Aaliyah Edwards of UConn is eager to pursue her professional goals as the WNBA draft approaches.

It looks like Aaliyah Edwards is going to fulfill another dream.

The Ontario native had a great four years as a member of the UConn Huskies, and now she is expected to be selected in the first round in the Monday WNBA selection.

With the illustrious NCAA school, the 6-foot-3 big was a two-time all-American and concluded her senior season with career highs of 17.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

“I’ve always wanted to be a professional athlete and play in the WNBA,” Edwards stated to reporters during a Zoom availability last week. It’s absurd to see my name on such lists and anticipated top five rankings. I would say “no way” if you asked me when I was ten years old.

Simultaneously, it humbles me since, despite my name being known, it’s really only a testament to the countless hours of labor and dedication I devote to the game I love. I will thus simply enter the draft feeling fortunate for whatever result comes my way and really appreciative of the recognition that comes with it.

On March 21, Edwards announced her candidacy for the draft, calling the most recent NCAA women’s basketball tournament her “last dance.” Before UConn lost a close game against Iowa in the end, she helped lead the Huskies to a Final Four trip.

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Edwards, 21, lost her one year of remaining college eligibility and declared she was ready to move on.

“Making the decision to cross the border and how much I’ve accomplished here at UConn have both been huge dreams for me,” the woman remarked. Making the decision to leave your family and your home behind in order to adjust to a new environment and a new transition is not an easy one.

“I was able to hone my interpersonal skills in addition to my basketball court skills. I can say that attending UConn helped me prepare for the next phase of my career and opened up a lot of avenues for me.

Edwards might make history by being the first Canadian to be called in the first round for two years in a row. In the previous year’s draft, Laeticia Amihere was selected eighth overall.

At UConn, Edwards had a breakout junior season, averaging 16.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest while playing a key role in the Huskies’ victory despite injuries.

In addition to being selected all-Big East first team, Big East most improved player, and Big East Tournament most outstanding player in 2022–2023; she also received AP third team all-America honors.

Was this what I was expecting? No, Edwards said in reference to her own honors. “As I’m a team player, I’ll do everything it takes to help the team win at the end of the day and to make an impact in any way I can; therefore, the recognition I receive from receiving individual awards and accolades only serves to motivate me to perform better.”

There have been several improvements along with her accomplishment.

“I think Aaliyah is going to be a great pro,” Canadian senior women’s assistant coach Steve Baur said in a phone interview. “I think defensively she’s taken some huge strides in the last few years. … but I think her offensive game is where she’s really evolved.

“She’s a much more dynamic offensive player. And I think if you give Aaliyah two to three more years in pro context, she’s going to continue to expand her range shooting, and I think she’s going to continue to expand her offensive game.”

Canada Basketball president and chief executive officer Michael Bartlett says Edwards’ rise serves as an example of what younger Canadian talent can accomplish.

“It’s a big deal for our young athletes … and it’s a big deal, I think, for the slate of athletes that are coming through the pipeline and will find themselves in WNBA drafts well into the future,” Bartlett said in a phone interview. “You think of athletes like Toby (Fournier) and Syla (Swords) and Jasmine Bascoe, who haven’t even started their NCAA careers yet.

“It also just further emphasizes the fact that our Canadian talent on the women’s side, just like on the men’s side, this isn’t fringe talent. This is build-your-team-around-this talent. This is lottery pick talent coming up through the pipeline.”