Jason Whitlock names 6 players Indiana Fever should protect in Golden State Valkyries draft feat.
Veteran analyst Jason Whitlock named his top six players the Indiana Fever should protect in the upcoming Golden State Valkyries draft. On Monday, the WNBA announced the rules for the expansion draft, set for Dec. 6, to accommodate the league’s newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries.
According to the draft guidelines, the Golden State Valkyries will be allowed to select one player from each of the 12 existing WNBA teams, as long as that player is not included in the team’s protected six-player list.
Franchises are expected to submit their list of protected players approximately 10 days before the draft, but this timeline is subject to change.
In response to the latest news regarding the Golden State Valkyries’ draft, Jason Whitlock said that the six players the Indiana Fever must prioritize retaining at all costs, starting with superstar Caitlin Clark.
“Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Erica Wheeler, Dantas,” Whitlock replied to a tweet asking which players should the Fever keep.
Veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. However, the Fever have the option to include her in their protected list, as she was an active player through the final day of the 2024 regular season.
Fans react to Jason Whitlock’s list of retained players for Indiana Fever
Jason Whitlock’s list featured four of the Indiana Fever’s regular starters. The only exception was forward NaLyssa Smith, a consistent part of Indiana’s starting lineup, who didn’t receive the veteran analyst’s endorsement.
Fans responded to Whitlock’s list, with a couple of X users expressing agreement with the players endorsed by the analyst.
“Totally agree with you! That’s a solid core,” a fan wrote.
“I like your picks. Solid core group!,” commented another fan.
A couple of Indiana fans didn’t agree with Whitlock’s decision to keep veteran Temi Fagbenle in his list.
“No way I’m keeping Dantas over Temi,” commented a fan.
“Ew over temi? Convince me @WhitlockJason,” said another X user.
When discussing the likely players Indiana could protect, it’s almost certain that their three best players, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, will be on the list. The Clark-Mitchell-Boston trio was the driving force behind Indiana’s return to the WNBA playoffs in 2024, ending an eight-year drought.
Lexie Hull was the league’s top 3-point shooter and one of its best offensive rebounders last season. The Fever will undoubtedly do everything in their power to retain her.
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