Atlanta Dream select Canada’s Laeticia Amihere 8th overall in 2023 WNBA Draft | CBC Sports

Canada’s Laeticia Amihere was selected eighth overall by the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the 2023 WNBA Draft on Monday night in New York.

The Gamecocks made another run to the NCAA Final Four this season before being knocked out of the tournament by star guard Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Mississauga, Ont., native averaged 15.9 minutes across 36 games this season, recording per-game averages of 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks.

The Dream also selected guard Haley Jones out of Stanford with the No. 6 pick.

WATCH | Amihere prepares for draft:

My Story: Laeticia Amihere

Amihere’s viral dunk at 15 drew global attention, but she has since become a vital player for Canada in basketball, with a range of impressive skills.

Boston goes No. 1

The Indiana Fever selected Amihere’s teammate Aliyah Boston first overall earlier in the draft.

It’s the first time that the Fever have had the top choice in the draft, and they chose the South Carolina star. Boston, a three-time Associated Press All-American who also was the Player of the Year as a junior, will solidify the post for Indiana.

The Fever had the worst record in the league last season, going 5-31.

“Aliyah Boston will have an immediate impact on our franchise on and off the court,” Fever GM Lin Dunn said. ‘We are excited to pair her with Kelsey [Mitchell] and NaLyssa [Smith] as we reload the Indiana Fever. We are very impressed with Aliyah’s post skills as well as her natural leadership skills. This a a great day for our franchise!”

Boston, like many other players, have had to choose whether to return to college for a fifth season because of the extra year granted for the COVID-19 virus or turn pro. She decided to enter the draft, joining 111 other players to declare.

Minnesota took Diamond Miller of Maryland with the No. 2 pick, and Dallas drafted Maddy Siegrist of Villanova with the third pick. Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, who was the WNBA’s first president, sat with Siegrist.

The Wings also drafted UConn guard Lou Lopez Senechal two picks later. She had transferred to UConn after a stellar career at Fairfield.

“It feels surreal, really didn’t think I’d be here,” Senechal said. “I’ve come a long way, gone through a lot of challenges.”

Stephanie Soares of Iowa State went fourth to Washington. The Mystics quickly traded her to Dallas soon after selecting the 6-foot-7 centre. Washington got back a future first- and second-round pick.

Soares tore her ACL in January and will miss the upcoming WNBA season.

Indiana’s Grace Berger was drafted seventh and Seattle took Tennessee’s Jordan Horston ninth.