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Kiki Rice is the Toronto Tempo’s first-ever WNBA draft pick.
The Tempo selected the UCLA guard sixth overall in the first round Monday, 10 days after adding its first players in the WNBA expansion draft.
Rice, a 22-year-old American, averaged 14.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 38 games last season for the Bruins en route to a national title. UConn star Azzi Fudd went first overall to the Dallas Wings, with a $500,000 US payday waiting for.
The Tempo won a coin toss over the Portland Fire last month and elected to take the higher pick — sixth instead of seventh — in the draft. As a result, the Fire got to pick first overall in the expansion draft.
Toronto also owns picks Nos. 22, 26 and 36, having acquired the 26th pick from the Chicago Sky in exchange for not selecting any of that team’s players in the expansion draft.
The Tempo tip off their first WNBA season May 8 at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum against visiting Washington.
Minnesota took Olivia Miles of TCU with the No. 2 pick. Miles decided to stay in college last season instead of enter the WNBA draft. She transferred from Notre Dame to the Horned Frogs. She helped the team reach the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.
“Deep breath that’s why I got emotional,” Miles said of finishing her journey. “It’s finally here, finally heard my name. This is what this was for.”
After Seattle took Spain centre Awa Fam Thiam at No. 3, Washington selected the 6-foot-7 Betts before the Chicago Sky followed with Jaquez, who is the sister of Miami Heat player Jaime Jaquez Jr. She now has family bragging rights not only with a national championship, but also was picked higher than him. Jaime was taken 18th in the NBA draft in 2023.
Portland took Spanish guard Iyana Martin Carrion with its first-ever pick. Indiana took South Carolina’s Raven Johnson with the 10th pick and Washington drafted Cotie McMahon of Ole Miss next.
Connecticut took French player Nell Angloma with the 12th pick. A second Gamecock went next with Madina Okot drafted by Atlanta. Seattle drafted Duke’s Taina Mair with the 14th choice.
The Sun closed out the first round choosing Kneepkens.
