Support for Griner at WNBA Draft as Dream select Rhyne Howard with No. 1 pick

Moments before Rhyne Howard went to Atlanta with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the league is working very hard to help bring Brittney Griner back to the United States.

Griner, one of the league's biggest stars, has been detained in Russia since arriving at a Moscow airport in mid-February. Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges that allegedly contained oil derived from cannabis, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Howard, who was the first Kentucky player to go No. 1 in the draft, will be close to home, having grown up about 90 minutes from Atlanta.

"For it to be so close is huge. A lot of family and close friends can come and support me," Howard said. "To go first, I don't have words for it right now. Still shaking. Super exciting and proud of myself and thankful for everyone that has been on this journey with me and helped me get here."

Atlanta finished 8-24 last season and has missed the playoffs four of the past five years. The franchise got new ownership last year and brought in a new coach in Tanisha Wright and new general manager Dan Padover. The Dream also had the No. 1 pick in 2009 and used it to draft Angel McCoughtry.

Indiana, which has four picks in the first round, drafted NaLyssa Smith from Baylor with the No. 2 pick and her Bears teammate Queen Egbo at 10. The Fever also snagged Louisville's Emily Engstler at No. 4 and Lexie Hull of Stanford at 6.

"We have four top picks, so there is the opportunity for this team to grow tremendously," Smith said.

The Mystics chose Shakira Austin from Ole Miss third and New York drafted Oregon's Nyara Sabally in between Indiana's top two selections.

Sabally got to practice with