2019 Rare Reminder Basketball Drafts

Wethersfield's Isabella Samse was selected by the Connecticut Sun in the 2019 Rare Reminder WNBA Draft. Photo: Jo-Ann Campbell / ​Rocky Hill's Riley Donovan was the 6th selection in the 2019 Rare Reminder NBA Draft.

This week is the NBA draft, where dozens of young prospects will fulfill their professional dreams. Here’s how this year’s lottery picks would pan out if we entered The Land of Make Believe, in which general managers selected from the hoopsters who starred on the local hardwoods. As a bonus, we’ve recalibrated the first 14 picks from April’s WNBA draft.

Welcome to the third annual bizarro basketball drafts…  

NBA

1. New Orleans Pelicans: Gabe Charleston (Cromwell): Long, lean, and plays mean. Charleston has all the physical tools and passion to become a franchise player at the next level. Enforcer at the hoop defensively, and emphatic finisher offensively. Extremely quick hands and smooth around rim.  

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Derek Tenney (Wethersfield): Difference maker that plays with poise and patience. Tenney can take over offensively, evidence by his 51-point outburst against Bloomfield, and has the athleticism to lock down the opposing team’s best player defensively.  Game is complete and is willing to accept any role.

3. New York Knicks: Nick Wright (Cromwell): Ultimate team-first guy with the skills to match. Wright comes with a wealth of experience and will do all the little things needed to create a winning culture. Competitive wing that can score from the inside-out and offers position flexibility with his length and leaping ability.

4. New Orleans Pelicans: Mason Romano (Newington): Gifted talent that has a ceiling as high as his reach.  Romano’s wingspan is both impressive and effective on both ends of the court. Nice footwork and added an outside touch, making him a major mismatch problem.   

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tejan Lanser (Middletown): Tempo-setter with exceptional vision and a lightning quick release. Lanser is natural with the ball and thrives in transition, both finishing at the cup and finding cutting teammates. Excellent handles and range, possessing a silky-smooth step back jumper.

6. Phoenix Suns: Riley Donovan (Rocky Hill): Polished, versatile athlete that can play multiple positions thanks to long frame and deceptive strength. Donovan is an unselfish star that does everything well and can adapt to any system, very coachable. Can leap out of the gym and finish at the rim.  

7. Chicago Bulls: J.J. Tracy (Cromwell): Outstanding on-ball defender that excels in the open court. Tracy is a valued asset on both ends of the court, with a knack for making impact plays in crunch time. Superior athlete with a non-stop motor and high basketball IQ.  

8. Atlanta Hawks: A.J. Fair (Newington): Nice blend of quickness and toughness. Fair has skills and rhythm to thrive on both ends, creating tempo on offense and adding a disruptive nature on the defensive end. Fluid pull-up jumper and a willing passer.    

9. Washington Wizards: Donte Pope (Middletown): Explosive, rare talent with the ability to change a game in the blink of an eye. Pope is a natural shot-creator and a budding star, evidence by his 38-point, 12-rebound performance against Windsor. Keeps growing, literally and figuratively.

10. Atlanta Hawks: Teddy Fravel (Newington): Intimidating, shot-blocking enforcer with the size, strength and swagger to excel at the next level. No matter what the sport he plays, Fravel makes big plays in big moments. Teammates love him; opponents, not so much.   

11. Minnesota Timberwolves: Naimir Heyliger (Cromwell): Bulldog on the court that doesn’t back down from a challenge. Heyliger is a well-rounded player that knows and accepts his role, often sacrificing for the betterment of the team. Strong frame and a fit with any coaching staff.
    
12. Charlotte Hornets: Dante Burgos (Wethersfield): Confident sharpshooter that plays with desire and heart. Burgos is not afraid of taking and knocking down difficult shots in clutch moments, specializing in the wing and corner three-balls. Positive attitude will be welcomed in any locker room.

