Oklahoma basketball women’s standout Madi Williams was selected in the second round by the Seattle Storm, the 18th overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft on Monday.
A five-star prospect in the Sooners’ 2018 recruiting class, Williams ended her career at Oklahoma second on the all-time scoring list behind Courtney Paris with 2,365 points. She ranks second in rebounding (995) and games played (141), eighth in steals (215) and ninth in assists (354).
Williams capped off her five-year Oklahoma career by leading the Sooners to the 2022-23 Big 12 championship, their first since 2009. Ironically, she follows former Sooner Paris as the second OU player to be drafted by Seattle in the WNBA Draft. Paris led the Storm to the WNBA championship in 2018.
The native of Fr, Worth, Texas, becomes the 15th Oklahoma Sooner selected in the WNBA Draft and the first since Whitney Hand in 2015. Williams is the highest draft selection from OU since Danielle Robinson was the No. 6 overall pick by the San Antonio Stars in 2011.
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Williams was one of three Big 12 players selected in the three rounds of the 2023 WNBA Draft. She joins Ashley Joens and Stephanie Soares, both of Iowa State.
Her second-round selection made Williams the eighth Sooner player to be picked in the top-20 overall draft selections since 2002.
Williams was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and this season was an honorable mention All-America selection. She also was a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award in women’s college basketball.
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Two other Oklahoma WNBA prospects, Taylor Robertson, the NCAA career leader in made three-pointers, and Ana Llanusa were not selected in Monday’s draft, but will have a chance to continue their careers at the next level as free agents.