B2 l Friday, April ,  laramieboomerang.com Laramie Boomerang NFL DRAFT WNBA DRAFT Oregon guard Ionescu Video chats to home workouts, expected to be No. 1 pick draft prospects get it done

AP PHOTO Oregon’s celebrates after a play March 6 during a game against Utah in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 women’s tournament in Las Vegas.

a care package to many of By DOUG FEINBERG the top picks with hats of all AP Writer 12 teams, a WNBA sweat- shirt, confetti and a few NEW YORK — It will be other items. no surprise if Oregon star Coaches and gener- Sabrina Ionescu is the No. al managers are spread AP PHOTO 1 pick in the WNBA draft through the country and UCLA running back Joshua Kelley does the broad jump test at the NFL football scouting combine Feb. 28 in Indianapolis. tonight by the New York Chicago coach James Wade Liberty. is in France. So they are can’t go out in that field or have someone touchpoint, but we’re really missing out It would be surprise, how- setting up virtual war rooms By ROB MAADDI come up and run them off that field,” on the personal touchpoint, when you ever, if she isn’t. instead of gathering in their AP Pro Football Writer Callaway said. “If there’s a place nearby, can smell or feel a guy.” The Ducks guard, who own team facilities. they’ve tried it, whether it’s a local park Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta was the consensus player of The Liberty and Wings UCLA running back Joshua Kelley was where they’ve shown up and found it said one of the biggest challenges with the year, has been projected basically control the draft looking forward to visiting various NFL locked up. We’ve heard of guys literally lack of visits is assessing injured players. as the Liberty’s choice since with half of the 12 first- teams, checking out their facilities and working out in fields. Some of them are “We’ve had to really work with our the team won the draft round picks between them meeting coaches before the COVID-19 working out in their homes or in their training staff and with the college training lottery. after a series of trades over pandemic changed the pre-draft process. yards or in the street, running in the staffs to get as much updated information “I’ve talked to their coach the last year. New York has “I think that would’ve been really dope street.” as possible,” DeCosta said. a little bit, and he’s been the No 1, 9 and 12 picks; because I’ve been a fan of the NFL for so Boston College running back A.J. Agents are helping players post videos awesome,” Ionescu said Dallas the No. 2, 5 and 7 long and to get a chance to actually be in Dillon said he misses the weight room on social media because they missed during a Zoom call earlier picks. a facility and see what goes on would’ve and working with trainers in person. He’s out on pro days. It’s especially important this week. “Obviously, they been really cool,” Kelley said. doing sit-ups and push-ups at home and for prospects who weren’t invited to the have a new staff in place. I’m UNDERCLASS TREND Instead, because the NFL on March running. combine. just excited if I get that op- For the fifth time in six portunity. I think they have 13 barred all in-person pre-draft visits, “This is my only draft, so this is my Isiah Perkins, a cornerback from years at least one junior the right pieces in place, and Kelley and other prospects had to do normal,” Dillon said. “I’m making the University of New Hampshire, posted a decided to forego their final the goals and the vision that “virtual” visits with teams. Their conver- most of it, everybody is. Obviously the “virtual” pro day. He ran a 4.47 40 and year of college eligibility and sations with coaching staffs took place on biggest difference is the visits, the team had impressive numbers overall. coaching staff and the front office has for that team are enter the WNBA draft. This video conferencing technology like Skype, meetings. I’ve done a bunch on Zoom.” “I wish I could have ran those times in season there are three with Zoom and FaceTime. Tulane wide receiver Darnell Mooney front of the scouts,” he said. bright.” Her Oregon teammate , Sabally On the positive side, the absence of said he runs four miles a day with his dog Kelley ran a 4.49 40 at the combine, but and . The trio visits gave players more time to work out. and works out at home. He goes outside still posted a video doing drills last week. , one of three juniors to forego their last are all expected to go in the “You take calls from coaches and then to do positional drills. “It shows he’s still working, he’s staying first round. you have the rest of the day to train,” “It’s not a big thing for me because I’m in good shape,” McManimie said. year of college eligibility and enter the draft, is expected Kelley said. “You’re not flying on a plane. always in the house,” said Mooney, who Agent Andre Odom said “communi- to go No. 2 to Dallas. IVY LEAGUE PRIDE You’re not in hotels. It’s an extremely ran a 4.38-second, 40-yard dash at the cation is paramount” during this unique It would be the third time Princeton star different process right now.” combine. pre-draft period. is projected to go in the Of course, training schedules had to be in the history of the draft While this crop of prospects doesn’t “One of the things we’ve done is stay in that the top two picks were first round and would be drastically altered because players can’t know what a typical pre-draft process direct contact with teams, making sure we only the second Ivy League go to gyms or use their school’s facilities. from the same program. looks like, teams have had to make many help to streamline the virtual process as And if Oregon’s Ruthy player to be drafted that Kelley’s agent, Molly McManimie, said adjustments from their normal routine. best as possible,” Odom said. Hebard is also selected in high. Harvard star Allison she had to scramble to find 50-pound New York Giants general manager Dave Leigh Steinberg, who represents poten- the first round it would be Feaster was selected fifth in dumbbells for her client to use at home. Gettleman said the ability to chat with tial top-15 picks in Alabama’s Tua Tagov- fifth consecutive season and the 1998 draft by the Los “You get super creative,” McManimie players on video is “pretty beneficial” ailoa and Jerry Jeudy, remembers a much ninth overall that three col- Angeles Sparks. said. “That’s where your grit and determi- because “you can see the guys.” simpler time in 1975 when he represented lege teammates were taken nation comes in. Bottom line is, this is a “I’m a city kid and a big believer in No. 1 overall pick Steve Bartkowski. in the opening round. HONORING THE FUTURE good example of how you’re going to face body language and all this and that,” “They had game film and All-Star The WNBA is holding a The league will honor adversity. There’s going to be things in Gettleman said. “It’s not great, it’s not games. No combine, no pro days, no virtual draft because of the Alyssa Altobelli, Gianna your career that aren’t perfect. But if you perfect, it’s OK. For me, what we miss is passing days, no visits to teams or visits to coronavirus pandemic. The Bryant and Payton Ches- want it bad enough, you’ll make it work.” watching them interact, watching them in campuses,” Steinberg said. “The reality is NFL is following suit and ter during the draft. The Some players have more access to your facility. By not having pro days, you these players have been scouted. The truth having its draft virtually teenagers were among the equipment. Some have less. Space at also miss that personal contact. Watching of the matter is the best predictor of future next weekend. nine people who died in the home can be an issue, depending on guys among their peers and how they success is past success, so it’s game film. Of course, a virtual draft helicopter accident on Jan. where they’re living. operate, how they’re received. That tells They have enough information to have will have a few different 26, including Kobe Bryant. “What we’ve been able to do is create a lot when you just watch a kid in those scouted successfully. I think when we look quirks. Engelbert said the league a couple of different programs and send circumstances. down the road in five years, the picks will Draft prospects will be also plans to honor the them directly,” said Brent Callaway, pro “Obviously, when we would go to be as productive and the same percentage in their own homes instead former NBA star at the draft sports director at Exos in Dallas. workouts, a lot of times the night before, of mistakes will have been made.” of a central location and and during the upcoming Going outside has been the biggest our coach and scout that would be at the AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner the WNBA Commissioner season. Ionescu said earlier challenge for players. pro day would take one, two or three of and AP Sports Writers Jimmy Golen, Dave Cathy Engelbert will be this week that she would be “Athletes who are trying to go to local the players out to dinner and have some Ginsburg and John Marshall contributed to announcing selections from involved in whatever the high school field are being told that they conversation that way. We have the visual this report. her home. The WNBA sent league has planned.

