The combination of a coronavirus-induced live sports void and the superstar factor of No. 1 overall pick Sabrina Ionescu made the 2020 WNBA Draft likely the most anticipated in league history. 

Less than an hour after getting selected by the New York Liberty, Ionescu’s jersey reportedly sold out, and she officially signed a shoe deal with Nike. 

The former Oregon “sure thing” prospect became the first player in college basketball history to eclipse 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists in her college career. She had only been to New York twice, she said on the broadcast. 

“I’m really excited to get to Brooklyn, just enjoy the city and start playing,” Ionescu said.  

No Syracuse players declared for the draft, the first-ever virtual one for a professional league. But in the three-round, 36-player draft, 10 selected players, including five first round picks, played against SU last season. Here’s how they fared against the Orange. 

FIRST ROUND

Sabrina Ionescu, G: No. 1 to the New York Liberty

Ionescu started slow in the Carrier Dome on Nov. 24, and Syracuse entered halftime trailing by one point. But, led by their floor general, the Ducks blitzed SU in the second half, outscoring the Orange 31-16 in the third quarter to open an insurmountable lead. 

Fourteen of Ionescu’s 19 points came in the second half. She also finished with six dimes and seven boards. She hit step-back 3s, masterfully navigated the pick and roll and punished SU in transition. After the game, Ionescu said Oregon took their offense “to another level.” 

Though she didn’t reach her patented triple double, Ionescu’s second-half dominance and steadiness led Oregon’s surge. 

Satou Sabally, F: No. 2 to the Dallas Wings

Sabally, Ionescu’s teammate, went one pick after the 2020 Naismith Player of the Year. 

The rangy 6-foot-4 forward dealt with injuries last season but made her season debut in the Carrier Dome. She showed no rust, going for 23 points, nine rebounds and three steals. When Ionescu was quiet offensively in the first half, Sabally carried the load, flashing an inside-out game that should translate to the WNBA. 

“We know she’s a great player,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said after the game. “We know with her size on the perimeter and the way she plays, that if we don’t close out early, she’s going to make 3-point shots. And she did a good job. She definitely makes them different. When you add her into the lineup, they’re a totally different basketball team.”

Ruthy Hebard, F: No. 8 to the Chicago Sky

Hebard was the third and final Oregon Duck player picked in the 2020 draft. Unlike Ionescu and Sabally, Hebard struggled against Syracuse. In the first half, she didn’t score a single point. “I don’t know the last time that’s happened,” Ducks head coach Kelly Graves said postgame. 

Like Ionescu, she came alive in the second half and finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds, still a poor performance by her standards. Hebard holds the Pac-12 record for career field goal percentage (65.1%) but went 5-for-10 in the Carrier Dome. 

Jocelyn Willoughby, G: No. 10 to the Phoenix Mercury (traded to NY Liberty)

Willoughby’s Virginia squad held Syracuse to a season-low 41 points on Feb. 2. The tall guard averaged 19.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and two assists per game as a senior. Against Syracuse, she led the Cavaliers in scoring with 24 points, 10 of which came from the free throw line. She added seven rebounds, a steal and a block. 

“With that kind of player, there’s only so much you can stop. She’s going to score the basketball,” Syracuse forward Emily Engstler said.

Jazmine Jones, G: No. 12 to the New York Liberty

Syracuse and Jones’ Louisville Cardinals met three times last season, including the Orange’s season-ending loss in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. Over those three games, Jones averaged 16.6 points on 52.9% shooting along with seven rebounds and three assists. In the teams’ final meeting, Jones played only 26 minutes but still recorded a double-double. 

As a secondary playmaker to Dana Evans, Jones was especially effective attacking closeouts, but could also operate as the ball-handler in a pick-and-roll. Late in the fourth quarter of the ACC quarterfinal, she froze Digna Strautmane with a hesitation dribble and kissed a floater off the glass. 

SECOND ROUND

Kylee Shook, F: No. 13 to the New York Liberty

Shook was often on the receiving end of kickout passes from Jones and Evans at Louisville. Though she shot 36.8% on 3-pointers as a stretch-four for the Cardinals last year, Shook went 3-for-11 from deep in three games versus the Syracuse zone. In Syracuse’s lone win over Louisville, Shook went 0-for-3 from deep. 

Leaonna Odom, F: No. 15 to the New York Liberty

At 6-foot-2, Odom displayed positional versatility in her one game against Syracuse. She led Duke with 23 points in its 88-58 beatdown of the Orange. Like the Blue Devils that day, Odom did most of her damage in the paint, but also flashed some touch from the outside with a jumper from the baseline. Duke used Odom frequently as an outlet to break Syracuse’s press, where her capable ball-handling skills shone.  

THIRD ROUND

Kobi Thornton, F: No. 27 to the Atlanta Dream

The Clemson senior averaged 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-2 center struggled from the free throw line (55.2%), and her range didn’t reliably extend to the 3-point line (2-for-9 on the year). 

Syracuse beat Clemson, 59-46, in part by keeping Thornton in check. The Orange held her to 12 points, seven rebounds and five turnovers. She was the only Tiger to score in double figures.

Haley Gorecki, G: No. 31 to the Seattle Storm 

In Syracuse’s 88-58 loss to Duke, Gorecki completely picked the Orange apart. The point guard finished with 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds in 37 minutes. She scored at all three levels of the court, taking bigs to the rim off the dribble, hitting a spot-up 3 and sinking intermediate shots as well. 

Kiah Gillespie, F: No. 32 to the Chicago Sky

Gillespie’s only game against Syracuse last year was the highlight of the Orange’s season: The Napkin Play game. Though SU beat Florida State in overtime, 90-89, Gillespie starred, scoring 27 points and snaring 12 boards. Just seconds before Engstler’s game-winning layup, Gillespie weaved through SU’s zone and put the Seminoles on top, 89-88. 

Gillespie paced FSU through the conference tournament, where the Seminoles lost in the ACC Championship to North Carolina State, 71-66. She led Florida State in points (15.6) and rebounds (8.7) per game.

Published on April 18, 2020 at 11:11 am

Contact Danny: [email protected] | @DannyEmerman