WNBA Draft Prospect: Arella Guirantes (Rutgers)
Another professional hooper is on the charts to potentially become the WNBA’s next big thing. Arella Guirantes has been under the radar as an offensive talent who brings a lot of package to the game. Since her transfer to Rutgers University, Guirantes has been the leading factor in transitioning the program into a contending team in the Big 10. Her senior season has helped her draft stock increase as time continued on.
Looking at Guirantes
Guirantes is not a player that beats defenders off of speed, but with timing and patience. She is a phenomenal, all-around scorer who can create opportunities around the perimeter. Guirantes has evolved tremendously as a number one option ever since her transfer to Rutgers. Her development shows on the court and in the numbers as they have increased throughout the seasons.
Guirantes was a redshirt player who made the transfer from Texas Tech. Although she had an amazing opportunity of being placed in the starting lineup, it’s safe to say that Guirantes saw the bigger picture. She eventually sacrificed her entire sophomore season to relocate to a more phenomenal program. Since her transition, Guirantes’ game and stock value increased, which will help her land a first-rounder in this year’s draft.
Let’s focus on this season. Guirantes is averaging 20.8 points per game on 40% from the field and 36% from the three-point line. As always, she controls the offense in certain games and allows the game to come to her. If it weren’t for Caitlin Clark and Naz Hillmon, Guirantes would land the spot as the Big 10 leading scorer this season.
Guirantes stays in attack mode!
The one aspect that stands out the most about Guirantes is her ability to be counted upon. Against tougher teams in the Big 10, she has studied and mastered ways where she can break down each team and their defensive schemes. For instance, against Maryland on December 14, Guirantes took over the game with her 33 point performance. She was locked in on the perimeter and the only way to beat Rutgers was to beat them from the outside. It may have resulted in a losing effort, but this game continued to show how crafty and gifted of a scorer Guirantes is.
Another game could be against Ohio State, the last matchup of the regular season. It may have not been the best shooting night for Guirantes, but the important thing was how she helps her other teammates contribute. When the pressure was taken off on her to score, the team became more dynamic. The win for Rutgers was a great momentum builder for Guirantes to prepare for the postseason later in March.
Tournament Play
As the NCAA Tournament arrived, Rutgers finished the season with a 14–5 record overall, third in the Big Ten. They would face Iowa in the Tournament Quarterfinal in the hunt for a conference championship.
Iowa was a well-oiled machine through most of the game. Outside of Caitlin Clark, the team got great contributions from others. It was a struggle from Guirantes’ side. She was able to score 20 points, but she shot 8/20 from the field and couldn’t get in a consistent rhythm. She tried to keep her team afloat for most of the game, but it was difficult for Rutgers to figure out Iowa’s offensive schemes.
Fast-forward to the NCAA Tournament, Rutgers received the sixth seed in the Mercado Region. The team faced BYU in their first matchup of the Tournament. It was a game where Guirantes was exceptional on the offensive end. She was able to get into her sweet spots and even find a rhythm from beyond the arc.
Guirantes finished the contest with 30 points on 10/18 shooting. She understood the importance of this game as she played all 40 minutes of the contest. Unfortunately, Rutgers collapsed in the fourth quarter. As BYU fought their way back from a double-digit deficit, the Knights had no answer and found themselves eliminated from the Tournament.
Guirantes’ position in the WNBA Draft
Despite the early exit, Guirantes will continue to receive the recognition she deserves. She continued to put on a clinic on the offensive end and show mobility at the wing position. Guirantes’ offensive skill will be a huge reason for her positioning in the WNBA Draft.
According to ESPN, Guirantes is projected to become the number six overall pick. As she has become an underrated factor in the NCAA, it has been deserving for her to become a lottery first-round pick. The WNBA may not understand it now, but Guirantes may evolve into one of the greatest scorers in Women’s history.
