Sun get the one they wanted in WNBA Draft

Apr. 16—Thursday night's WNBA Draft must have felt like a case of déjà vu for Curt Miller.

A year ago, the Sun didn't have a first round pick. But Miller, the Sun's coach and general manger, was still able to land his target choice Kaila Charles in the second round.

Connecticut didn't have a first-round pick on Thursday either — they traded it, along with two 2020 first-round picks for DeWanna Bonner last year.

But when Miller and his staff were on the clock for the first time during the second round, their targets were there again.

The Sun drafted DiJonai Carrington (Baylor) 20th overall, Micaela Kelly (Central Michigan) 21st overall and Aleah Goodman (Oregon State) 30th overall Thursday.

"We got the three players that we had targeted when we were on the clock at 20 and 21," Miller said during a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. "So, really excited. Three tremendous guards coming into camp to fight for spots."

Leading up to Thursday, Miller said his goal for the draft was to pick players that would provide both a spark offensively, and add to the competitiveness of training camp.

He feels that he accomplished both.

"I'm excited about that competition, that feel that we're going to feel from day one in our camp of everybody getting after it," Miller said. "Everybody scratching and clawing to try and be on this opening-day roster."

Things started falling into place for Miller as Carrington started slipping down the draft board.

"We thought DiJonai could go as early as late in the first round, and certainly didn't expect her to drop to 20," Miller said.

Carrington, a 5-foot-11 guard, was a graduate transfer at Baylor this season after leaving Stanford. She played 27 games for the Bears, making one start. She averaged 14.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals in 24.0 minutes per game. Additionally, she shot 42.6 percent from the field, including 28.5 percent from deep.

Baylor won both the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles, and advanced to the River Walk Regional final before falling to UConn 69-67. In that game, Carrington scored 22 points on 7-of-22 shooting, and added seven rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes. Baylor finished the year 28-3.

"Very bullish in my comments that she may be the best two-way wing in the draft," Miller said. "I really believe that she can score at multiple levels. She's a strong and physical guard that can guard multiple positions."

Prior to transferring to Baylor, Carrington played four seasons at Stanford. She played 108 games in all, but was limited to five in 2019-20 due to knee issues. With the Cardinal, she averaged 8.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 19.5 minutes.

Carrington comes from an athletic family. Her dad Darren played eight seasons in the NFL, making it to Super Bowl XXIV with the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl XXIX with the San Diego Chargers. Her brother, also named Darren, played college football at Oregon and Utah, while her mom Vickie and sister Diarra were also collegiate athletes.

She feels that family history will help her when camp starts April 25.

"Whenever you have an opportunity to go against the best in the world, it's always just something that you have to just relish," Carrington said. "I think that that's something that I'm just excited for. Competitiveness is in my DNA."

Kelly, a 5-foot-6 guard, was chosen with the very next pick. She was the first player from a mid-major school to be selected in 2021.

"To be honest, it means a lot," Kelly said. "I set an example and I've set the standard a little bit high. But it's obviously definitely an honor. I really appreciate Connecticut picking me up."

She started all 27 games this season for the Chippewas, who won the MAC tournament title before falling to Iowa in the first round of the NCAA tournament. She averaged 23.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals in 36.7 minutes a game while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 35.7 from deep. The Chippewas finished 18-9.

In 125 career games, Kelly averaged 17.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.8 minutes a game.

"She is a fantastic offensive player," Miller said. "She scores at multiple levels. She plays much bigger than her size. She stuffs the stat sheet certainly as a rebounder, as an assist player. She can play on and off the ball. So, clearly one of the premier wings in this draft."

Connecticut's final draftee, Goodman is a 5-foot-9 guard. She started all 20 games in 2021, averaging 16.2 points, 4.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 34.9 minutes. She shot 47.9 percent from the field and 49.0 percent from long-range. Goodman also posted a 2.1 assist to turnover ratio for the Beavers, who fell to South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament to finish 12-8.

In four years, Goodman played in 117 games for the Beavers. She averaged 9.9 points, 3.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 25.6 minutes a game for her career.

"When you talk to her, she just really comes across as a basketball IQ person," Miller said. "She took a young Oregon State team a long way this year. A lot of the leadership burden fell on her shoulders. And just so efficient shooting the basketball. So underrated in ball screens. She can really get herself into the paint, can get herself to the rim."

Like Carrington, Goodman is ready for the new challenges that camp will bring.

"I'm just excited to learn, take in as much as possible and then just compete," Goodman said. "Coach Miller talked about the vets that they have on the team, and I think there's so much to learn from those guys. Whether it's their actions, what they're saying, and just kind of taking all that in."

Miller plans on carrying 11 players on the roster this season. Since the Sun already have nine players under contract, only two spots remain. In addition to drafting Carrington, Kelly and Goodman, the Sun have signed five free agents to training camp contracts.

"We're really looking forward to it," Miller said. "We have a lot of our veterans under contract coming late to camp, which really creates an opportunity for these young rookies, for these free agents to really compete against each other early in camp."

The Dallas Wings were the first team in league history to have the first two picks in the same draft. They chose Charli Collier (Texas) first and Awak Kuier (Finland) second. The Wings also had the fifth pick, taking Chelsea Dungee (Arkansas).

Arizona's Aari McDonald was picked third by the Atlanta Dream while Kysre Gondrezick (West Virginia) was selected fourth by the Indiana Fever.

For coverage of the Connecticut Sun and professional women's basketball, Hartford Athletic pro soccer team, as well as area high school and local youth sports, follow Adam Betz on Twitter: @AdBetz1, Facebook: Adam Betz — Sports Writer, and Instagram: @AdBetzJI.