Jackie Young is the No 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night.
The Notre Dame guard decided to enter the draft and skip her senior season. She’s the second Irish player to be drafted first after entering early joining Jewell Loyd, who had the honor in 2015.
WNBA
(@WNBA)Jackie Young reacts to being selected 1st overall to the @LVAces in the #WNBADraft 2019 presented by @StateFarm! pic.twitter.com/6HvfdtzHGV
The Irish may have all five of their starters from this year’s team drafted Wednesday night, with Arike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard, Brianna Turner and Marina Mabrey also expected to be taken.
Tennessee is the only school to have that occur with college players, in 2008. Candace Parker was taken first. Alexis Hornbuckle was drafted fourth. Shannon Bobbitt and Nicky Anosike went back-to-back in the second round and Alberta Auguste was taken in the third round.
This might have been the most wide-open draft in recent memory with no consensus pick at No 1.
Asia Durr went second to the New York Liberty. The Louisville guard, who was a two-time AP All-American, was the No 2 scorer in school history.
The Indiana Fever then took Mississippi State center Teaira McCowan at No 3. And the Chicago Sky selected UConn’s Katie Lou Samuelson, also a two-time AP All-American.
And the Dallas Wings rounded out the top five by taking Ogunbowale, making her the second player from Notre Dame selected.