It is a testament to Tayler Hill's confidence that she wasn't really surprised.
Hill, the former Minneapolis South High School star who just finished her college career at Ohio State, was projected as a top-10 pick in Monday's WNBA draft.
But top five? Hill ended up going fourth overall, right after the consensus top three picks of Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins.
Hill was taken by the Washington Mystics, a team on the rebound after winning only five games last season. In talks with new Mystics coach Mike Thibault the past two weeks, Hill got the feeling she might be taken by Washington, and she was thrilled.
"It's really something you can't explain," said Hill, a shooting guard who was a two-time All-Big Ten first-team selection, was three times an all-defensive pick and finished as the Buckeyes' No. 5 career scorer. "The only thing I can say is that it's a blessing.''
Hill endured a difficult senior season, one in which the Buckeyes faltered a little bit. Taylor, meanwhile, battled tonsillitis and strep throat during the season. But, she said, it just made her a better person. She joins a Washington team that needs quality perimeter play, and Hill is confident she can provide it. "I think I'll make a big impact," she said. "I trust coach Thibault will put me in a position to be successful. I'm excited."
KENT YOUNGBLOOD
