Guirantes is drafted by LA Sparks in 2021 WNBA Draft
After three years of contributing to the Rutgers women’s basketball team, fifth-year senior guard Arella Guirantes was selected 22nd overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.
Guirantes joins former player for the Scarlet Knights (14-5, 10-3) Erica Wheeler in the City of Angels. Wheeler graduated from Rutgers in 2013 and found her way into the WNBA two years later. Guirantes is the 21st from Rutgers to make the jump to the league. The Knights last sent Kahleah Copper, who now plays for the Chicago Sky.
Los Angeles had two picks before they selected Guirantes with the 10th pick in the second round. They took forward Jasmine Walker from Alabama with the seventh overall pick and guard Stephaine Watts from North Carolina three picks later. Coming into the night, Guirantes was projected to go third overall to the Atlanta Dream in an ESPN mock draft.
In her final season as a Knight, Guirantes led Rutgers with 21.3 points per game (PPG), 98 steals and 34 blocks. She was second on the team with six rebounds per game (RPG) and grabbed 41 steals. Guirantes started in all 19 of the games this season.
Having the fifth-year senior at Rutgers wasn’t even a guarantee coming into this season. After the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic canceled both tournaments last season, Guirantes had the opportunity to enter the draft and begin her professional career. Instead, she stayed with the Knights for one more run. That run came to its end against BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with Guirantes scoring 30 points.
Starting her collegiate career at Texas Tech, Guirantes averaged 9.9 PPG and brought down 4.8 RPG. Over her next three years at Rutgers, the guard posted 17.2 PPG and 5.3 RPG while dishing out three assists per game and recording 125 steals.
Guirantes leaves college having been chosen an All-American twice and was selected to the First Team All-Big Ten twice. She is the only player in program history to have season averages of 20 points, six rebounds and three assists, a statistical mark that she achieved in her final two seasons.
“I think they poked the bear,” Guirantes said when asked about the teams who passed on her in the draft. “I'm excited. I've never ran away from a challenge. I think it just adds more to the story. So whoever has the pen, just keep writing.”
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