National champions UCLA have made WNBA Draft history in New York after becoming the first team to see five players selected in the opening round on Monday night.
Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice led the historic evening by being taken with the fourth, fifth and sixth overall picks respectively.
The remarkable achievement comes barely a week after the Bruins secured their first NCAA championship following a dominant 37-1 season.
Draft dominance follows NCAA success
The Washington Mystics selected the 6-foot-7 Betts at number four to significantly bolster their frontcourt.
Jaquez was immediately drafted next by the Chicago Sky, before expansion franchise Toronto Tempo made Rice their first draft pick at number six.
Angela Dugalic then joined her former centre in Washington after being chosen ninth overall, leaving the squad anxiously waiting for one more milestone selection.
Gianna Kneepkens sealed the record-breaking moment when the Connecticut Sun drafted her with the 15th and final pick of the first round.
Surpassing a historic UConn benchmark
The Californian side shattered the previous benchmark of four first-round selections set by the undefeated 2002 UConn Huskies.
That legendary 39-0 Huskies squad saw Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams all drafted within the top six.
Head coach Cori Close sat alongside her players throughout the event, watching her title-winning roster successfully transition to the professional ranks.
“These are like my sisters, and getting to watch your family do something like that is amazing,” Betts said.
The newly drafted Mystics player admitted she was entirely unsurprised by the recognition given her teammates’ relentless work ethic.
“We knew the type of players that we had on the team, and to really just have this night showcase all of the things that we’ve worked on all season is just amazing,” she added.
A sixth championship winner, Charlisse Leger-Walker, concluded the celebrations when she was taken 18th overall by Connecticut in the second round.
Former UConn star Azzi Fudd has been selected as the number one overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the WNBA draft, securing a landmark $500,000 rookie salary and a reunion with former team-mate Paige Bueckers.
The highly rated guard’s selection marks the second consecutive year the Texas franchise has used the top pick on a University of Connecticut standout.
Bueckers, who went first overall to the Wings last year, was in attendance in New York alongside several other collegiate team-mates to celebrate the milestone.
“I’m excited to play again with Paige, she’s an incredible player,” Fudd said.
Landmark CBA delivers record salaries
The newly ratified collective bargaining agreement has drastically altered the financial landscape for incoming professionals.
As the premier selection, the talented shooter will earn nearly seven times the amount her former Huskies colleague received during her debut campaign.
The updated financial structure guarantees the second and third selections will receive $466,913 and $436,016 respectively.
Even players chosen in the second and third rounds are guaranteed a base salary of $270,000, surpassing the maximum veteran threshold under the previous system.
Miles heads to Minnesota
The Minnesota Lynx secured TCU guard Olivia Miles with the second overall selection.
The dynamic playmaker had opted to return for a final collegiate season rather than entering last year’s draft pool.
Having previously transferred from Notre Dame, she subsequently guided the Horned Frogs to a second consecutive Elite Eight appearance.
The Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky completed the top five selections of the evening.
Expansion franchises enter the fray
Newly formed franchises the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire occupied the subsequent positions in the drafting order.
The Tempo won a crucial coin toss to secure priority in the collegiate draft, while conceding the primary expansion draft choice to the Fire earlier this month.
Golden State followed in eighth, with Washington making two further first-round selections alongside picks for the Indiana Fever, Connecticut Sun and Atlanta Dream.
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will return to the United States on Friday following hamstring treatment in Spain, though his status for the NBA play-offs remains unconfirmed.
The Slovenian guard received multiple injections for a Grade 2 left hamstring strain sustained earlier this month.
His availability is highly uncertain ahead of the Western Conference fourth seed’s first-round series opener against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
The Californian franchise has not provided a definitive timeline for his return to competitive action.
Coping without key personnel
A Grade 2 hamstring tear typically requires a rehabilitation period of approximately four weeks.
Los Angeles finished the regular season with three wins from five matches in the absence of both their talisman and Austin Reaves.
Reaves is currently sidelined indefinitely after suffering an oblique strain in the same fixture against the Oklahoma City Thunder on 2 April.
Veteran forward LeBron James assumed leadership duties during the final stretch of the campaign.
The four-time NBA champion earned Western Conference player of the week honours after averaging 24 points, 9.7 assists and six rebounds to secure a winning record without his co-stars.
