The Guru Report: Villanova’s Siegrist Taken 3rd by WNBA Dallas
By Mel Greenberg
PHILADELPHIA – On Monday night as the annual Big Five postseason awards reception had barely gotten under way here at The Palestra with Villanova’s women’s star senior Maddy Siegrist about to be celebrated on what she had become in the history of the local Division I collective of schools, at the same moment she was 100 miles to the north in New York’s Tribeca Neighborhood in lower Manhattan at Spring Studios where the WNBA put the decorative cap on Siegrist’s collegiate career with the Dallas Wings making her a lottery selection as the No. 3 pick in the first of three rounds of 36 choices overall.
That move made the consensus first-team all-American the all-time choice in the history of draft picks involving the six city Division I schools and the third of all area schools following behind former greats Cappie Pondexter at Rutgers (2006) and Elena Delle Donne at Delaware (2013), who both went at No. 2.
Within the Big Five, Temple’s Candice Dupree in 2006 went sixth to the then-expansion Chicago Sky, and went on to an All-Star career while in post-retirement is now with the NBA San Antonio Spurs.
“I mean, it’s a dream come true,” Siegrist said soon after her name was called with her entire Wildcats team nearby after escorting her to the event. “I can’t even put it into words right now.
“You got a million things going through your mind. But I’ve been surrounded by good people, good teammates, and I wouldn’t be here without any of them.”
Siegrist’s first official pro game will be easily available since the Wings season opener will be at home at College Park Center on May 20 at 1 p.m. on ABC (Ch. 6).
The Sunday June 11 game at the New York Liberty at 1 p.m. will also air on ABC as will a Sunday June 25 game at 1 p. m. playing out West against the Los Angeles Sparks and also Sunday July 2 hosting the Washington Mystics at 1 p.m.
As it was, only a few assistants and Christina Dolce (most improve women’s player) were left down here to accept the honors going to Siegrist and Lucy Olsen.
Additionally, and ironically, former Wildcats great Katie Davis was one of two women inductees to the Big Five Hall of Fame along with former Saint Joseph’s star Stephanie Graff McCaffrey.
Davis was a member of the 2003 squad two decades ago that advanced to the Elite Eight and and also contained Trish Juhline, who, until Monday night, had been the only other Villanova women’s star ever picked on the pro league’s draft night, going in the third round to the Washington Mystics.
Former Villanova longtime coach Harry Perretta was in the Wildcats delegation escorting Siegrist to draft night.
Denise Dillon, coach of the year on the women’s side of the Big Five, was actually on a pre-planned vacation to Hawaii booked before her team rose to unprecedented success, including a tie for 10th place in the final Associated Press women’s poll of the season.
As expected, South Carolina star Aliyah Boston went first, the second of Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks in history behind A’ja Wilson, a two-time WNBA MVP with the Las Vegas Aces, who enter this season as the defending champions.
The Minnesota Lynx, in a rare lottery position, went next picking Maryland star Diamond Miller before Siegrist’s moment.
Though projections kept showing Dallas likely to take Siegrist, clues were even stronger when most of the Wings brass in the Texan city attended the Naismith Awards presentation where Siegrst was a finalist.
“Just remember that night when I was the only one at Villanova,” Dallas GM Greg Bibb quipped to yours truly.
A week later as part of a WNBA draft preview teleconference, Bibb called Siegrist “one of the best players in the draft.”
As it turns out, Siegrist’s father, George, who was on the scene Monday night with the rest of the family, and Bibb went to Marist together.
Siegrist got a preview of the Dallas locale attending events during the Women’s Final Four.
“I loved it when I was there,” she said Monday night. “I know they’re a young team, really up and coming. So, I’m so happy to be a part of it.”
Siegrist won’t be alone as a newcomer with the Texas team.
The Wings, who were loaded with picks, two choices later picked former Fairfield and UConn star Lou Lopez Senechal, whom Siegrist played against three times last season in Big East games with the Huskies.
With an 11th pick in the first round former Princeton and Maryland star Abby Meyers was chosen.
At one point, Siegrist was projected as Dallas’ fifth pick, but it was reported that the Wings might rather take her third to avoid the Washington Mystics choosing her at fourth.
As it was, the Mystics took injured Iowa State star Stephanie Soares, whom Dallas then dealt for in exchange with a future 2004 second-round and 2005 first-round draft choice going to Washington.
Siegrist, the nation’s leading scorer in 2023, is believed to be able to play more freely in the WNBA not being double teamed.
She said the last time that happened besides playing for USA 3-on-3 last summer was “probably sophomore year.”
Like several other stars of last season, who decided to play a fifth year and not entering this year’s draft, already making the next one quite tantalizing, Siegrist had that option and a Villanova source familiar with NIL negotiations on the Main Line said if desired she could have named her price.
But asked Monday night during her press seasion about considering a fifth year, Siegrist said, “Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever; and I feel like God had opened a door, and it was time for me to walk through.”
As the moment drew near, Siegrist said of her dad, “I was holding onto his hand for dear life, just waiting to hear your name called. But to spend it with them, my family is the most important thing in the world to me, and I would not be here without them.
“The rest of my extended family is at a restaurant down the street, so I can’t wait to go celebrate with them after.”
In terms of the looming future, Siegrist called the immediate challenge in a new setting is “I think the unknown. I haven’t been there yet, so I don’t know really what to expect. So yeah, I guess the unknown.”
During the NCAA women’s finals UConn coach Geno Auriemma appeared on the supplemental ESPN telecast hosted by his former stars Sue Bird, who retired from the WNBA after last season and Diana Taurasi, who is still with the Phoenix Mercury.
Asked the four toughest players he ever coached against, he named current Wings ambassador Nancy Lieberman, former Tennessee star Tamika Catchings, a former 10-time WNBA All-Star and 10-time all-defensive team honoree; two-time scoring champion and Olympian Angel McCoughtry, who was on Louisville in college; and Siegrist.
“I don’t know what kind of pro she’ll be,” he said of the Villanovan, “But she’s a relentless player. I just love her.”
In the past, rookies interviewed after their first month of action called the biggest adjustments to life in the WNBA as dealing with the athleticism and speed of the pro game.
Some of the talk has been of travel, but the WNBA broke ground publicly Monday morning over a contentious issue, commissioner Cathy Engelbert announcing an expansion of charter flights, including flights for all postseason games from the playoffs’ start until the finals, the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game, and select regular season games where teams have back-to-back games scheduled.
Meanwhile, Drexel’s Kieshana Washington, who finished third in scoring in the nation behind Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Siegrist, went undrafted after attending a combine in Dallas.
However, per past practices, it’s possible as has happened to many, she could sign a training camp contract as will start occurring among the league’s 12 teams quite soon.
Women Included As Part of New Big Five
Off different reports, the Big 5 will announce a new tournament format Tuesday morning when parties meet for a press conference at 10:30 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia.
While that piece of the revamp has been reported for weeks, apparently, according to several sources at Monday’s reception, women will also be part of the re-brand, which now will include Drexel.
However, the women because of existing scheduling already in place for next season, won’t start until the 2024-25 season.
Stay Tuned.
posted by Mel Greenberg | 4:11 AM
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