The Dallas Wings selected Texas Longhorns star Charli Collier with the first pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft on Thursday.
Collier finished her junior season averaging 19 points, 1.2 blocks, and 11.3 rebounds per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. She finished among the top 10 in double-doubles (tied for second), total rebounds (third), offensive rebounds (second), free throws made (sixth) and free throws attempted (seventh) in all of women’s college basketball.
The 6-foot-5 center becomes the first Big 12 player drafted No. 1 overall since Brittney Griner in 2013 by the Mercury.
“My God is so good,” Collier told ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “I love basketball and my heart was racing. … This is the game I love and I am built for it.”
Collier, who is interested in a sports broadcasting career, launched an online series on Instagram Live called “Center Court with Charli Collier” where she secured interviews with basketball players Kevin Durant, Myles Turner and Jada Williams. Her conversation with Durant received nearly 50,000 views, and the Brooklyn Nets star tweeted his support for Collier being the top pick in the draft.
Collier earned All-American accolades from the Associated Press and became the Longhorns’ first AP All-American in 14 years and fifth Longhorn to do it since 1995. She was also one of 47 Texas women’s players to score 1,000 career points.
