What president of Dallas Wings said about Lady Vols guard Jordan Horston, WNBA Draft

If Jordan Horston's WNBA Draft projections are correct, she'll be the 20th first-round draft pick in Lady Vols basketball history.

ESPN's latest mock draft has the 6-foot-2 guard going at No. 3 to the Dallas Wings, which would be the highest-drafted Tennessee player since 2018 when Diamond DeShields was drafted No. 3 overall. The Wings also hold the No. 5 pick.

The WNBA Draft is Monday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).

If Horston is selected at either pick, she would be the 10th player in school history to be a top-five pick and three straight years of first-round draft picks for the first time in 20 years.

"I think she's quote, unquote 'WNBA ready,' " Wings president Greg Bibb said Thursday on a pre-WNBA draft conference call. "I think her size will allow her to be a versatile player in our league and play multiple positions. I think the athleticism is unquestioned."

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ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said she sees Horston's defensive ability as WNBA ready, an aspect of her game that could earn her solid minutes as a rookie.

Dallas recently acquired DeShields to play at the wing to pair with Arike Ogunbowale, who plays both point and shooting guard. Another player who could impact Horston's minutes is if the Wings play 6-4 forward Satou Sabally at the three. Jasmine Dickey, a 5-9 guard, will be in her second season and 6-foot guard Kitija Laksa, who was selected in the 2020 draft by Seattle but has yet to play in a WNBA game. But with Horston's size, versatility and athleticism, she should be able to compete for minutes.

Bibb said he had the opportunity to speak with Horston recently, and said she "presents herself very well." He also noted her competitive nature will bode well for her future in the league.

"Definitely a competitor, so I think the compete you need in this league of the best 144 players on the planet is there," Bibb said. "I think she would be the first to probably tell you she needs to get better consistency with shooting the basketball, especially the three-ball, but I think she's a player that's going to come into our league and be in our league for a long time."

Minnesota Lynx coach and president Cheryl Reeve echoed Bibb's thoughts and said Horston is "a player that you can see in our league for a long time."

"(She's) a hungry player, a player who's very confident, sees herself in this league," Reeve said. "That kind of knowing that she belongs and she'll continue to get better in the areas that Greg talked about."

Horston was a First Team All-SEC selection and All-America Honorable Mention the last two seasons. She averaged 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals this season, while shooting career-highs of 43.8% from the field and 73.9% from the free throw line.

Bibb also thought the end of Horston's season and her performance in the NCAA Tournament helped boost her draft stock, because she "demonstrated that she'll be a great fit for whatever team drafts her in the WNBA." In the postseason, Horston averaged 17.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and had seven blocks in a single game.

Horston leaves Tennessee as the only player in program history besides Alexis Hornbuckle to surpass 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 400 assists. She is also No. 1 among all true guards at Tennessee with 21 career double-doubles and is No. 7 on the all-time career assists list with 455.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What Dallas Wings think of Lady Vols guard Jordan Horston in WNBA Draft