13. Miami Heat: Matt Sevigny (Rocky Hill): Hustler with a high sports acumen. Sevigny’s decision making is top-notch, anticipating well and playing with a quiet confidence. Consistency is his game and adds value as a coach on the court.    

14. Boston Celtics: Julian Ortiz (Newington): Strong, solid base allows him to guard bigger players and gather rebounds in bunches. Ortiz has a knack for drawing contact and finishing at the rim. Exemplary teammate with exceptional vision in the low post. 
 
WNBA

1. Las Vegas Aces: Nikki Lukens (Rocky Hill):  Brilliant on both ends of the court and checks off all the boxes. Lukens is a pinball-machine scorer yet is a willing, effective passer. A winner that rises to challenges and will bring a ton of game experience to the next level.  
 
2. New York Liberty: Vanessa Stolstajner (Cromwell): Highly productive player that is only going to get better, which is scary for opponents. Stolstajner possesses great range with the explosiveness and burst to get to the bucket, and the foul line, on a regular basis. A legitimate superstar in the making. 

3. Indiana Fever: Ashanti Frazier (Newington): Ultra-competitor that plays with a ton of energy and bravado. Frazier can score, rebound, pass, and defend with the best of them and is a spark plug from the opening tip to the final whistle. Positive influence on teammates, on and off the court.  

4. Chicago Sky: Nicole Gwynn (Wethersfield): Hardworking, dependable wing with great court awareness. Gwynn can score at will and works tirelessly on the defensive end, creating easy transition buckets for herself and teammates. Athleticism is through the roof and the best is yet to come. 

5. Dallas Wings: Najla Cecunjanin (Cromwell): Unique combination of low post power and outside shooting abilities. Cecunjanin has ice water in her veins, unafraid of any opponent or big moment. Picturesque stroke on the perimeter and battles tirelessly around the bucket.

6. Minnesota Lynx: Dominque Highsmith (Middletown): Superior talent that excels in the paint. Highsmith has all the court qualities you want, with a high character to match. Tough enough to mix it up inside and fluid enough to play on perimeter.

7. Los Angeles Sparks: Alice Kelly (Wethersfield): Ultimate inside-out weapon with great footwork. Kelly has a sweet stroke from outside and can dominate the inside, both offensively and defensively. Her calmness on the court, especially in pressure moments, is an added asset.  

8. Phoenix Mercury: Sadie Budzik (Cromwell): Floor general with superb vision and ability to do it all. Budzik has the tenacity of a guard and the toughness of a post player, with all the physical tools to match. A coach’s delight that will do whatever it takes to win.

9. Connecticut Sun: Isabella Samse (Wethersfield): Energizer that will not be outworked on the court. Samse is truly an elite defender, especially off the ball, and has incredible range and consistency from beyond the arc. A competitor that wants to win at all costs.

10. Washington Mystics: MacKenzie Dunn (Middletown): Polished prospect that can play anywhere on the court. Dunn is comfortable finishing at the bucket and has the consistency to drain shots from deep. Natural instincts and sticky hands on defense to create turnovers.  

11. Atlanta Dream: Karissa Zocco (Newington): Deadly knock down shooter with a confidence that is unwavering. Zocco shines with the ball in her hands and has the stretch to become an elite perimeter defender. Sky is the limit for this young prospect that is mature beyond her years. 
 
12. Seattle Storm: Olivia St. Remy (Newington): No-nonsense inside presence who is constantly working. St. Remy maximized her talents with grit and toughness, creating second chance points and providing rim protection. A true center with a work ethic that is second to none.

13. Phoenix Mercury: Aleksa Peterson (Rocky Hill): Swiss-army-knife prospect that plays with rhythm. Peterson is a slasher that finds ways to score and has developed into a precision passer. Natural playmaker with added court charisma.    

14. New York Liberty: Jessica DellaRatta (Cromwell): Brings her hardhat to work daily and happy to make others around her better. DellaRatta is stable around the rim, both offensively and defensively. Doesn’t need the spotlight but is at her best when the stakes are high.  

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