The 2021 WNBA Draft will take place on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, as dreams will come true for a number of top prospects and everything runs through the Dallas Wings, who currently have three of the top five picks in the draft (and recently traded the 7th pick to the Sparks).
Among the players vying for the top pick is Texas’ Charli Collier, who averaged 19.0 points and 11.3 rebounds per game for the Texas Longhorns this year and, at 6’5, would bring some tremendous size in the paint for whomever is looking to draft her. There are other possibilities at No. 1 — as our Brendon Kleen explored in his mock draft — but Collier is the top center in the draft. Among those who Collier can count on as supporters is fellow Texas alum Kevin Durant, who voiced his support for her being the top pick on Twitter on Thursday, to which she responded she’ll be sending him her jersey as soon as possible.
I got your jersey ready too bro lol whichever team that may be 😌 https://t.co/MkctmmlvTH
— Charli Collierâ„¢ (@charlicollier) April 15, 2021
The two Longhorns also linked up via FaceTime prior to the draft, with Collier — who wore 35 at Texas in honor of KD — and Durant discussing what number she could change to like he did in going to Brooklyn, with KD a big fan of No. 11.
https://twitter.com/togethxr/status/1382773527787491332
It’s a cool example of the support NBA stars now are giving to the WNBA and the next generation of WNBA stars, and also just a nice distraction for Collier on what is surely a day filled with stress, anxiety, and excitement while awaiting where her community will continue. She likely won’t have to wait long to hear her name called, and whatever uniform that is, the Wings or elsewhere, Durant will be rocking one soon after.
