Watts Picked 10th Overall In WNBA Draft

Stephanie Watts, one of the top long-range shooters in UNC women's basketball history, became the ninth Tar Heel to be selected in the first round of the WNBA draft when she was picked 10^th overall Thursday evening by the Los Angeles Sparks.

The 5-11 guard from Wesley Chapel, N.C., was the first Atlantic Coast Conference player selected in the 2021 draft. She's the 21^st Tar Heel to be a WNBA draft pick.

DRAFTED ☑️ 🤩 x @swatts15 📍Los Angeles 👣 21st ever UNC draft pick ☑️ 👣 4th ever top 10 pick☑️ 👣 3rd drafted player to play under Courtney Banghart ☑️ 👣 2nd ever UNC-to-Sparks pick (Jackie Higgins 32nd overall 2002) ☑️ Congrats Watts! #InPursuit #ProHeels pic.twitter.com/VniL6rF8ku
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) April 16, 2021

"Draft night is the night dreams are realized for a very special group of players," said UNC coach Courtney Banghart, who saw one of her players selected in the WNBA Draft's top 10 for the second year in a row. "It's also a day where programs shine, as we work hard daily to prepare those who aspire to play at the next level. Tonight, the journey came to fruition for Stephanie Watts and we could not be more excited for her. The Sparks are getting a great one, and we look forward to cheering her on from Chapel Hill."

Bella Alarie, whom Banghart coached for three years at Princeton, was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft.

Watts finished her UNC career ranked second all-time in career three-pointers and holds the school record for most three-pointers in a game with 10. After playing three years at UNC, Watts spent the 2019-20 season at Southern California but was granted an additional year of eligibility after appearing in only four games. She elected to return to Chapel Hill for her final season, playing as a graduate student.

In 2020-21, Watts led the Tar Heels in assists, steals and blocks while averaging 12.0 points per game. She scored in double figures in 12 of the season's final 13 games, averaging a team-best 16.2 points over that span. She scored a season-high 29 points. including seven three-pointers, in UNC's NCAA Tournament first-round game.

Watts is the highest UNC pick since 2006, when La'Tangela Atkinson was selected ninth overall, and the fourth top-10 pick in program history.

She's the second Tar Heel on the Sparks roster, joining Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, a 2013 UNC graduate who has been with L.A. since 2019.

UNC in the WNBA Draft
1998: Tracy Reid, first round, 7^th overall, Charlotte
1999: Charlotte Smith, third round, 33^rd overall, Charlotte
2001: La'Quanda Barksdale, first round, 12^th overall, Portland
2001: Juana Brown, fourth round, 49^th overall, Seattle
2002: Nikki Teasley, first round, 5^th overall, Portland (traded to LA)
2002: Jackie Higgins, second round, 32^nd overall, Los Angeles
2003: Coretta Brown, first round, 11^th overall, San Antonio
2003: Marion Jones, third round, 33^rd overall, Phoenix
2005: Nikita Bell, second round, 20^th, Detroit
2006: La'Tangela Atkinson, first round, 9^th pick overall, Indiana
2007: Ivory Latta, first round, 11^th overall, Detroit
2007: Camille Little, second round, 17^th overall, San Antonio
2008: LaToya Pringle Sanders, first round, 13^th overall, Phoenix
2008: Erlana Larkins, first round, 14^th overall, New York
2009: Rashanda McCants, second round, 15^th overall, Minnesota
2011: Jessica Breland, second round, 13^th overall, Minnesota (traded to NY)
2011: Italee Lucas, second round, 21^st overall, Tulsa
2012: Chay Shegog, second round, 21^st overall, Connecticut
2013: Waltiea Rolle, third round, 36^th overall, Minnesota
2019: Paris Kea, third round, 25^th overall, Indiana
2021: Stephanie Watts, first round, 10^th overall, Los Angeles

Players Mentioned

Stephanie Watts

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