master’s in finance here at academic excellence honors a Spain Champion of Na- U19 champions, the 2018 Łomianki. She competed at from B1 Cowgirls/ Wyoming,” Mattinson said. three times, and won a club tional Teams, named to the runner-up in the Croatian the 2019 FIBA U18 Euro- As a senior last season, “She’s a very hard-working, championship in 2018 with Ideal Quintent and was an National Championship, the pean Championships for she had 4.8 points and 3.9 journeyman type player. Sporting WBC and compet- all-Catalan and all-Spanish 2018 U19 champions and Poland, where she averaged rebounds during 17.5 min- She’s a very high IQ bas- ed on the Greek U16 team. selection. the 2017 U19 champion. She 3.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and utes per game. She played ketball player, understands “Iris is a tall guard that “Paula is a long, athletic was named to the WABA 1 per game. She was in 26 games with 19 starts positioning, situations, and can handle the ball like a player that can step out and Final Four All-Star Team in part of the club team that as a captain and shot 44.2% has very good skills to score point guard,” Mattinson shoot the three with a great Croatia in 2017. was champions of Poland in (43 of 120) from the field in a variety of ways.” said. “She is long and deal of range,” Mattinson “Marta is a power forward 2020, 2019 and 2018, and and 90% (18 of 20) from the Tsafara, originally athletic with great said. “She has shown on with a great deal of tough- was named an All-Star in from Athens, Greece, basketball skills. She’s free-throw line. film the ability to score in a ness,” Mattinson said. “She 2019. She Made a team-best redshirted for one a very good shooter variety of ways, and on the moves very well, has great Davidsdottir earned eight 3-pointers in a game season at South Flor- with a very quick defensive end, her length hands and feet, and is will- in 2019. academic all-MAAC honors ida. She is a 6-0 guard release and has a lot gives her the ability to alter ing to play physical when “Ola is a versatile guard three times, was on Niagara’s from First High School of range. She has a great and shots. She has needed. She has the ability honor roll four times and of Agia Paraskeui, where she ability to see the court, and guard ball handling skills … to score in a variety of ways, with very good size,” Mat- founded Niagara’s Women was the captain her final two she incorporates her team- and will add a lot of versatil- both at the block and faced tinson said. “She has the in Business club. years there. mates very well.” ity to the front line.” up. Her basketball skills, the basketball skills and ability In high school, Davids- Tsafara led her team to Salazar, from Barcelona, Savic, from Zagreb, ability to put the ball on the to play any position along dottir played for Iceland’s a runner-up finish in the Spain, is a 6-3 forward who Croatia, is a 6-1 forward floor, her passing, and her the guard line, from the one Under-15 (2012), U16 national school champion- attended Institute Vilanova who attended Sport Gym- IQ make her a natural for through the three. She’s a (2012-13), U18 (2015) and ship finals in 2018. During del Vallés. She was a part nasium. She competed at our motion. She plays a lot very good shooter with a lot U20 national teams. She also the semifinals of that of a runner-up team in the the FIBA U18 European like former Cowgirl Bailee of range on her shot, has a played for two years at The tournament, she scored 33 Catalonia of Clubs, and Championships for Croatia Cotton.” very high basketball IQ and Westtown School in West- points with 23 rebounds, finished fourth in the same in 2019, averaging 8.6 points Ustowska, from Kartuzy, is a great passer. Her skill set town, Pennsylvania. 20 assists, five blocks and tournament in a different and 5.4 rebounds. Her club Poland, is a 5-10 guard and abilities are a natural for “(Davidsdottir) will get a three steals. She also earned season. She was also part of team was the 2019 Croatian who attended SMS PZKosz our motion game.”