The Washington Mystics will have the perfect opportunity to kickstart their rebuild with their selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
With the loss of Natasha Cloud in free agency and Elena Delle Donne’s decision to sit out the 2024 season, the Mystics have many directions they can go with this year’s pick. This is a forward-heavy draft; however, with the No. 6 overall pick, Washington also is in position to take the best guard available.
The team is in a very interesting spot. So, who should they draft?
Aaliyah Edwards
Based on most mock drafts, Edwards is projected to land anywhere between the No. 4 and No. 6 picks. The stellar UConn forward is arguably the most versatile defender in this draft class. During her time at Connecticut, head coach Geno Auriemma asked Edwards to play drop coverage, switch onto guards, hedge against pick-and-roll actions and even trap guards as far as 30 feet out, as she demonstrated in the Final Four against Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.
Such defensive versatility was not asked of the other bigs in this year’s draft, which is why Edwards at No. 6 is such an intriguing selection. Edwards has shown the ability to make midrange jumpers and her feel for anticipating cutters in UConn’s movement offense makes her an excellent passing big. Edwards’ defensive versatility, promising outside shot, elite rebounding ability and great passing instincts would make her the perfect power forward in Washington, and her size would allow her to play the 5 in lineups that don’t include Shakira Austin.
With Dallas having the No. 5 pick and being linked to Edwards, it’s possible she won’t be there at No. 6; however, Dallas already is loaded in the frontcourt and it’s possible they could be looking to take a guard with the fifth pick, which would mean Edwards would land right into Washington’s lap. She averaged 17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in her senior season.
Angel Reese
Perhaps the most polarizing player in this year’s draft, Reese is one of the best defensive prospects. The whole world got to see how exceptional her defensive motor and instincts are during her Elite Eight matchup against Iowa. In that game, she arguably looked like the best player on the court until she got injured.
In my opinion, Reese has the best defensive awareness of any prospect in this year’s draft, which would make her a great fit in Washington’s defensive scheme, which asks its bigs to play multilple coverages in both man and zone.
Reese also is a great rebounder, specifically on the offensive glass, where she averaged a ludicrous six offensive rebounds per game in her two years at LSU. Given her offensive limitations and the Mystics’s offensive struggles over the past few seasons, the fit offensively is questionable. But her elite defense and rebounding will translate immediately and will only amplify the strengths of this Washington team.
Jacy Sheldon
Ohio State didn’t go very far in this year’s tournament, so a lot of people may not be familiar with Sheldon and her abilities. Sheldon is projected to go between the No. 5 and No. 10 picks, which is a wider range compared to the other prospects we’ve covered.
Sheldon is the fastest guard in this year’s draft, which would make for an interesting fit because Washington ranked fifth in pace last season. She has a canny ability to get downhill, which is important because, outside of Brittney Sykes, Washington’s guards struggled generating paint touches on drives.
Perhaps the most important aspect of her game is her shooting. Washington has struggled mightily shooting the ball and Sheldon provides shooting at the guard position that has been sorely missed. She can score both off-the-dribble and in catch-and-shoot situations. Although shooting 35 percent from 3 in college on high volume isn’t something to brag about, Sheldon has great shooting indicators from everywhere else on the floor, which signals potential to develop into a great 3-point shooter at the WNBA level. She averaged 17.8 points and 3.8 assists last season.
Washington has a ton of options at No. 6 in this year’s draft. Expect craziness, as it’s unclear where the pieces will fall after No. 2. It’s always best to expect the unexpected in the WNBA Draft. But even with the chaos ahead of us, the Mystics will have great options available for them with the sixth selection. They also could find a hidden gem at No. 21 and No. 30.