Seattle drafts three players, makes one trade in 2022 WNBA Draft
SEATTLE — Despite not having a first-round pick for the just fourth time in franchise history, the Seattle Storm were busy on Monday, selecting four players and making one trade during the 2022 WNBA Draft.
“We are excited about players we added in this draft,” said Storm General Manager Talisa Rhea. “The combination of bringing talent to Seattle, as well as moves to support our future, felt like a win for the organization tonight.”
With its three second-round picks, the Storm selected Elissa Cunane from North Carolina State, Lorela Cubaj from Georgia Tech, and Evina Westbrook from Connecticut. Seattle would trade Cubaj to New York in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. In the third round, Seattle selected Jade Melbourne, a 5-10 guard from Australia.
Cunane (pronounced CUH-nayn), a 6-5 center from North Carolina State, was a standout player for the Wolfpack and called a “program-changer” by Head Coach Wes Moore. She averaged 14.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game over her four-year career at NC State, earning WBCA First-Team All-America honors in 2022 as one of the nation’s top 10 players regardless of position, becoming the first center in 20 years to shoot at least 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 80% from the free throw line.
Westbrook, a 6-0 guard who originally hails from Salem, Oregon, spent her final two season at UConn after two years with Tennessee. She closed out her career leading the Huskies to a pair of Final Four appearances including a title game berth in 2022. She averaged 9.0 ppg in 2021-22 including a 12-point, six-rebound performance against Stanford to propel UConn to the NCAA Championship Game.
Melbourne, a 5-10 guard from Melbourne, Australia, recently became the youngest-ever player named to the Australian national team when the 19-year-old earned a spot on the upcoming FIBA World Cup. She played this past season with the Canberra Capitals of the WNBL, averaging 9.3 ppg and 1.2 apg for the Capitals during the season, while helping the team to a WNBL semifinals berth.
Training camp opens on Sunday, April 17, with the Storm hosting its lone home preseason game on Saturday, April 23, vs. Los Angeles. The 2022 regular season kicks off on Friday, May 6, as the Storm hosts Minnesota at 6pm.
Storm 360° Season Ticket Memberships, Mini Plans, and Group Experiences are all still available, along with single-game tickets to all 2022 Storm games. For more information, visit http://stormbasketball.com, or call 206-217-WNBA (9622).
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