NCAA Women — The New York Liberty are predicted to draft a player from UCLA.

WNBA insider predicts Finals runners-up New York Liberty to make massive Bruins prospect acquisition at draft

Modified Apr 09, 2024 14:21 GMT

The 2024 WNBA draft is less than a week away, with the New York Liberty owning the No. 11 pick. The Liberty are fresh off a successful campaign, where they made it to the finals against the Las Vegas Aces. They lost in four games but have a bright future ahead of them with Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

According to CBS Sports' Jack Maloney, the Liberty's main need for the upcoming season is perimeter defense. That's where Charisma Osborne of the UCLA Bruins fit in. Osborne is a good defender who uses her athleticism to pressure the ball and create turnovers.

Osborne is predicted to be a late first-round pick in many mock drafts but could fall in the early second round. She averaged 13.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game in her fifth year of eligibility. She was a top prospect in the past two years but got no choice but to turn pro now.

Charisma Osborne also fit in other needs of the New York Liberty, like youth depth. Osborne will turn 23 in June and would be a good backup to Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot. She could learn a lot under Vandersloot, who is in her 13th season in the WNBA.

Apart from her perimeter defense, Osborn is a capable scorer, shooter and playmaker. She shot 32.2% from beyond the arc and 89.2% from the free-throw line this season. She will need to improve his efficiency at the pro level after shooting just 41.0% from the field.

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What did the New York Liberty do this offseason?

The New York Liberty didn't have a very busy offseason, signing players like Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Morgan Green to extensions. The Liberty also signed Kennedy Burke to a contract and acquired Rebekah Gardner from the Chicago Sky.

New York doesn't need much improvement, as they are one of the best teams in the WNBA. They just fell short against a stacked Las Vegas Aces team. They still have two of the best players in the world today in reigning MVP Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

The 26-year-old guard made headlines in February when she challenged Steph Curry to a 3-point shootout in the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ionescu had an impressive showing, but Curry won the challenge.

It was a successful event, which could lead to another shootout next season involving Caitlin Clark.

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