Edwards to D.C., Muhl to Seattle
The Story: Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Muhl began their pro journeys in the WNBA Draft last night. Edwards was taken by the Washington Mystics with the No. 6 pick and Muhl was selected by the Seattle Storm with the No. 14 pick.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Edwards will have the chance to make an immediate impact in the WNBA, while Muhl’s path to playing time is likely better than it would have been elsewhere.
• UConn has now had 47 players drafted by WNBA teams, including 27 chosen in the first round. With Edwards and Muhl both being selected, it was the 16th time in 28 years that two UConn players were drafted on the same night.
• Edwards and Muhl were supported by Geno Auriemma, Chris Dailey and Morgan Valley, with Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd watching from the audience.
EDWARDS’ FUTURE: Washington, which went 19-21 last season and lost in the first round of the playoffs, needed a stretch four and a better rebounding presence. It found that in Edwards, the 6-foot-3 forward who averaged 18.3 points and 9.7 rebounds for the Huskies.
• The Mystics will pair Edwards inside with 6-foot-5 center Shakira Austin, the No. 3 pick two years ago, as part of a formidable frontcourt. What will be key for Edwards is whether she can expand her shooting range — and it’s possible, given that she can reliably knock down jumpers from 20 feet.
• Edwards will be needed with Elena Delle Donne sitting out the season. She’ll join a former UConn standout in Stefanie Dolson, who signed with the Mystics last month.
WHAT DID EDWARDS SAY? “It’s just amazing. A dream come true. To actually walk your dream, it means a lot. … I get so many messages of support [from fellow Canadians] and I feel all the love. I’m just really grateful to make an impact here in the States and to open the door for all the little girls who wish they could be in my position and will be in my position in the future.”
MUHL’S FUTURE: Another UConn guard who wears No. 10 and is the all-time assists leader is heading to the Storm? You don’t say.
• The two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, Muhl will share a backcourt with Skylar Diggins-Smith, who spent the last four seasons with the Phoenix Mercury before signing with Seattle, and former Notre Dame standout Jewell Loyd. She won’t start, but she has a chance to earn valuable minutes as a 3-and-D player off the bench for the Storm, who didn’t have a first-round pick and went 11-29 after Sue Bird retired and Breanna Stewart joined the Liberty.
• Muhl was considered a fringe WNBA prospect for much of the season, but her performance in the NCAA Tournament, when she matched up against Syracuse’s Dyaisha Fair, USC’s JuJu Watkins and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, sent her rocketing up draft boards.
• It was curious that the Connecticut Sun, who didn’t necessarily need a guard but play a very defensive style, opted for French guard Leila Lacan with the No. 10 pick. And if that wasn’t enough, the New York Liberty, who return all five starters and could use a perimeter defender, went with Ole Miss guard Marquesha Davis at No. 11.
WHAT DID MUHL SAY? “Oh my God. It’s huge shoes to fill. I feel like my whole career at UConn has been such a humbling experience. I’ve had amazing people around me. I’ll mention it again — without them, I would never be standing here. I’m just excited to bring who I am to Seattle. I’m excited to bring my hard work ethic. I’m excited to bring the competition. I’m excited to bring the good teammate that I am, and everything else, I trust my hard work.”
ALSO IN THE DRAFT: Clark went No. 1 to the Indiana Fever, as expected, with Stanford’s Cameron Brink going to the Los Angeles Sparks at No. 2 and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso joining the Chicago Sky at No. 3. LSU’s Angel Reese was drafted by the Sky at No. 6.
DRAFT HISTORY: The Mystics and Storm each have a long tradition of drafting UConn players.
• The last time the Mystics drafted a player out of UConn was two years ago, when they took Christyn Williams in the second round. Dolson was drafted by Washington with the No. 4 pick in 2014, Asjha Jones was taken with the No. 4 pick in 2002, and Rita Williams was chosen in the second round in 2008.
• Seattle also last drafted a UConn player in 2022, when Evina Westbrook was selected in the second round. Stewart was the No. 1 pick in 2016, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis went No. 3 in 2015, Bria Hartley went No. 7 in 2014, Barbara Turner went No. 11 in 2006, Ashley Battle went in the second round in 2005 and Bird, of course, was the top pick in 2002.
— Zac Boyer
Morning Reads
• The baseball team will (rather bizarrely) play Kansas State at Elliot Ballpark tonight before hitting the road to play Boston College tomorrow afternoon.
• The athletic department will hold a surplus sale prior to the football team’s fan fest at Morrone Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Top photo: Aaliyah Edwards shoots in the Huskies’ game against Dayton. (Courtesy of UConn athletics)
