The curtain closed on the 2023 WNBA draft, which opened as expected, with Aliyah Boston going first overall to the Indiana Fever.

2023 WNBA Draft Results

1. Indiana Fever: Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina 
2. Minnesota Lynx: Diamond Miller, G, Maryland
3. Dallas Wings: Maddy Siegrist, F, Villanova
4. Dallas Wings (from Washington Mystics): Stephanie Soares, F/C, Iowa State
5. Dallas Wings: Lou Lopez Sénéchal, G/F, UConn
6. Atlanta Dream: Haley Jones, G, Stanford
7. Indiana Fever: Grace Berger, G, Indiana
8. Atlanta Dream: Laeticia Amihere, F, South Carolina
9. Seattle Storm: Jordan Horston, G, Tennessee
10. Los Angeles Sparks: Zia Cooke, G, South Carolina
11. Dallas Wings: Abby Meyers, G, Maryland
12. Minnesota Lynx: Maïa Hirsch, C, France

1. Indiana Fever: Taylor Mikesell, G, Ohio State 
2. Los Angeles Sparks: Shaneice Swain, G, Australia 
3. Atlanta Dream: Leigha Brown, G, Michigan 
4. Minnesota Lynx: Dorka Juhász, F, UConn 
5. Indiana Fever: LaDazhia Williams, F, LSU 
6. Seattle Storm: Madi Williams, F, Oklahoma 
7. Dallas Wings: Ashley Joens, G/F, Iowa State 
8. Washington Mystics: Elena Tsineke, G, USF 
9. Seattle Storm: Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, F, LSU 
10. Connecticut Sun: Alexis Morris, G, LSU 
11. Chicago Sky: Kayana Traylor, G, Virginia Tech 
12. Minnesota Lynx: Brea Beal, G, South Carolina

1. Indiana Fever: Victaria Saxton, F, South Carolina
2. Los Angeles Sparks: Monika Czinano, F/C, Iowa 
3. Phoenix Mercury: Destiny Harden, F, Miami 
4. Minnesota Lynx: Taylor Soule, F, Virginia Tech 
5. Phoenix Mercury: Kadi Sissoko, F, USC 
6. New York Liberty: Okako Adika, G, USC 
7. Dallas Wings: Paige Robinson, G, Illinois State 
8. Washington Mystics: Txell Alarcón, G, Spain 
9. Seattle Storm: Jade Loville, G, Arizona 
10. Connecticut Sun: Ashten Prechtel, F, Stanford 
11. Chicago Sky: Kseniya Malashka, F, Middle Tennessee 
12. Las Vegas Aces: Brittany Davis, G, Alabama

The reaction inside the Fever's draft room underscored how significant Monday night could be for the organization.

Indiana Fever ⛹️‍♀️🏀 @IndianaFever

"BOOM!"<br><br>Our war room reacts to drafting Aliyah Boston at number one. <a href="">#sponsored</a> | <a href="">@AnthemBCBS</a> <a href="">

Indiana has missed the playoffs for six straight seasons, an impressive run of futility considering eight of the WNBA's 12 teams qualify for the postseason. The team also had one year during that stretch when it hit double digits in wins.

Boston is potentially the cornerstone the Fever need to become a title contender down the road.

Maryland guard Diamond Miller went second overall to the Minnesota Lynx before the Dallas Wings selected Villanova forward Maddy Siegrist with the No. 3 pick.

Shortly thereafter, the Wings were responsible for the biggest shock of the first round. They acquired the rights to Iowa State forward/center Stephanie Soares from the Washington Mystics and then took UConn forward Lou Lopez Sénéchal.

Gabe Ibrahim @gabe_ibrahim

OMG OMG OMG ITS THAT MOMENT IN THE DRAFT OMG

Even though Soares is recovering from a torn ACL, she joins a team that already has Natasha Howard and Teaira McCowan under contract through 2024 and 2025, respectively. Not to mention, Awak Kuier and Charli Collier are young bigs in need of playing time to develop.

Lopez Sénéchal, meanwhile, was considered by some to be a mid-to-late first-rounder rather than a top-five selection.

Soares and Lopez Sénéchal could collectively work out for Dallas. For now, it was a puzzling strategy from the Wings front office.

Hunter Cruse @HunterCruse14

Dallas is the worst run front office in the league, who let them cook!

Em🌹🏳️‍🌈 @em_adler

the Wings just traded a likely top-6 pick in one of the 2 best drafts in WNBA history for the 3rd-best center in a mediocre draft

The Atlanta Dream continued building on the progress they made in 2022 by adding Stanford guard Haley Jones and South Carolina forward Laeticia Amihere.

Jones is more of the sure thing. She averaged 13.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a senior for the Cardinal, though she shot a career-worst 9.4 percent on three-pointers. Amihere is the upside play after having started four games at South Carolina. She at least projects to be a versatile defender with a lot room to grow on offense.

Lo ✨ @BiggggLo_

Me at alllll the <a href="">@AtlantaDream</a> games this szn ! <a href="">

ENFP Hoops 🏀 @ENFP_Hoops

ATLANTA DREAM GOT HALEY JONES!!! IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE 😊

Having traded away the No. 3 pick to get Allisha Gray, Atlanta did well to find value in the first round.

In general, the organization has already come a long way from the turmoil it experienced under former co-owner Kelly Loeffler, who clashed with players over her vocal opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement and sold her stake in February 2021.