Iowa Women’s Basketball: Kathleen Doyle Drafted by the Indiana Fever

The WBNA held their social-distancing draft on Friday night and gave people a look on what they might expect to see from the NFL next week. The draft was held in WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englbert’s home, and she announced the players as they were called in to her.

There was an incredibly touching ceremony prior to the start of the draft where the three girls; Alyssa Altobelli, Gianna Bryant, and Payton Chester, who all perished in the helicopter crash that also killed Kobe Bryant this past January, were selected as honorary draft picks.

Oregon’s superstar Sabrina Inonescu was chosen first by the New York Liberty. Satou Sabally, also from Oregon, went second to the Dallas Wings where she will join former Hawkeye Megan Gustafson.

While mock drafts had Iowa’s Kathleen Doyle projected anywhere from 16th to 31st, Doyle had her name called as the 14th overall pick by the Indiana Fever.

The 5-9 guard was one of ten players named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American team and earned third-team All-American honors from the Associated Press and United States Basketball Writers Association as she helped Iowa to a 23-7 season.

Doyle had a banner season in 2019 as she led the Hawkeyes in scoring at 18.1 points a game. Doyle was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and tied for seventh nationally in assists per game at 6.3 Doyle finished second on Iowa’s career assist list with 706 and 13th on the scoring list with 1,537 points.