Tag: Destanni Henderson

Destanni Henderson talks about Aliyah Boston as No. 1 pick in WNBA draft

While nothing is set in stone and the Fever could do a myriad of things with this draft pick, the odds point toward Henderson and Boston playing together once again.

The 2023 WNBA draft will be held on Monday. It will be televised on ESPN from 7-9 p.m. EDT and be available on the ESPN app. Many predict South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston will be the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The WNBA held its 22nd annual draft lottery on Nov. 11 to determine the order and the Indiana Fever received the first pick.

Former South Carolina player Destanni Henderson was the No. 20 overall selection, by the Indiana Fever, in the 2022 WNBA draft. She was fresh off a national championship with South Carolina, and, you guessed it, Aliyah Boston.

Henderson was asked what it is like knowing she could possibly play with Boston again. This is the first time the Fever have had the No. 1 pick in the draft and it seems like fate.

While nothing is set in stone and the Fever could do many things with this draft pick, the odds point toward Henderson and Boston playing together once again.

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Aliyah Boston forgoes COVID year, declares for WNBA draft

The Indiana Fever received the first pick in the 2023 WNBA draft which is where Boston’s former teammate Destanni Henderson currently plays.

South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston is forgoing her COVID year of college eligibility to enter the 2023 WNBA draft. The draft takes place on April 10 and is televised on ESPN from 7-9 p.m. EST and available on the ESPN app.

The Gamecocks lost to Iowa in the Women’s Final Four on March 31 which was their first loss in over a year. While it was a devastating blow, the team picked themselves up and made tough decisions. Boston decided to enter the WNBA draft and officially announced it on April 1 via Twitter, less than 24 hours after the loss.

“I’m going to tell her to go,” Staley said in the news conference after the Gamecocks’ loss to Iowa. “There are defenses that are played against her that won’t allow her to play her game, and then it’s hard to officiate that. … She’s great. She’s ready. She’s ready to see single coverage. She’s ready to make the next step to the league.”

The WNBA held its 22nd annual draft lottery on Nov. 11 to determine the order. The Indiana Fever received the first pick which is where Boston’s former teammate Destanni Henderson currently plays. Henderson was drafted with the No. 20 overall selection in the 2022 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.

“She is exactly what the Fever needs,” Staley told USA TODAY. “Whatever challenges that the Fever have had in the past, there are things with Aliyah they will never have to worry about. Like coming in with an incredible example of what a professional should look like, even as a rookie. She will elevate even their most veteran player.”

She is projected to go No. 1 in the draft and when you look at her 2022 accomplishments, not to mention her whole career, it is hard to disagree. She was also named the 2023 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

Boston enters the draft with a bright future ahead in the world of professional basketball. She elevated the game of basketball and was a consummate professional and teammate. Any team would be lucky to have such a kind, strong, and dominant player on their team and she will uplift her teammates both on and off the court. Thank you Aliyah for allowing us to witness your greatness these past four years.

Destanni Henderson couldn’t make South Carolina’s championship parade so Dawn Staley made sure she was there in spirit

This is how you show your players love.

One thing about former South Carolina guard and current Indiana Fever draftee Destanni Henderson is that nobody is going to outwork her. Nobody.

She’s going to get her practice reps in. She’s going to hit the gym. She’s going to do whatever it takes to put herself in the best position to succeed. Henderson has always been that way during her rise to stardom.

If you need proof of that, look no further than where she is right now.

The WNBA draft was just on Monday. Henderson was picked by the Indiana Fever in the second round of the draft. She’s already in Indiana getting her bearings straight.

Of course, South Carolina just won its second National Championship last week in Women’s Basketball. Henderson absolutely starred in the championship game, too. They held their championship parade on Wednesday but Henderson couldn’t make it because she was already in Indiana putting in work.

Knowing what she was doing and where she was at, South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley wore a pair of shorts from her clothing line to make sure she was there in spirit.

It was an extremely cool gesture from a head coach that is extremely loved by her players. You can certainly see why here.

“I miss Henny, too. Henny’s already in Indy, but I got her shorts on…Henny, I got your shorts on today…Go get your dream, Henny.”

What an extremely thoughtful gesture from Staley. She’s making sure Henderson is still there in spirit and that’s awesome.

Henderson certainly appreciated it herself.

What a cool moment. You absolutely love to see it.

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Destanni Henderson was the X factor in South Carolina’s national championship win

It was Destanni.

It was Aliyah Boston’s South Carolina against Paige Bueckers’ UConn. That’s how the women’s national title game was billed – and for good reason.

Boston is the 2022 Naismith player of the year who led South Carolina to a wire-to-wire season as the country’s top-ranked team. Bueckers is the 2021 player of the year whose return from injury is likely the reason UConn reached the title game. 

But when the game tipped off, the team that prevailed did so because it was more than its biggest star. Boston and Bueckers played well, but South Carolina prevailed because of the others. And none of the others were better than senior guard Destanni Henderson.

Henderson finished the game with a career-high 26 points on 3-of-6 shooting from deep, with four assists and three steals. She did it all for SC, from pushing the ball in transition, hitting shots from the outside, getting to the free throw line and everything in between.

Henderson’s outbreak performance is far from outside of her abilities — she was an All-SEC first teamer along with Boston. But she saved her best performance for the biggest stage in college hoops, and that was the X factor in this game.

Bueckers scored 14 for UConn, but no other player for the Huskies cracked double-digit points. As a team, they shot just 41 percent from the field and 25 percent from three. They were out-rebounded 49-24.

South Carolina played impeccable team defense, holding UConn to 49 points, including a season-low quarter total of eight points in the first quarter. But while Boston was doing her usual work on the boards with 16 rebounds to go with 11 points, someone needed to pick up the scoring slack and Henderson did that. 

She was the difference in the game.

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