – Maryland
Tyasha Harris – South Carolina
Te’a Cooper – Baylor
Beatrice Mompremier – Miami
Kiah Gillespie – Florida State
Bella Alarie – Princeton
Crystal Dangerfield – Connecticut
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan – South Carolina
Jordan Danberry – Mississippi State
Nicki Ekhomu – Florida State
Jazmine Jones – Louisville
Ayana Mitchell – LSU
Chante Stonewall – DePaul
Kylee Shook – Louisville
Brittany Brewer – Texas Tech
Japreece Dean – UCLA
Kathleen Doyle – Iowa
Ciara Duffy – South Dakota
Haley Gorecki – Duke
Jaylyn Agnew – Creighton
Becca Hittner – Drake
Stephanie Jones – Maryland
Kianna Ray – TCU
Sara Rhine – Drake
Ja’Tavia Tapley – Arizona State
Taryn McCutcheon – Michigan State
Kamiah Smalls – James Madison
Stella Johnson – Rider
Kristen Spolyar – Butler
Alexa Willard – Missouri State
Amber Melgoza – Washington
Alana Gilmer – Marist

*Just missed: Jaelyn Brown (California), Emma Guy (Boston College), Juicy Landrum (Baylor), Dominique Oden (Purdue), Jocelyn Willoughby (Virginia)

*Honourable mention: Taiye Bello (Minnesota), Katie Campbell (Gonzaga), Fallyn Freije (Montana State), Rebekah Hand (Marist), A’erianna Harris (Purdue), Aislinn Konig (NC State), Francesca Pan (Georgia Tech), Reili Richardson (Arizona State), Jayla Scaife (Dayton), Abi Scheid (Northwestern), Rachel Thompson (Colgate), Peyton Williams (Kansas State), Nausia Woolfolk (Florida State)

JUNIORS

Chennedy Carter – Texas A&M
Satou Sabally – Oregon
Michaela Onyenwere – UCLA
Aari McDonald – Arizona
Rennia Davis – Tennessee
Megan Walker – Connecticut
Destiny Slocum – Oregon State
Chelsea Dungee – Arkansas
Janelle Bailey – North Carolina
Kysre Gondrezick – West Virginia
Vivian Gray – Oklahoma State
Dana Evans – Louisville
Lindsey Pulliam – Northwestern
Lauren Heard – TCU
Ali Patberg – Indiana
Arella Guirantes – Rutgers
N’dea Jones – Texas A&M
Kiana Williams – Stanford
Kayla Wells – Texas A&M
Jenn Wirth – Gonzaga
Kayla Jones – NC State
Jill Townsend – Gonzaga
Selena Lott – Marquette
Micaela Kelly – Central Michigan
Maddi Utti – Fresno State
India Pagan – Stony Brook
Brice Calip – Missouri State

*Honourable mention: Erin Boley (Oregon), Lorela Cubaj (Georgia Tech), Ciera Johnson (Texas A&M), Kiara Lewis (Syracuse), Victoria Morris (Old Dominion), Nancy Mulkey (Rice), Chelsea Perry (UT Martin), Jaelynn Penn (Indiana), Destiny Pitts (Minnesota), Amaya Scott (Bethune-Cookman), Hannah Sjerven (South Dakota), Macee Williams (IUPUI)

SOPHOMORES

Rhyne Howard – Kentucky
Christyn Williams – Connecticut
Elissa Cunane – NC State
Jessika Carter – Mississippi State
NaLyssa Smith – Baylor
Olivia Nelson – Ododa – Connecticut
Charli Collier – Texas
Lexi Hull – Stanford
Ashley Joens – Iowa State
Cate Reese – Arizona
Naz Hillmon – Michigan
Shakira Austin – Maryland
Jasmine Franklin – Missouri State
Lexi Held – DePaul
Monika Czinano – Iowa
Queen Egbo – Baylor
Grace Berger – Indiana
Taylor Mikesell – Maryland

