Thursday, April 18

Women’s basketball guard Kennedy Burke earns second-round pick in 2019 WNBA Draft


The Dallas Wings selected UCLA women’s basketball senior guard Kennedy Burke with the 22nd overall selection of the WNBA Draft on Wednesday night. Burke is the third Bruin to be drafted in the last two seasons. (Alice Naland/Daily Bruin)


Kennedy Burke has become the third Bruin in two years to be selected in the WNBA Draft.

The Dallas Wings took the senior UCLA women’s basketball guard in the second round with the 22nd overall pick Wednesday night. Last year, former Bruin standouts Jordin Canada and Monique Billings were taken with the fifth and 15th overall selections, respectively.

Burke played in 138 of 139 games over her four-year career at UCLA, making 97 starts and appearing in 13 NCAA tournament games. She also posted averages of 15.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists this past season, good for career-highs in each category.

If Burke earns a roster spot out of training camp, she will join a Dallas roster led by former Notre Dame standout and four-time WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith. The Wings finished last season with a 15-19 record and claimed the eighth and final playoff spot before being eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Mercury.

The 2019 WNBA season is set to begin on May 24, and barring any roster changes, Burke will face off against Billings and the Atlanta Dream in her professional debut.

Alumnus

Smith joined the Bruin as a freshman in 2016 and contributed until he graduated in 2020. He was the Sports editor for the 2018-2019 academic year, an assistant Sports editor for the 2017-2018 academic year and spent time on the football, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's water polo, baseball, men's golf and women's golf beats.


Comments are supposed to create a forum for thoughtful, respectful community discussion. Please be nice. View our full comments policy here.