80 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED | SI.COM
POINT AFTER
The summer of 1997 saw two significant moments in women’s sports.
The WNBA played its first game on June 21; two days later was the 25th anniversary of the
passage of Title IX. The two remain inextricably linked, as the legislation ultimately helped
extend the visibility of women’s basketball, cultivating a fan base that could support a league
that is not just growing, but thriving. As the W enters the second quarter century of its
existence, these 12 upcoming stars who were selected in the 2022 draft will help lead the way.GROWING GAINS
121211103459678- RHYNE HOWARD DREAM | 2. EMILY ENGLSTLER FEVER | 3. KIERSTAN BELL ACES | 4. NAZ HILLMON DREAM | 5. DESTANNI HENDERSON FEVER | 6. NALY SS A SMI T H FEVER
- VERONICA BURTON WINGS | 8. N YAR A S AB A L LY LIBERTY | 9. R AE BURREL L SPARKS | 10. NIA CL OUDEN SUN | 11. ELISSA CUNANE STORM | 12. SHAKIRA AUSTIN MYSTICS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ABBY NICOLAS