*Just missed: Erica Johnson (Ohio), Sonya Morris (DePaul)

*Honourable mention: Elizabeth Balogun (Louisville), Dorka Juhasz (Ohio State), Ajah Wayne (Old Dominion)

FRESHMEN

Aliyah Boston – South Carolina
Haley Jones – Stanford
Taylor Jones – Oregon State
Rickea Jackson – Missisippi State
Zia Cooke – South Carolina
Ashley Owusu – Maryland
Alissa Pili – Southern California
Jakia Brown – Turner – NC State
Aliyah Matharu – Missisippi State

*Honourable mention: Kierstan Bell (Ohio State), Jordan Horston (Tennessee), Ashten Prechtel (Stanford)

Women’s College Basketball Player Rankings – Class by Class! Week 17

March 5, 2020 ~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

*NOTE – These final weekly rankings update was for the final week of regular women’s college basketball season and before the conference tournaments started. I am just posting now because of emergency situation with my family. The final overall one will come out a later date. *

This is it. This is the final weekly rankings update for this women’s college basketball season. I will unveil the FINAL OVERALL rankings for 2019/2020 next week, so make sure you are subscribed so you can be one of the first ones to receive the rankings.

In what is now my fourth year compiling these rankings, I have never gone further than Week 16. I have never needed to. I, usually had a solid idea of who was going to make the final cut for each class and this week would have been the final overall rankings. However, there were so many upsets to ranked teams this season, so many top teams falling to non ranked teams and so much balance this year that a lot more players ended up making the list. Not only that, several top players would be on the list and then they would immediately fall off due to upsets or their team was not playing up to their standard.

There were some more upsets this week to ranked teams and so, a bit of shuffling was required for this final week. If your favourite player has been playing well and is not on this week, rest assured they have made it in previous weeks and they may be in the FINAL OVERALL rankings released next week. As always, thanks for the support and please continue to visit my blog and tell others to do so. Thank you!

Listed below are the top 36 seniors, the top 27 juniors, the top 18 sophomores and the top 9 freshmen for the week of February 24th to March 1st. If this is your first time viewing these rankings or have questions, please read the FAQ page first. Click here to view last week’s rankings.

SENIORS

Sabrina Ionescu – Oregon
Ruthy Hebard – Oregon
Lauren Cox – Baylor
Jaylyn Agnew – Creighton
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan – South Carolina
Kylee Shook – Louisville
Tyasha Harris – South Carolina
Te’a Cooper – Baylor
Kaila Charles – Maryland
Jordan Danberry – Mississippi State
Mikayla Pivec – Oregon State
Bella Alarie – Princeton
Joyner Holmes – Texas
Stephanie Jones – Maryland
Haley Gorecki – Duke
Beatrice Mompremier – Miami
Japreece Dean – UCLA
Jazmine Jones – Louisville
Kathleen Doyle – Iowa
Becca Hittner – Drake
Abi Scheid – Northwestern
Ciara Duffy – South Dakota
Kamiah Smalls – James Madison
Jaelyn Brown – California
Jocelyn Willoughby – Virginia
Alexis Lewis – Seton Hall
Alana Gilmer – Marist
Cierra Johnson – Alabama
Ja’Tavia Tapley – Arizona State
Alissa Alston – St. John’s
Taylor Frederick – South Dakota
Jayla Scaife – Dayton
TeTe Maggett – Illinois State
Ivy Wallen – North Alabama
Michal Miller – Wright State
Madeline Smith – Montana State