Awards eligibility in question
Prior to his injury, the former Real Madrid playmaker was enjoying a stellar individual campaign.
He recorded a league-leading average of 33.5 points per game, alongside 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds.
However, having appeared in only 64 fixtures, the 25-year-old currently falls short of the NBA’s 65-game threshold required for regular-season award consideration.
His representatives have formally petitioned the league for a special circumstances exemption.
His agent argues that the player missed two matches in December solely to travel to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has revealed that a severe battle with facial shingles significantly delayed his recovery from a torn right Achilles.
The 26-year-old missed the entirety of the NBA season after suffering the devastating leg injury during Game 7 of last June’s Finals.
While rehabilitating, the point guard was diagnosed with the viral infection in February and forced to step away from the franchise.
He has since experienced extreme swelling, a rash, and the loss of part of his eyebrow.
Physical toll and medication changes
Speaking to reporters in Indianapolis on Monday, the former lottery pick explained the harrowing physical impact of the past two months.
“I couldn’t even go in front of a camera if I wanted to early, because my eye was basically closed shut.”
The American playmaker also appeared on the Pat McAfee Show, detailing how multiple medication changes and a Botox injection were required to manage the pain.
A side effect of his latest prescription has resulted in noticeable weight gain and a puffy facial appearance.
Setbacks in Achilles rehabilitation
Although the illness did not cost him additional playing time, it served as a frustrating setback during an already tedious rehabilitation process.
The Pacers talisman was initially scheduled to begin full-contact scrimmages following the All-Star break.
Instead, those crucial basketball activities were postponed until last week while he isolated.
Despite the delays, the franchise cornerstone noted that his surgically repaired leg no longer causes him any concern.
Focus shifts to summer healing
His attention now shifts to a crucial off-season of healing from the lingering viral symptoms and returning to peak physical condition.
Having watched his father suffer from a stomach infection caused by the same virus last year, he offered a stark warning to the public.
“I would tell anybody over 50 years old to get the shingles vaccine. This has sucked.”
LeBron James and Kevin Durant will face each other in a postseason series for the first time in eight years after the NBA playoff seedings were finalised on Sunday.
James’ Los Angeles Lakers locked up the fourth seed in the Western Conference to secure home-court advantage.
The veteran forward’s team will host Durant’s fifth-seeded Houston Rockets in a highly anticipated best-of-seven matchup.
Eastern Conference play-in drama
The battle to secure a guaranteed top-six place in the East went down to the wire on the final night of regular-season action.
The Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic, dropping the Florida franchise into the eighth spot and the unpredictable play-in tournament.
Orlando will now travel to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
The winner of that contest will advance directly to the first round, where the Celtics await.
“This one is done. You’ve got to make sure you focus your time and your attention and your energy all on the Philadelphia 76ers right now.”
Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic head coach
The loser of the seven-versus-eight game will get a second chance to qualify against either the Charlotte Hornets or the Miami Heat.
Whoever emerges from the final play-in bracket will be rewarded with a demanding series against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.
Elsewhere in the East, the third-seeded New York Knicks will meet a rejuvenated Atlanta Hawks, while the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Toronto Raptors.
Western Conference matchups take shape
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Sacramento Kings to earn the eighth spot in the West.
They will play the Phoenix Suns, with the victor advancing to face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers overcame the Golden State Warriors.
The Californian rivals will meet again in Wednesday’s elimination game, seeking the right to challenge the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jokic eligible for MVP honours
The Denver Nuggets ended their campaign on a formidable 12-game winning streak after beating an under-strength Spurs side to secure the third seed.
Crucially, star center Nikola Jokic reached the 65-game threshold required by the league to be eligible for end-of-season awards.
The Serbian international’s availability ensures he remains a primary contender for the Most Valuable Player trophy as the postseason commences on Tuesday.
Nikola Jokic scored 23 points in a first-half masterclass as the Denver Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 128-118 to claim the third seed in the Western Conference.
The crucial victory on the final day of the regular season ensures the Colorado franchise will host the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the post-season.
Three-time Most Valuable Player Jokic played just over 18 minutes in Texas, registering eight rebounds alongside his impressive scoring haul.
