Dana Evans Drawing Positive Takeaways From Draft Slide
(Photo of Dana Evans: Scott Utterback - Courier Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After a long and illustrious collegiate career, former Louisville guard Dana Evans is now set to officially begin her professional career. The Gary, Ind. native was selected by the Dallas Wings in the 2021 WNBA Draft Thursday night.
Draft night wasn't without a little bit of drama, however. Projected as a consensus top ten pick with potential to go in the top five, the 5-foot-6 guard was eventually selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the draft - the first pick of the second round.
Immediately following the draft, Evans didn't mince words when describing how she felt. She said she felt "disrespected, overlooked" and "couldn't even put into words how much it motivates me".
But after sleeping on it, and clearing her mind thanks in part to a good workout, the former Louisville star was able to draw some positive takeaways from falling to No. 13.
"God doesn't make mistakes. I was selected in the second round, first pick, for a reason," she said the morning after the draft to local media. "I'm sure a lot of girls wish that they were able to hear their name, or see their name, so I'm still real thankful for the opportunity."
Evans also saw some maturity and growth in herself during the draft. Instead losing her cool as she watched player after player get called before her, she tried to stay as calm as possible - mainly for her parents' sake.
"My parents were freaking out besides me, I could just feel that," she said. "I just kept saying in my mind, "I'll be fine, I'll get picked. I don't know when, but it'll happen. We'll see my name". It was actually me kind of making them calm this time, instead of them calming me down. I see a lot of mature growth in myself as a person, being able to just sit there and keep waiting when I didn't expect to."
Of course, just as always, she is using the slide as motivation. In fact, she's even wanting to don the number 13 as homage to her selection.
"It's another way to keep me wanting to get better, to keep me hungry, to keep me ready to just attack every obstacle that's thrown to me, and be willing to do whatever I got to do," she said.
In 30 games during her senior season, Evans averaged 20.1 points, which led the Atlantic Coast Conference, as well as 3.9 assists with a 43.0% field goal percentage and 35.3% mark on three-point attempts.
During her four-year career at Louisville, she accumulated 1,715 points, 521 assists, a three-point shooting mark of 37.7% and a 122-15 record. The wins total is a program-best, the assist and shooting marks are good for sixth-best, and the scoring ranks ninth.
Evans departs Louisville not only as one of the top players in school history, but one of the most decorated. She is a two-time ACC Player of the Year, and is one of three Cardinals to ever be named a First Team AP All-American (Angel McCoughtry, Asia Durr).
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