What Villanova star's declaration means for WNBA Draft

Villanova forward Maddy Siegrist forwent her final year with the Wildcats and declared for the WNBA Draft on Monday. 

Siegrist left behind a career that saw her become Villanova's all-time leading scorer for both the men's and women's programs for a shot at the big leagues.

The list of college players who have declared for the 2023 WNBA Draft was released on Tuesday. Siegrist joins a list that includes Stanford guard Haley Jones, Indiana guard Grace Berger, Tennessee guard Jordan Horston and Iowa State center Stephanie Soares.

Players whose college teams are still active through March 26 will have 48 hours following the conclusion of their final game to renounce their remaining eligibility and declare for the draft, according to the WNBA.

The Indiana Fever have the first-overall pick in April's WNBA draft, its first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history after appearing in the WNBA lottery for the eighth time in 24 years. The Fever are coming off of a 5-31 season in 2022, their third-straight season and fifth in six seasons of single-digit wins. The Fever experimented with a roster that featured seven rookies, including the No. 2-overall pick in forward NaLyssa Smith.

"This is a very strong draft," interim general manager Lin Dunn said in a statement. "We will get a great player picking at No. 1."

Teams like the Fever and the Minnesota Lynx, who saw their first losing season since 2010, will have the opportunity to turn their fortunes around and start laying the groundwork for new eras in their respective franchises in a class with the potential to have home run selections in the top four.

In a decorated group of college stars, Siegrist's scoring talent and ability to win at every level leading up to the league would make her a welcomed addition to any team.

According to the WNBA, the 2023 WNBA Draft will be held on April 10 at Spring Studios New York in Manhattan. Exclusive coverage will begin at 7 p.m. EDT. The draft will be broadcasted on ESPN.