The adjustment period from college basketball to professional basketball differs for each player. There may be feelings of surprise or subdued excitement when a star player gets to the WNBA and their first season or two does not match the high standard they set in college. Maddy Siegrist is one of many players that have fallen into that category: a talented player that is waiting to blossom.
Siegrist had gone from a record-breaking college career at Villanova to being drafted third overall by the Dallas Wings in 2023.
The first pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever, averaged 14.5 points per game (PPG), 8.4 rebounds per game (RPG), 2.2 assists per game (APG), 1.3 steals per game (SPG) and 1.3 blocks per game (BPG) last season, and was named the unanimous WNBA Rookie of the Year. Diamond Miller, whom the Minnesota Lynx drafted second overall, averaged 12.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 APG and 0.9 SPG. Both Miller and Boston started every game they played for their respective teams.
The Dallas Wings also retained two other first-round picks on the 2023 draft night, Stephanie Soares (fourth overall) and Lou Lopez-Sénéchal (fifth overall). Both players were inactive last season due to injuries. Another Wings first-rounder, Abby Meyers, was waived by the team before the start of the season. Siegrist did not find the same instant success in Dallas that both Miller and Boston had in their rookie seasons. As the only active rookie on the Wings roster in 2023, Siegrist had to earn her playing time among a group of players with multiple years of WNBA experience. Siegrist came off the bench every game she played and averaged 3.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.2 SPG and 0.2 BPG, playing around 8.2 minutes per game (MPG).
Siegrist’s lack of significant minutes may have been a surprise and a shock to the system, given her individual success at Villanova. She came into the league as a scoring machine that created havoc for opponents, while representing the Main Line, a region in the suburban Philadelphia area where Villanova is located. Per Her Hoop Stats, Siegrist averaged 29.2 PPG in her final collegiate season, scoring at least 20 points in every game she played. She was the main catalyst in helping Villanova reach the Sweet Sixteen in the 2023 March Madness tournament.
Siegrist did make an impact off the Wings’ bench many times during the season when given minutes, including a 14-point, eight-rebound game against the Phoenix Mercury on June 7.
As seen in the clip above, these two plays on back-to-back offensive Wings possessions show Siegrist in her wheelhouse: sinking a mid-range jump shot and taking advantage of size mismatches as a 6’2’’ forward.
During her time at Villanova, Siegrist’s three-point shot attempts generally decreased and she never averaged more than two made three-point shots per game. In her rookie campaign, Siegrist logged a record of just five-of-15 from three-point range. She does most of her damage near the rim or in the mid-range game, but if she can find a way to be more aggressive and effective offensively, that would certainly help open up the court for Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally, the two most explosive scorers for the Wings.
Siegrist just completed her first season of Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball league, which was held in Dallas. Prior to the start of the AU basketball season, she was interviewed by W.G. Ramirez, who serves as an AU correspondent. Siegrist mentioned that she decided it would be a good decision for her to participate in AU basketball during the offseason after speaking with some of her teammates, acknowledging how important it is for athletes to have confidence.
“Coming off a rookie season, whatever you can do to help yourself continue to build your confidence is key,” Siegrist told Ramirez.
Siegrist played alongside 40 professional women’s players in the AU league, many of them WNBA stars, and she averaged 19.6 PPG and 8.5 RPG.
On March 7, Siegrist scored 28 points on 12-of-18 shooting and 11 rebounds. She also went two-of-three from the three-point line.
Maddy Siegrist (@20sMaddy) With A Big Double Double Performance Tonight In The @AUProSports Win!
• 28 Points
• 11 Rebounds pic.twitter.com/IhKDGqZVx0— Zak Buncik (@CoachBuncik) March 8, 2024
On March 16, Siegrist logged 27 points, nine rebounds and three assists. She was also on fire from three-point range, making five-of-seven from distance. If she adds a consistent three-point shot to her arsenal, Siegrist could be an exponential threat.
The Wings need help in the three-point shooting department after finishing last in three-point percentage in the league in 2023. They also averaged the second-fewest bench points, in which Siegrist could play a role in improving this upcoming season.
Siegrist’s start to her WNBA career mirrors that of guard Kelsey Plum. Plum averaged 31.7 PPG in her last year at Washington. She was drafted first overall in 2017 by the San Antonio Stars, and averaged 8.5 PPG, 3.4 APG and 1.9 RPG in her rookie campaign. The following two seasons, after the team relocated and became the Las Vegas Aces, Plum continued to average below single-digit points (9.5 PPG in 2018, 8.6 PPG in 2019). Over time as the Aces grew their team chemistry, talent and big-game experience, Plum’s production flourished to an All-Star level. She mastered the art of getting buckets at Washington, but it took her a while to acclimate to the WNBA and find her groove. Now, Kelsey Plum is a two-time All-Star, two-time WNBA champion and a key piece for a franchise that is on the cusp of a historic and dynastic run.
Siegrist will soon have the chance to showcase her maturation as a player. There is both pressure and a desire that exists for Siegrist, and other younger players on the Wings, to provide valuable minutes and production in helping to elevate the team.
With two first-round picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and Lopez-Sénéchal and Soares set to return, the Dallas Wings will look to take the next step from a solid playoff team to a true championship contender. Receiving improved production from a talented scorer like Siegrist would certainly help that quest.
If she can replicate her game displayed in Athletes Unlimited, and as a scorer from the Main Line at Villanova, then Siegrist may even find her way into conversations for Most Improved Player in the 2024 season. So, let’s maintain some patience and trust in the developmental process of a player who has the potential to be great in the WNBA.
Stats as of Mar. 25. Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of WNBA.com.