Crucially, the 31-year-old Serbian reached the 65-game threshold required to become eligible for the league’s prestigious season-ending awards.
Lakers secure fourth despite injury woes
Denver’s triumph meant the Los Angeles Lakers locked in the fourth seed for the upcoming play-offs, which commence this weekend.
Despite missing top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves through injury, the Californian outfit comfortably defeated the Utah Jazz 131-107.
Veteran superstar LeBron James impressed during his time on the court, with the 41-year-old recording 18 points, six assists and four rebounds before the interval.
The Lakers are now scheduled to welcome the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets in their opening post-season series.
Wembanyama rested as Spurs await opponents
San Antonio had already secured the second seed in the West following an earlier victory against the Dallas Mavericks.
With their post-season standing confirmed, MVP contender Victor Wembanyama was rested following a spectacular 40-point performance on Saturday.
De’Aaron Fox stepped up to lead the Texas side with 24 points in the French prodigy’s absence.
Julian Strawther and Jonas Valanciunas contributed heavily to the Nuggets’ winning total, scoring 25 and 16 points respectively.
The Spurs will host the ultimate winner of the in-play tournament clash between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns.
Top seeds await play-in tournament results
The innovative in-play tournament functions as a round-robin competition following the regular season to determine the final two post-season spots in each conference.
Defending NBA champions the Oklahoma City Thunder have secured the coveted top seed in the fiercely competitive Western Conference.
Meanwhile, Eastern Conference outfits the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics have successfully claimed the first and second seeds respectively.
These elite franchises will discover their first-round opponents once the qualification tournament concludes on Friday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has admitted he is unsure about his future with the Milwaukee Bucks following their season-ending 126-106 defeat by the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Greek international gave mixed signals regarding his 13-year association with the only NBA franchise he has ever represented.
Speaking after the loss at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, the two-time MVP did not rule out signing a new contract extension in October.
However, he also voiced significant frustration regarding the team’s current trajectory and a perceived lack of internal communication.
Frustration over playing time and communication
The eight-time All-Star’s media session followed what is widely expected to be the final press conference of head coach Doc Rivers’ Hall of Fame career.
“That’s a very good question. I don’t know. It’s not up to me. We’ll see.”
The towering forward stated that the organisation is further away from championship contention than at any previous point during his tenure.
He also expressed lingering anger over being held out of action at the end of the campaign despite fulfilling the necessary medical requirements.
Extension possibilities and summer uncertainty
Despite the obvious friction, the 2021 NBA Finals MVP remains eligible to sign a lucrative new deal with the team later this year.
“I feel like sometimes people just don’t listen. They listen to the sources. The main source is me.”
Speculation surrounding the dominant power forward has intensified steadily over the past twelve months.
The Bucks reportedly fielded numerous trade offers for their franchise cornerstone prior to February’s transfer deadline.
Antetokounmpo also referenced disagreements regarding the roster status of his brothers, Thanasis and Alex, adding to the tension behind the scenes.
“I did what I was supposed to do. I wasn’t able to come on the court now.”
Whether the Wisconsin-based franchise decides to trade their talisman or offer a maximum extension will now become the NBA’s dominant off-season storyline.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has seen his impressive debut season end prematurely after suffering a left ankle sprain against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
The number one overall draft pick sustained the injury early in the second quarter of the regular-season finale.
He twisted his joint landing awkwardly between two Chicago defenders while attempting to tip in his own missed shot.
With the teenager grounded in visible discomfort, his teammates deliberately committed a foul to halt play and allow him to leave the court.
Stellar rookie numbers
Medical staff officially ruled the forward out of the contest just minutes after his departure.
Despite the early exit, the former Duke standout finishes his first professional campaign with outstanding individual statistics.
He averaged 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists across 70 appearances this year.
Remarkably, the versatile youngster leads the Dallas roster in total points, rebounds, assists and steals.
Rookie of the Year race
His premature departure finalises his resume for an increasingly tight race for the prestigious Rookie of the Year award.
The primary competition for the accolade comes from his former college roommate Kon Knueppel.
Knueppel has enjoyed a sensational season with the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 18.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
The highly-rated guard recently shattered the rookie record for three-pointers, hitting a league-leading 273 shots from beyond the arc.