JUNIORS

Satou Sabally – Oregon
Megan Walker – Connecticut
Rennia Davis – Tennessee
Aarion McDonald – Arizona
Kiana Williams – Stanford
Michaela Onyenwere – UCLA
Selena Lott – Marquette
Lindsey Pulliam – Northwestern
Destiny Slocum – Oregon State
Kayla Jones – NC State
Ali Patberg – Indiana
Lexi Gordon – Texas Tech
Lauren Van Kleunen – Marquette
Arella Guirantes – Rutgers
Mariella Fasoula – Vanderbilt
Jenn Wirth – Gonzaga
DiDi Richards – Baylor
Awa Trasi – LSU
Oshlynn Brown – Ball State
Maddie Waldrop – UT Martin
Abby Kapp – Bucknell
Victoria Morris – Old Dominion
Dayzsha Rogan – Jackson State
Amaya Scott – Bethune – Cookman
Anna McLeod – Abilene Christian
Natalie Armstrong – Samford
Mallory McGwire – Boise State

SOPHOMORES

Lexi Hull – Stanford
Elissa Cunane – NC State
Rhyne Howard – Kentucky
Monika Czinano – Iowa
Grace Berger – Indiana
Shakira Austin – Maryland
Charli Collier – Texas
Nia Clouden – Michigan State
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen – Georgia Tech
Laren Vanarsdale – Hampton
Hannah Pratt – Columbia
Lindsey Thall – Kent State
Kate Mager – Merrimack
Jamilyn Kinney – Belmont
Aja Blount – Coastal Carolina
Jasmine Smith – Rice
Emily Ivory – UMKC
Queen Egbo – Baylor

FRESHMEN

Celeste Taylor – Texas
Sam Brunelle – Notre Dame
Alissa Pili – USC
Aliyah Matharu – Mississippi State
Aliyah Boston – South Carolina
Elizabeth Kitley – Virginia Tech
Taylor Jones – Oregon State
Anne Simon – Maine
Ellie Mitchell – Princeton

2020 WNBA Mock Draft Version 2.0

Satou Sabally is a top 2 pick after she declared early for the 2020 WNBA Draft held in April.

February 26, 2020February 26, 2020 ~ Aneela Khan ~ Leave a comment

It has been one month since the first version was published and much has changed in the world of women’s college basketball as well in the WNBA. WNBA Free Agency shook up a large majority of WNBA rosters and many draft picks were traded. I will have two more versions of this 2020 WNBA Mock Draft which will be released monthly. One in March which will be released sometime during the NCAA Tournament and the final WNBA Mock Draft which will come out one week before the WNBA Draft held in April.

Dallas has the most WNBA draft picks this year so they will have a lot of tough decisions to make moving forward. Some players have played their way into the 2020 WNBA Mock Draft such as Duke’s Haley Gorecki and Leaonna Odom. Some have played their way off this mock draft. Of the draft eligible juniors, I included just one this time as Satou Sabally has already declared for the draft and the other possible early junior (Aarion McDonald) may not declare early. Some players have moved up and down since the previous month due to the team’s needs changing as well as their play on the court.

For the potential draftees, making the roster for this year could prove to be very tough as spots are very limited due to all the new signings as well as contract extensions. Some teams may only carry 11 players. It may take some of these potential draftees two to three years to make the roster, if they still desire to play in the WNBA some day.

ROUND ONE

Sabrina Ionescu – PG – Oregon – New York Liberty

Another month, the top pick is still Sabrina Ionescu from Oregon. The New York Liberty need some good news after rumors of Tina Charles potentially moving on came to be during WNBA Free Agency. Sabrina Ionescu can provide that new spark. Most importantly, she can provide leadership and give the Liberty a possible new franchise corner stone. She recently became the first women or men’s college basketball player to reach 2000 points, 1000 assists and 1000 rebounds in their career and I don’t think she is done yet.

2. Satou Sabally – SF – Oregon – Dallas Wings

Unofficially last month, I included Satou Sabally in my first version of the 2020 WNBA Mock Draft. I had her originally going fourth overall to the Atlanta Dream, but Sabally has been on a tear since then. Her declaring early had to do with some financial situation in her family but it still a great move because the Dallas Wings can now take her and help the Wings elevate their franchise a little bit after a lot of veterans left during WNBA Free Agency. She is just scratching the surface of her potential and between her and Cox, I think the Wings should lean towards Satou Sabally.

