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Notre Dame Women’s Basketball: Irish Getting It Done Without WNBA Prospects

By J.P. Scott

2 Jul 2000: A view of the court WNBA Logo taken before a game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. The Sparks defeated the Shock 85-63. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Danny Moloshok /Allsport
2 Jul 2000: A view of the court WNBA Logo taken before a game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. The Sparks defeated the Shock 85-63. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Danny Moloshok /Allsport /
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The Notre Dame women’s basketball team is the only No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tourney without a projected 2018 WNBA draft pick on its roster.

As if you needed another example of just how special the 2017-2018 Notre Dame women’s basketball team is, I present you with some lazy-yet-eye-opening Tuesday afternoon research.

The 2018 Irish have survived a slew of injuries — both in the regular and postseason. They just kept winning. They earned a No. 1 seed and their coach took home some well-deserved hardware.

But there’s more.

Of the sixteen remaining teams in the 2018 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, nine have players projected to be drafted in this year’s WNBA draft — according to the major mock drafts around the web.

Notre Dame is not one of those teams.

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Additionally, the three other No. 1 seeds in the tournament all have projected 2018 draft picks.

Slap in the face? Not really. It’s more of a testament to how well this team has been able to play despite what would be considered a lack of perceived star power in its senior class. And it makes the job head coach Muffet McGraw has done this season look that much more impressive.

It also bodes well for Notre Dame in the 2018-2019 season. It’s a safe bet that Arike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard and Marina Mabrey will all hear their names called in the 2019 WNBA Draft. Jackie Young will likely hear here name called in 2020.

Next: Notre Dame Women's Basketball: Texas A&M Snapshot

Before any of that happens, however, we’ll hear all four of their names called on a regular basis over the PA system at Purcell Pavilion next season. Irish fans will take it.

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