The WNBA welcomed in its newest rookie class Thursday night at the 2017 draft.As expected, the San Antonio Stars selected Washington Huskies guard Kelsey Plum with the No. 1 overall pick. The draft was also a banner day for the SEC, with the next three selections, Alaina Coates (South Carolina),Evelyn Akhator (Kentucky) andAllisha Gray (South Carolina), coming from the conference.Breanna Stewart is an example of how big of an impact a talented rookie can have on a team. Stewart was a second-team All-WNBA player in her first season, and she helped the Seattle Storm go from 10 wins in 2015 to a playoff team in 2016.Below are the full results from the first round of the 2017 draft, followed by a breakdown of three players who should immediately help their new teams.WNBA Draft ResultsPlayers to WatchKelsey Plum, G, San Antonio StarsOf course, any discussion about this year's rookie class has to begin with Plum, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer. Fittingly, Plum moved ahead of Jackie Stiles on a 57-point night against the Utah Utes in February."We think that [Plum] will be able to contribute and expand her knowledge of the game, which has the potential to make her a standout player here in the WNBA, as she was in Washington," Stars head coach Vickie Johnson said of Plum's selection, per the team's official website.Plum's scoring is sorely needed on a Stars team that ranked last in offensive rating (93.2), effective field-goal percentage (43.9) and true shooting percentage (49.0), according to WNBA.com. The Huskies star shot 52.9 percent from the field and 42.8 percent from three-point range as a senior.Plum will be a great backcourt complement toMoriah Jefferson, who averaged 13.9 points and 4.2 assists a game as a rookie in 2016.Evelyn Akhator, F/C, Dallas WingsThe Dallas Wings were last in the league in points per possession (1.129) in defensive post-up situations, according to Synergy Sports. They also ranked last in defensive rebound rate (70.7 percent) and eighth in overall rebound rate (48.5 percent), per WNBA.com.Seeing Akhator go third overall was a surprise, but the pick made sense for Dallas.At 6'3", the Wildcats forward adds some height to the Wings' frontcourt. She averaged 15.9 points and 10.8 rebounds a game. She also led Kentucky in blocks, collecting 29 over her final year.Wings fans can justifiably question whyBrionna Jones wasn't the selection instead ofAkhator. However,Akhator should be a better fit for a team that was third in pace, per WNBA.com. Head coach Fred Williams likes to play an uptempo game, andAkhator is an athletic forward who should thrive in the transition.Brittney Sykes, G, Atlanta DreamInAngel McCoughtry, the Atlanta Dream have one of the best scorers in WNBA. The 30-year-old averaged 19.5 points a game last yearfourth-highest in the league.However,McCoughtry announced in January she plans to rest during the 2017 season. Even assuming that break doesn't encompass the entire campaign, her absence will loom large for the Dream.McCoughtry was one of two Atlanta players who shot at least 30 percent from beyond the arc, withLayshia Clarendon the other. InBrittney Sykes, the Dream should have another perimeter threat who can fill the void withMcCoughtry out.Sykes was a 39.3 percent shooter from deep in her final year with the Syracuse Orange.In addition to her production on the offensive end,McCoughtry was second on the team in steals (1.6 per game) and 24th in the league in points allowed per possession (0.799) among players with at least 100 logged possessions, per Synergy Sports.Sykes registered 74 steals and 27 blocks in 2016-17. While nobody should expect her to replicate McCoughtry's output, her balanced skill set makes her a suitable replacement given the Dream's limited options this offseason.
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