2022 NCAA Women's Final Four: One player on each team WNBA fans should get to know

There will be plenty of talent on display in Minneapolis this weekend

After a few weeks of exciting action in the 2022 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, the Final Four has arrived. On Friday night, No. 1 overall seed South Carolina will meet Louisville, and later on the reigning national champions Stanford will take on perennial powerhouse UConn. The winners of those two games will then meet on Sunday in the title game. 

As always, when we get to this stage, there will be plenty of talent on display, and multiple players from each team have a future at the next level. With the 2022 WNBA Draft coming up on April 11, this is a perfect time for fans to take a closer look at some of the potential picks. 

Ahead of this weekend's festivities, here is one player from each team that WNBA fans should get to know. 

South Carolina: Destanni Henderson 

Position: Guard | Class: Senior 

There is an incredible amount of talent on this South Carolina team, which has won its four tournament games by an average of 28 points, but many of the key players are not draft eligible. That includes junior forward Aliyah Boston, who was recently named Naismith Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. 

Still, there is one player in particular that WNBA fans getting ready for the 2022 Draft later this month should pay attention to: Destanni Henderson. The senior guard averages 11.1 points and 3.9 assists per game, while shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point land – numbers that are good for second, first and first on the team, respectively. 

She is a pesky perimeter defender, especially on the ball, where she can use her quick feet and hands to bother opposing guards. On offense, there are stretches and even full games where she can fade into the background, though South Carolina's depth of talent and their preference to work the ball inside has a lot to do with that. She can struggle to finish in the paint, but her 3-point shooting provides important spacing and she makes good decisions with the ball. 

On paper, it would seem like she's a definite first-round pick, but it's unclear where she'll end up going due in large part to the fact that she's just 5-foot-7. (She is not projected as a first-round pick in CBS Sports' mock draft, and in WNBA.com's mock draft round-up only two of the six mocks had her in the first round.) While it's not impossible to succeed as a small guard, it does make things more difficult. It's also worth noting that in the last decade, only five players 5-foot-7 or under  – Aari McDonald, Shyla Heal, Jordin Canada, Moriah Jefferson and Samantha Prahalis – have been first-round picks. 

Projected draft range: Late first-round to early second-round

Louisville: Emily Engstler

Position: Forward | Class: Senior 

Around this time last year, in one of her final games for Syracuse, Emily Engstler put up 21 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Louisville. A few months later, seeking an opportunity to win and a program that would help prepare her for the WNBA, Engstler decided to transfer to Louisville. 

That decision worked out perfectly for both parties. With Engslter helping to lead the way, Louisville is back in the Final Four for the first time since 2018, and is just two wins away from its first national championship. Engstler, meanwhile, is having the most productive season of her collegiate career at 11.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, and has surged up draft boards. 

There's not much of a consensus in this draft beyond the top-two, and perhaps top-three picks, but Engstler will likely be taken in the middle to end of the first round. (She's projected No. 5 overall to the New York Liberty in CBS Sports' first mock draft.) Regardless of where she ends up going, there's no question Engstler will hear her name called on April 11, which will make it five straight years that Louisville has had a player picked in the WNBA Draft – the longest such streak for the school. 

While Engstler doesn't always put up huge numbers, especially in the scoring department, she reliably fills up the box score and is known for a tremendous work ethic. With her size and versatility on both ends of the floor she projects, at least, as a perfect role player. She doesn't need the ball on offense, shot 37.6 percent from 3-point land and will be able to guard multiple positions right away. 

Projected draft range: Mid-to-late first round

Stanford: Lexie Hull 

Position: Guard/Forward | Class: Senior 

The defending national champions are right back in the Final Four, though it hasn't always been easy. Their Elite Eight matchup with Texas, in particular, could have gone either way, but the Cardinal were able to hold the Longhorns scoreless over the final two minutes and pull away for a 59-50 victory. 

They did so in large part thanks to senior forward Lexie Hull, who scored a game-high 20 points and had eight of Stanford's 14 in the fourth quarter. Hull, who also had 36 points, six rebounds and six steals in a second-round win over Kansas, has been terrific in the NCAA Tournament as she makes her case to WNBA teams ahead of the 2022 Draft. 

To what extent talent evaluators will listen, however, remains to be seen. While things can change over the course of the next 10 days, Hull is not currently projected as a first-round pick, and will most likely go at some point in the second round. 

Hull has proven that she can be a productive college player, putting up 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game this season. Her 3-point shooting – 40.4 percent this season and over 37 percent in three of her four years at Stanford – is clearly pro-quality and she plays hard. There are questions, though, about whether she has the necessary athleticism to play on the wing in the WNBA. 

Projected draft range: Early-to-mid second round

UConn: Christyn Williams 

Position: Guard | Class: Senior 

Another year, another Final Four for UConn. After escaping with a thrilling double-overtime win over NC State in the Elite Eight, the Huskies are back at this stage for a record 14th consecutive season. And while most of the headlines have understandably focused on Paige Buckers, UConn wouldn't be here without Christyn Williams. 

The former top-ranked prospect in her class, Williams has struggled with inconsistency throughout her time in Storrs but has been at her best in March. She was named Most Outstanding Player in the Big East Tournament and has averaged 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in the NCAA Tournament. Against NC State, she scored UConn's final five points in double overtime to secure the win. 

As the past few weeks have shown, talent is not a concern with Williams. She's an efficient scorer who can create her own looks, makes a solid percentage from 3-point land and is willing and able to take on challenges defensively. And as a big (5-foot-11), athletic guard, she should be able to make a smooth transition to the professional ranks from a physical standpoint. 

The question, rather, is whether she can do all of those things on a regular basis. If the answer is yes, she can easily have a long, productive WNBA career. If the answer is no, she might have a hard time sticking around. The varied potential outcomes are why Williams may not end up being a first-round pick. Most mocks, including CBS Sports', have her going at the end of the first, but it wouldn't be surprising if she drops into the second. 

Projected draft range: Late first-round to early second-round