3. Lauren Cox – PF/C – Baylor – Indiana Fever

With the declaration of Satou Sabally declaring early, this opens up the spot for Indiana to grab Lauren Cox. Cox would normally be a top 2 pick in this draft, but she slides now down to the 3rd spot. The Fever could use her as a starter and help facilitate their offense as Cox is an excellent passer offensively. The Fever can do so much with what Lauren Cox brings to the table, that they should not pass on her if they are given the chance. She’s still a very good and talented player.

4. Beatrice Mompremier – PF/C – Miami – Atlanta Dream

Last month, I had Satou Sabally as the #4 pick overall. In that past month, as I have stated before above, Sabally has increased her stock. Not only that, the next best available player is draft eligible junior Chennedy Carter. But the Atlanta Dream don’t need Carter anymore. They have acquired Courtney Williams in free agency and still have some talented guards on their roster. There is no space for Carter. However, there is still some space for fowards and centers and the best player available for that position is Beatrice Mompremier. She recently just got back to playing form as she was injured a large majority of the year. She will be in top shape come draft time and the Dream could use her off the bench to help develop her game slowly so she can get improve and get better.

5. Ruthy Hebard – PF – Oregon – Dallas Wings

Last month, this pick belonged to the Phoenix Mercury but it now belongs to the Dallas Wings. The Dallas Wings already had pick #2 and have already a loaded roster. Some are on training camp contracts and the Wings have talented guards already on their roster so putting Chennedy Carter on this team does not make any sense either. The Wings should take Ruthy Hebard with their fifth pick but she will be in tough competition to make the final roster as she will be in competition with four other power forwards/centers trying to make the team.

6. Chennedy Carter** – SG – Texas A&M – Minnesota Lynx

Chennedy Carter has not declared yet for the draft, but if she does, she now falls down two spots from last month. Not because of her talent, but because of the WNBA teams reshuffling their rosters during WNBA Free Agency. The Minnesota Lynx just recently acquired Rachel Banham from Connecticut in a sign and trade but Carter still play well on this team. She can help give Minnesota Lynx another star besides Napheesa Collier and Sylvia Fowles.

7. Te’a Cooper – SG – Baylor – Dallas Wings
8. Tyasha Harris – PG – South Carolina – Chicago Sky
9. Kiah Gillespie – SF – Florida State – Dallas Wings
10. Crystal Dangerfield – PG – Connecticut – Phoenix Mercury
11. Kaila Charles – SG – Maryland – Seattle Storm
12. Bella Alarie – SF – Princeton – Washington Mystics

ROUND TWO

Kathleen Doyle – New York Liberty
Jocelyn Willoughby – Minnesota Lynx
Mikayla Pivec – Dallas Wings
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan – Indiana Fever
Joyner Holmes – Atlanta Dream
Haley Gorecki – Phoenix Mercury
Nicki Ekhomu – Seattle Storm
Sara Rhine – Los Angeles Sparks
Becca Hittner – Dallas Wings
Japreece Dean – Los Angeles Sparks
Stephanie Jones – Connecticut Sun
Brittany Brewer – Washington Mystics

ROUND THREE

Nausia Woolfolk – Atlanta Dream
Ciara Duffy – New York Liberty
Leaonna Odom – Atlanta Dream
Taryn McCutcheon – Indiana Fever
Ja’Tavia Tapley – Phoenix Mercury
Reili Richardson – Chicago Sky
Katie Campbell – Seattle Storm
Kylee Shook – Chicago Sky
Jazmine Jones – Las Vegas Aces
Nadia Fingall – Los Angeles Sparks
Jordan Danberry – Connecticut Sun
Juicy Landrum – Washington Mystics