Saniya Rivers - WNBA Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

Dallas struggled mightily last season from the guard position. Injuries across the team certainly didn't help, and it became apparent that the Wings needed additional depth. So, how do you fix that? A speedy, scrappy guard from NC State with an underrated motor.

HELLO, SANIYA RIVERS. THIS IS WHO YOU WANT.

It seems like I'm yelling, I am. Rivers' game isn't talked about enough. She's got sneaky good vision, can score at will, and plays much larger than she is. Also, the Wings will greatly appreciate her sweltering defense once she picks somebody's pockets or blocks a ball into oblivion.

New Wings coach Chris Koclanes is all about defense, and was hired with a remit to ensure this team is no longer a joke on that side of the ball. Already, the Wings have added the likes of DiJonai Carrington and Tyasha Harris, and drafting Rivers would be another step toward that goal. The 6-foot-1 Rivers has the size to guard multiple positions on the perimeter and is an exceptional athlete.

Rivers won a national championship with South Carolina in 2022, then transferred and has spent the past three seasons at NC State. She helped lead the Wolfpack to the Final Four last season, and they are currently second in the ACC at 10-1 behind Notre Dame. Rivers is averaging 12.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists, and her size and quickness on the wing defensively are seen as assets.