WNBA Season Preview 2019: 5 Rookie of the Year favorites

With an unusually deep draft class, this new crop of rookies has no shortage of star power, so who will stand out amongst the rest?

With so many elite players throughout the entire 2019 WNBA Draft class it was a little difficult to narrow down the list to just five favorites, but there are a few players whose impacts on their teams will be felt right away.

First, some honorable mentions. While Jackie Young was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, she’s found herself on a team that bolsters one of the best lineups in the league after trading for one of, if not the most dominant player in the league, Liz Cambage.

Couple that with the fact that the Las Vegas Aces’ lineup already features the reigning Rookie of the Year A’ja Wilson, the 2017 No. 1 overall pick Kelsey Plum and Kayla McBride who averaged 18 points last season, finding consistent touches for Young will be difficult.

Kalani Brown also falls into a similar situation as Young, being drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks, a team with a ridiculous amount of depth, it will be hard to find Brown some playing time despite her dominance at the collegiate level.

5. Katie Lou Samuelson — Chicago Sky

In four years at UConn Katie Lou Samuelson helped lead the Huskies to a national championship and three-straight Final Four appearances after that, her falling to No. 4 in the draft is a testament to how strong this draft class is. Still, Samuelson should fit perfectly with the Chicago Sky a team that has failed to make the postseason the last three seasons.

On paper it may seem like the Sky are overloaded with guard talent, however, with Samuelson’s size she can play shooting guard or small forward. Either way, she’s a necessity to have on the floor for her spacing abilities to open things up for Stefanie Dolson in the post.

Averaging 18 points in her senior year at UConn, Samuelson has the ability to heat up from deep, once hitting 8 three’s in a regular season game against Memphis. She can work off the dribble or as a spot-up shooter and is always active on defense whether at the rim or coming away with a steal or two.