| 2008 WNBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Date | April 9, 2008 |
| Location | Tampa, Florida |
| Networks | ESPN2,NBATV,ESPNU |
| Overview | |
| League | WNBA |
| Expansion teams | Atlanta Dream |
| First selection | Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks |
TheWNBAdraft is the league's annualprocess for determining whichWomen's National Basketball Association teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The 2008 draft was held on April 9.
A lottery was held on October 23, 2007. TheLos Angeles Sparks received the first overall selection of the upcoming 2008 draft. TheChicago Sky received the number two selection. TheMinnesota Lynx came up with the third overall selection, followed by theAtlanta Dream expansion franchise at four, theHouston Comets at number five, and theWashington Mystics at number six. Some of the top draftees wereCandace Parker,Sylvia Fowles,Candice Wiggins,Crystal Langhorne, and Tasha Humphrey.
Top pick Candace Parker went on to become the first WNBA player to be the league's Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Fourth pickAlexis Hornbuckle became the first person to win a national championship in college (with theUniversity of Tennessee) and a WNBA title (with theDetroit Shock) in the same calendar year.
A separateexpansion draft for theAtlanta Dream took place on February 6, 2008.[1]
| ! | Denotesplayer who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
| ^ | Denotesplayer who has been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotesplayer who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game andAll-WNBA Team |
| + | Denotesplayer who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game |
| # | Denotes player who never played in the WNBA regular season or playoffs |
| Bold | Denotesplayer who won Rookie of the Year |
| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Candace Parker * |  United States | Los Angeles Sparks | Tennessee |
| 2 | Sylvia Fowles * ^ ! | Chicago Sky | LSU | |
| 3 | Candice Wiggins | Minnesota Lynx | Stanford | |
| 4 | Alexis Hornbuckle | Detroit Shock(fromAtlanta, viaSeattle)[a][b] | Tennessee | |
| 5 | Matee Ajavon | Houston Comets | Rutgers | |
| 6 | Crystal Langhorne * | Washington Mystics | Maryland | |
| 7 | Essence Carson+ | New York Liberty | Rutgers | |
| 8 | Tamera Young | Atlanta Dream(fromSeattle)[a] | James Madison | |
| 9 | Amber Holt | Connecticut Sun | Middle Tennessee | |
| 10 | Laura Harper | Sacramento Monarchs | Maryland | |
| 11 | Tasha Humphrey | Detroit Shock(fromSan Antonio) | Georgia | |
| 12 | Ketia Swanier | Connecticut Sun(fromIndiana) | Connecticut | |
| 13 | LaToya Pringle | Phoenix Mercury | North Carolina | |
| 14 | Erlana Larkins | New York Liberty(fromDetroit) |
| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Sharnee Zoll | United States | Los Angeles Sparks | Virginia |
| 30 | Charde Houston+ | Minnesota Lynx | Connecticut | |
| 31 | Crystal Kelly | Houston Comets | Western Kentucky | |
| 32 | Danielle Hood# | Atlanta Dream | Hartford | |
| 33 | Angela Tisdale# | Chicago Sky | Baylor | |
| 34 | Krystal Vaughn | Washington Mystics | VCU | |
| 35 | Alberta Auguste# | New York Liberty | Tennessee | |
| 36 | Kimberly Beck | Seattle Storm | George Washington | |
| 37 | Lauren Ervin | Connecticut Sun | Arkansas | |
| 38 | A'Quonesia Franklin | Sacramento Monarchs | Texas A&M | |
| 39 | Alex Anderson# | San Antonio Silver Stars | Chattanooga | |
| 40 | Izabela Piekarska# |  Poland | Sacramento Monarchs(fromIndiana) | UTEP |
| 41 | Marscilla Packer# | United States | Phoenix Mercury | Ohio State |
| 42 | Valeriya Berezhynska |  Ukraine | Detroit Shock | Rice |
| 43 | Charel Allen | United States | Sacramento Monarchs | Notre Dame |
