WNBA mock draft 2022, version 2.0

The big smiles from guard Natasha Cloud and coach/general manager Mike Thibault told the story of Sunday’s WNBA draft lottery. For the first time since 1999, the Washington Mystics will pick first in the draft.

The Mystics defied the percentages to get the top selection in the 2022 WNBA draft, since they had the third-best odds. Cloud was in the ESPN studio representing the Mystics, with Thibault joining the broadcast remotely. The 2021 Mystics missed the playoffs for just the second time in the last nine years.

Indiana had the best odds, but the Fever will pick second. The franchise has never had the No. 1 pick.

For now, our mock draft includes only seniors, although there are some draft-eligible juniors, such as Kansas State center Ayoka Lee and Florida Gulf Coast guard Kierstan Bell, who might enter the mix in subsequent updates.

The 2021 WNBA rookie class for the most part struggled to make an impact for a variety of reasons, including injuries and the fact that they need more time to develop as pro players.

This season, there are some prospects with high ceilings — perhaps not a guaranteed franchise-changer like we saw with 2018 top pick A’ja Wilson, but players with the ability to make a difference in 2022.

Let’s take a look at how the first round might shape up.

First round

1. Washington Mystics: Rhyne Howard, G, Kentucky

Thibault talked about going after the best overall player, and that could be the 6-foot-2 Howard. Does she have the mindset and consistency to become a franchise-changing force? She wouldn’t have to be that right away, if Washington is healthy for 2022. Howard likely would have been the top pick last year had she been eligible for the draft. She seems to have a pro-ready game and could learn a…