NC State women's basketball stars selected in WNBA Draft
By the end of the second round of the WNBA Draft on Monday evening, two dozen of the best players in the country had been selected, including two from the NC State women’s basketball program.
All-American center Elissa Cunane was chosen No. 17 overall by the Seattle Storm, perhaps lower than anticipated but to an organization that has since 2002 been to the playoffs in every year but three and has won four WNBA titles in that span.
Last season, Seattle, led by top women’s basketball stars Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart, went 21-11 overall, and in 2020 the Storm were WNBA champs.
Cunane averaged 14.8 points and 7.9 rebounds during her four-year NC State career, shooting 54.0 percent from the field, 41.1 percent on three pointers and 80.2 percent at the free throw line. She was a consensus All-American in 2022 and was ACC Tournament MVP the last two years, helping NC State win three consecutive league titles.
She concluded her NC State career ranked sixth all-time in school history in points (1,855) and fifth in rebounds (986). She made more free throws (513) than any NC State player before her and her 34 double doubles were 34th most by a Wolfpacker.
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Five picks after Cunane, former all-conference forward Kayla Jones was selected by the Minnesota Lynx.
During NC State’s three ACC title seasons, Jones averaged 10.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She was first-team All-ACC in 2021 and shot 47.6 percent overall for her career.
Like Seattle, Minnesota is a WNBA powerhouse, having been to 11 straight playoffs and winning four WNBA titles in that stretch.
The 2022 WNBA season tips off on Friday, May 6.
NC State women’s basketball coach Wes Moore has the tall order of trying to replace Cunane and Jones, but he made a step towards that Monday by landing a verbal commitment from former McDonald’s All-American and honorable mention All-Big Ten selection Mimi Collins, a 6-foot-3 forward from Maryland who will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
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