ESPN2 to Present 2016 WNBA Draft Presented by State Farm Live, Today

The top female college basketball prospects - including Connecticut's Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck, who enter the WNBA DRAFT after winning four consecutive NCAA Championships - will gather at Mohegan Sun Arena, home of the Connecticut Sun, for the 2016 WNBA DRAFT presented by State Farm on Thursday, April 14.

Airing in prime time for the fourth-straight year, coverage and analysis of the first round will begin at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2, followed by coverage of the second and third rounds on ESPNU starting at 8 p.m. WNBA DRAFT host Ryan Ruocco will be joined by analysts Rebecca Lobo and Carolyn Peck, and reporter Holly Rowe. In addition, current Connecticut Sun forward Chiney Ogwumike will serve as ESPN's War Room reporter, offering live news and interviews from the three onsite War Rooms for the Seattle Storm, San Antonio Stars and Connecticut Sun.

The Seattle Storm holds the top pick in THE DRAFT for the second straight year, fourth time in franchise history, after winning the WNBA DRAFT Lottery presented by State Farm. The rest of the top five - No. 2 San Antonio Spurs; No. 3 Connecticut Sun; No. 4 Connecticut Sun (from Atlanta); No. 5 Dallas Wings (from Los Angeles).

Content will also be offered throughout the day across ESPN platforms, including SPORTSCENTER and espnW.com.

Production Features

• ESPN will have cameras in three War Rooms at Mohegan Sun Arena (Seattle, San Antonio, Connecticut)
• War Room Reporter Chiney Ogwumike
• "All-Access" pieces - ESPN will follow all invited draft prospects with a camera through the day
• Breanna Stewart - live interview on the set
• Geno Auriemma interview with Holly Rowe, discussing all of his drafted players and what's in store for USA Basketball
• Segment on WNBA's 20th Anniversary with Sheryl Swoopes joining the set (with fellow founding member Rebecca Lobo as our analyst already on set)
• Preview of upcoming season focusing on the return of Diana Taurasi and which team is most likely to contend with the Minnesota Lynx, who have won 3 of the last 5 WNBA titles

espnW

• Mock Draft: Mechelle Voepel gives first-round predictions
• Pre-draft profile on Minnesota scoring phenom Rachel Banham
• Exclusive post-pick interviews by ESPN analyst LaChina Robinson, including video with many of the top picks
• Top prospects in the WNBA DRAFT answer funny, odd-ball questions edited into a video montage
• DraftCast: Live chat, pick-by-pick analysis of each selection and video player of WatchESPN Draft feed
• Mechelle Voepel's team-by-team draft grades

ESPN's coverage of the historic 20th anniversary season of the WNBA will tip off Saturday, May 14, with the defending champion Minnesota Lynx and Maya Moore hosting the Phoenix Mercury and Diana Taurasi at 7:30 p.m., on ESPN.

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