Green Street: Who are the Illini's potential future WNBA draft prospects?
- Story byThe News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
- Green Street: Who are the Illini's potential future WNBA draft prospects?
Apr. 13—WNBA draft day is here, and again there won't be a former Illinois women's basketball player selected tonight in Brooklyn.
In fact, you have to go back to 2010 to find the last time the Illinois women's basketball team had a former player as a WNBA draft pick.
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Sixteen years and counting.
Illinois Hall of Fame center is the last ex-Illini to hear her name called as Smith was was the 14th overall pick (second round) of the Washington Mystics in the 2010 WNBA draft. Smith is still the highest-ever Illinois WNBA pick with (18th overall to Phoenix in 2005), (No. 21 overall to San Antonio in 2004) and (No. 37 overall to Phoenix in 2000) the only other Illini to hear their names called during the WNBA draft.
That task now falls on to rectify. And the Illini fourth-year coach has done a great job trying to enhance the talent level in Champaign.
Truth is, acquiring the talent like Illinois has the last few offseasons affords Illinois the chance of a WNBA draft breakthrough. Green and her staff have significantly upgraded the talent within the Illini program with former five-star recruit the latest example. Illinois circled back to Bourrage after the 5-foot-11 guard and native of Davenport, Iowa, was among the Illini's top targets in the 2025 class before she picked LSU. But Bourrage transferred from the Tigers to Illinois last week.
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Bourrage's addition now gives Green three former five-star players on her roster with forward and guard the other two. Jackson, Wallace and also , who was a four-star recruit in the 2025 class, as well, played a major role for Illinois this past season as the Illini reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The fact of the matter is it feels like the Illini are getting closer to having a player capable of jumping to the WNBA out of college.
Still, as a refresher, the eligibility rules are different in the women's game with non-international players required to have their 22nd birthday in the same calendar year as the WNBA draft AND either (1) have completed a college degree, (2) have earned a bachelor's degree or be scheduled to receive such a degree within three months of the WNBA draft date or (3) be at least four years removed from high school graduation.
