Dallas Wings on Monday drafted, from left, Jacy Sheldon, Carla Leite and Ashley Owusu

The Dallas Wings tapped Jacy Sheldon out of Ohio State, Carla Leite from France and Ashley Owusu from Penn State during the 2024 WNBA Draft, which aired live on ESPN from the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Monday night, April 15.

Sheldon, the fifth overall selection in the draft, is a 5-10 guard from Dublin, Ohio. The All-American spent five seasons at The Ohio State University, averaging 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in 2023-24. This past season, Sheldon ranked in the top 10 in the Big Ten in five categories: third in scoring, fourth in steals per game at 1.9, fourth in free throw percentage at 0.858, sixth in field goal percentage at 0.505 and 10th in assist/turnover ratio at 1.6. She ranks sixth in Ohio State history with 2,024 career points and is in the top 14 in nine additional categories.

Sheldon is one of three players in program history with 1,900 points, 400 rebounds, 350 assists, 200 steals and 150 made three-pointers. She was named to the AP All-American Second Team, USBWA All-America Third Team and The Sports News Women’s All-America Second Team. She earned All-Big Ten First Team honors from both the coaches in a unanimous vote and from the media in 2023-24 and was also named Ohio State’s sportsmanship award winner and a media choice for All-Big Ten Defensive Team.

Sheldon was one of five finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award after being named to the preseason watch list and midseason top 10. In 2023-24, she was named to the preseason and midseason watch lists and was one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy. Sheldon also was featured on the preseason, midseason and late season watchlists for the Wooden Award and the watchlist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale USBWA National Player of the Year award.

Leite was the ninth draft pick overall. She is a 5-11 guard who plays for Tarbes Gespe Bigorre in the Ligue Féminine de Basketball in France. During 19 games there this season, she has averaged 15.6 points, 5.5 assists and 0.464 shooting from the field, scoring in double figures in 17 of 19 games while reaching the 20-point mark on four occasions.

Leite played for Tarbes GB in 2022-23 as well, averaging 11.8 points, 2.9 assists and .492 shooting. She was a member of France’s U20 National Team in 2023, leading the squad to a gold medal in the European Championship after averaging 18.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 0.462 shooting. She was named the All-FIBA U20 European Championship MVP, was named Best Guard and was named to the First Team.

Owusu was chosen 33rd overall in Monday night’s draft. She is a 6-foot guard from Woodbridge, Va., and spent her graduate season at Penn State in 2023-24, earning All-Big Ten Second Team accolades. Owusu averaged 18 points throughout the regular season and scored in double figures in 13 of her 14 appearances. Including Penn State’s postseason run, Owusu led the Lady Lions in scoring with an 18.1 point per game average and a 3.8 assists average while shooting 0.478 from the field and adding 5.6 rebounds per game.

Over 125 career games, Owusu averaged 13.8 points and 4.3 assists, making more than 45 percent of her shots from the field. She has amassed 1,726 points and 533 assists. She earned the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the highest honor for a shooting guard in the women’s college game, in 2021 while playing at Maryland, garnering All-America accolades from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USWBA) and Associated Press. While with the Terrapins, Owusu was a three-time All-Big Ten selection, while leading the Terps to a pair of Big Ten Tournament titles.

Dallas Wings host the Indiana Fever in a preseason contest on May 3 at College Park Center in Arlington. They begin regular season play May 15 at 7 p.m. at College Park Center, hosting the Chicago Sky. Find their complete schedule and more at Wings.WNBA.com.

— Tammye Nash