WNBA champ Las Vegas drafts Virginia Tech's Kitley in second round (2024)

Virginia Tech star Elizabeth Kitley is going from the reigning ACC regular-season champions to the reigning WNBA champions.

Kitley was chosen by defending champ Las Vegas with the 12th and final pick of the second round of the WNBA Draft on Monday night.

She was the 24th overall pick, making her the third-highest WNBA draft pick in Tech history. Two of Kitley's former teammates hold the Tech record as the highest pick. Aisha Sheppard was taken by Vegas with the 23rd overall pick in 2022, while Kayana Traylor was taken by Chicago with the 23rd overall pick last year.

Kitley underwent knee surgery last month after suffering a torn ACL in the Hokies' March 3 regular-season finale. The center missed the ACC and NCAA tournaments. She won't be able to play in the WNBA until next year.

The 6-foot-6 Kitley attended the draft, which was held in front of 1,000 fans at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She was one of 15 prospects who were invited to the draft last week.

"I get a year to sit behind and watch the best in the league, especially at my position with A'ja Wilson. That's just incredible," Kitley said in an interview on ESPN's draft telecast after getting picked. "I try not to worry about the things I can't control and just focus on the positives."

Kitley's former Tech teammate Cayla King handed Kitley her crutches and hugged her after Kitley was chosen. Kitley's parents and sister hugged Kitley after her interview.

Kitley became the ninth WNBA draft pick in Hokies history.

This was the third straight year that at least one Hokie was taken in the draft. Sheppard went in the second round in 2022. Last year, Traylor went in the second round and Taylor Soule was chosen in the third round.

Kitley was a teammate of all three of those players.

"It will be cool [to join them as draft picks]," Kitley told The Roanoke Times on Friday. "That's obviously really good company. I've been able to learn a lot from all three of those girls and had fun keeping up with them over the last year or two."

Last year, Kitley helped Tech win the ACC tournament for the first time and reach the Final Four for the first time. This year, she helped Tech win the ACC regular-season title for the first time.

Kitley was named an Associated Press second-team All-American this year, making her a three-time All-American. She also was named the ACC player of the year for the third time. She averaged 22.8 points and 11.4 rebounds as a graduate student this year.

Kitley owns the Tech career scoring record (2,709 points) and both the Tech and ACC career records for rebounds (1,506).

Iowa star Caitlin Clark, the NCAA's career scoring leader, was taken by Indiana with the No. 1 overall pick.

"I dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade, and it’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, but more than anything, just trying to soak it in,” Clark said.

Clark became a household name among basketball fans during her college career. She will now try and help revive the Indiana franchise along with last season's No. 1 pick, Aliyah Boston.

Stanford's Cameron Brink was chosen by Los Angeles with the second overall pick.

Brink's parents, Greg Brink and Michelle Bain-Brink, both played basketball for Virginia Tech. She is the goddaughter of ex-Tech volleyball player Sonya Curry, who joined Brink and Brink's family at the draft, and former Tech basketball star Dell Curry.

Kamilla Cardoso of South Carolina was taken by Chicago with the third overall pick.

Tennessee's Rickea Jackson went to Los Angeles with the fourth overall pick, while Ohio State's Jacy Sheldon went to Dallas with the fifth pick.

The Washington Mystics chose UConn's Aaliyah Edwards with the sixth overall pick.

LSU star Angel Reese went to Chicago with the seventh pick, while Minnesota drafted Utah's Alissa Pili with the eighth pick.

Dallas chose Carla Leite from France with the ninth pick. The Connecticut Sun drafted another French player, Leila Lacane, with the 10th pick.

New York took Marquesha Davis of Mississippi with the 11th pick, while Atlanta selected Nyadiew Puoch from Australia with the 12th and final pick of the first round.

Syracuse's Dyaisha Fair was the first ACC player drafted. She went to Las Vegas with the fourth pick of the second round.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.