Smith, Egbo, and Lewis Selected in 2022 WNBA Draft from Baylor WBB
NEW YORK CITY – For the second time in program history, Baylor had three players selected in the WNBA Draft as NaLyssa Smith, Queen Egbo and Jordan Lewis each had their name called at Monday night’s draft in New York City.
Smith was picked second overall by the Indiana Fever. She became the 10th first-round pick in Baylor history and the third top-two pick in program history alongside Brittney Griner (1st in 2013 to the Phoenix Mercury) and Odyssey Sims (2nd in 2014 to the Tulsa Shock).
Not long after, Egbo was also selected by the Fever as the 10th overall pick, marking Baylor’s 11th first-round selection in program history.
Smith and Egbo – a duo feared in the frontcourt the past few years – became the first duo to be picked in the top-10 in program history and the second pair to be selected in the first round in BU history after Sheila Lambert (7th by the Charlotte Sting) and Danielle Crockrom (11th by the Utah Starzz) did so in 2002.
Lewis was selected by the Connecticut Sun in the second round with the 24th overall pick. She became the fourth-straight graduate transfer to come to Baylor and then get drafted, joining Chloe Jackson (15th pick by the Chicago Sky in 2019), Te’a Cooper (18th pick by the Phoenix Mercury in 2020) and DiJonai Carrington (20th pick by the Connecticut Sun in 2021).
Thursday marked the second time in program history that three Bears were drafted as Baylor tied UConn with the most picks in the 2022 WNBA Draft. It was also the seventh-straight year that a Baylor player was selected. Overall, Baylor now has 24 draft picks with 10 in the last four years.
For the latest news on the Baylor women’s basketball team all season long, follow its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorWBB.
BAYLOR WNBA DRAFT HISTORY
Year Name Team Rd Pk
2002 Sheila Lambert Charlotte Sting 1 7
2002 Danielle Crockrom Utah Starzz 1 11
2005 Steffanie Blackmon Seattle Storm 3 38
2006 Sophia Young San Antonio Silver Stars 1 4
2007 Bernice Mosby Washington Mystics 1 6
2008 Angela Tisdale Chicago Sky 3 33
2009 Jessica Morrow Atlanta Dream 3 27
2013 Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury 1 1
2013 Brooklyn Pope Chicago Sky 3 28
2014 Odyssey Sims Tulsa Shock 1 2
2016 Niya Johnson Atlanta Dream 3 28
2017 Alexis Jones Minnesota Lynx 1 12
2017 Alexis Prince Phoenix Mercury 3 29
2018 Kristy Wallace Atlanta Dream 2 16
2019 Kalani Brown Los Angeles Sparks 1 7
2019 Chloe Jackson Chicago Sky 2 15
2020 Lauren Cox Indiana Fever 1 3
2020 Te’a Cooper Phoenix Mercury 2 18
2020 Juicy Landrum Connecticut Sun 3 35
2021 DiDi Richards New York Liberty 2 17
2021 DiJonai Carrington Connecticut Sun 2 20
2022 NaLyssa Smith Indiana Fever 1 2
2022 Queen Egbo Indiana Fever 1 10
2022 Jordan Lewis Connecticut Sun 2 24