The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Collier selected No. 1 overall in 2021 WNBA Draft
04.15.2021 | Women's Basketball
The Women’s Basketball standout becomes the second Big 12 player taken No. 1 overall in WNBA Draft history.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Women's Basketball standout Charli Collier was selected by the Dallas Wings with the first overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft on Thursday.
Collier's selection makes her just the second player in Big 12 history to go No. 1 overall (Brittney Griner, Baylor – 2013) and the 13th Longhorn picked in the WNBA Draft. She is also the third junior entrant to go No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft, joining Jewell Lloyd (2015, Seattle) and Jackie Young (2019, Las Vegas).
"I'm now a professional. It's really crazy."@sportsiren speaks with @CharliCollier after she was drafted as the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Wings. pic.twitter.com/2HaHKqbtxA
— Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) April 15, 2021
Collier, a Mont Belvieu, Texas native, wrapped up one of the most dynamic seasons in school history last month as she helped the Longhorns make a run to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2016. During her final collegiate season, Collier averaged 19.0 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, making her just the second Longhorn to average a double-double in multiple seasons (Retha Swindell; 1976-77 & 1977-78). She recorded 19 double-doubles, the second-most of any Division I player, and ranked in the top-15 nationally in field goals made (211), final points (590), free throws made (153), minutes played (1010:31), offensive rebounds per game (4.4) and rebounds (35). Collier also scored at least 20 points on 17 occasions, the second-most of any Big 12 player. Included in some of her standout performances were a 44-point outing (No. 4 in school history; most by UT player since 1994) against North Texas on Nov. 29, and a 20-20 game (23 pts, 20 rebs) vs. TCU on Jan. 20 – the first 20-20 game by a Longhorn since 2012.
In the Texas record book, Collier's 19.0 points per game rank her ninth in school history while her 11.3 rebounds per game is the third-best on UT record. Her 153 made free throws rank third, and are the most by a Longhorn in a season since Edwina Brown made 172 during the 1999-2000 season. Collier averaged 6.9 defensive and 4.4 offensive rebounds per game as a junior. Her 4.4 offensive rebounds per game is tied with Nneka Enemkpali for the best average over a season by a Longhorn, while her 6.9 defensive boards are tied for second – trailing only the school-record mark of 7.0 defensive rebounds per game she set during the 2019-20 campaign.
Collier's individual accolades during the 2020-21 season were numerous. She was a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award (nation's top center), selected to the Wooden Award National Ballot and chosen as a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the year, in addition to All-America honors from the Associated Press and United States Basketball Writers Association. Collier was also a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection and picked for the league's All-Defensive Team. She was named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice this past season (Nov. 30; Jan. 25) and the Jersey Mike's Naismith National Player of the Week once (Jan. 26).
Before Collier's selection as the No. 1 overall pick Thursday night, Edwina Brown held the distinction as being the fastest Longhorn off the board in the WNBA Draft. Brown was chosen third overall by the Detroit Shock in 2000.
The WNBA's 25th regular season is slated to tip-off on Friday, May 14, with all 12 teams in action that weekend. Collier and the Wings will be in Friday's nightcap, visiting the Los Angeles Sparks in a matchup that is scheduled for a 9:30 p.m. CT tip.
Texas Women's Basketball in the WNBA Draft
1999 – Edna Campbell (1st Round, 10th overall – Phoenix Mercury)
2000 – Edwina Brown (1st Round, 3rd overall – Detroit Shock)
2004 – Stacy Stephens (3rd round, 37th overall – Houston Comets)
2005 – Jamie Carey (3rd round, 31st overall – Phoenix Mercury)
2005 – Heather Schreiber (3rd round, 39th overall – Los Angeles Sparks)
2007 – Tiffany Jackson (1st round, 5th overall – New York Liberty)
2010 – Brittainey Raven (3rd round, 33rd overall – Atlanta Dream)
2015 – Nneka Enemkpali (3rd round, 26th overall – Seattle Storm)
2016 – Imani McGee-Stafford (1st round, 10th overall – Chicago Sky)
2018 – Ariel Atkins (1st round, 7th overall – Washington Mystics)
2020 – Joyner Holmes (2nd round, 19th overall – Seattle Storm)
2020 – Sug Sutton (3rd round, 36th overall – Washington Mystics)
2021 – Charli Collier (1st round, 1st overall – Dallas Wings)
