Las Vegas Aces Choose Jackie Young Over Asia Durr In WNBA Draft

For the third year in a row, the Las Vegas Aces franchise had the first pick in the WNBA draft, and after selecting first-year All-Star and Rookie of the Year A’Ja Wilson in 2018, the worst team in the West took Notre Dame guard Jackie Young with their first pick in 2019.

Since the Aces took a power forward last year, it made sense that they would draft a guard in 2019. But in a draft without Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu—who’s returning for her senior year— experts were split on whether or not they’d pick Young or Louisville’s Asia Durr—who ended up going to the Liberty second overall. In Young, the Aces get a wing player who’s less of a pure scorer than Durr. But Young’s also a couple inches taller and put up better numbers in college as a rebounder and passer.

Young makes most sense at small forward, since the Aces have an All-Star at shooting guard in Kayla McBride. But assuming she does make the starting lineup, Vegas will form a first five that includes the past three number-one overall picks, including Young, Wilson, and point guard Kelsey Plum. Trust the process.