By Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Former NC State women’s basketball player Saniya Rivers earned high praise from one WNBA general manager earlier in the week.

On Friday, she and teammate Aziaha James earned invitations to attend Monday’s WNBA Draft in New York City in person. The Dallas Wings have the first pick in the two-round draft.

“Maybe the best athlete, overall athlete in the draft,” Chicago Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said of Rivers during a media call Thursday.

Rivers could be the Wolfpack’s first first-round draft pick since Kiara Leslie in 2019. She and James are aiming to become the school’s 19th and 20th WNBA Draft picks.

Rivers averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and more than one block and one steal per game as a senior for the Wolfpack. She offers the potential to guard everyone from point guard to some power forwards, a valuable skill.

“She’s proven she can guard multiple positions which always matters in our league because with length you can cause some problems with point guards and wings,” Pagliocca said. “So you got to pay attention to players like that.”

She shot just 27% from 3-point range, one flaw in her game. Rivers has been projected in some mock drafts to be selected in the second half of the first round.

“Saniya is very intriguing, how athletic she is, ability to defend, versatility [and] size,” ESPN analyst Andraya Carter said. “She can get to the rim in one or two dribbles. The style she plays, development would need to happen with her jump shot, athleticism and ability to defend.”

James led the Wolfpack in scoring at 17.9 points per game. Carter called James a “microwave scorer.”

NC State (28-7) lost in the Sweet 16 to LSU.

James played all four seasons at NC State while Rivers transferred to NC State before the start of the 2022-23 season. Rivers played her freshman season at South Carolina, winning the 2022 NCAA title. Both James and Rivers helped NC State make the Final Four in 2024.

The Wings are expected to take UConn guard Paige Bueckers at No. 1. The Washington Mystics have three first-round picks at No. 3, 4 and 6.

NC State players drafted in the WNBA

1997
Sharon Manning – Charlotte Sting (Round 2, Pick 10)
Trena Trice – New York Liberty (R3, P22)
Umeki Webb – Phoenix Mercury (R3, P24)
Rhonda Mapp – Charlotte Sting
Andrea Stinson – Charlotte Sting

1999
Chasity Melvin – Cleveland Rockers (R1, P11)

2000
Summer Erb – Charlotte Sting (R1, P11)

2001
Tynesha Lewis – Houston Comets (R2, P31)

2004
Kaayla Chones – Washington Mystics (R2, P15)

2006
Tiffany Stansbury – Houston Comets (R3, P29)

2007
Gillian Goring – Washington Mystics (R3, P32)
Ashley Key – Indiana Fever (R3, P35)

2008
Khadijah Whittington – Indiana Fever (R2, P26)

2014
Markeisha Gatling – Chicago Sky (R1, P10)
Kody Burke – Washington Mystics (R3, P32)

2019
Kiara Leslie – Washington Mystics (R1, P10)

2022
Elissa Cunane – Seattle Storm (R2, P17)
Kayla Jones – Minnesota Lynx (R2, P22)

Source: wralsportsfan.com