The Washington Mystics have selected forward Aaliyah Edwards of Kingston, Ontario in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2024 WNBA Draft on Monday. Edwards played her college basketball at the University of Connecticut. While with Huskies in 2023-24, she averaged 17.6 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, 1.7 steals per game, and one block per game. She also had a field goal percentage of .593, and a free throw percentage of .747.
The Huskies this past year had a regular season record of 29 wins and five losses. They were the third seed in the Portland Regional 3, and reached the Final Four semifinals before losing 71-69 to Iowa.
Edwards was one of two women’s basketball players who shined at the National Collegiate Athletic Association level this past year. The other was forward Yvonne Ejim of Calgary, Alberta, who was the NCAA Mid-Major Player of the Year while starring for the University of Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Edwards was the second international player selected in the WNBA Draft. The first was Kamilla Cardoso of Montes Claros, Brazil, who was selected third overall by the Chicago Sky.
There are currently three Canadians in the WNBA. They are Atlanta Dream forward Laeticha Amihere of Mississauga, Ontario, Minnesota Lynx small forward Bridget Carleton of Chatham, Ontario, and Los Angeles Sparks point guard Kia Nurse of Hamilton, Ontario.
