4/15/2021 basketball Edit

Arella Guirantes of Rutgers selected in 2021 WNBA Draft

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

Arella Guirantes was selected with the No. 22 overall pick in the second round by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2021 WNBA Draft on Thursday night.

Rutgers now has 21 players who have been drafted into the WNBA.

Former Scarlet Knight Erica Wheeler is on the Spark's roster. She won the WNBA All-Star Game MVP award in 2019.

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Arella Guirantes (Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

As a senior, Guirantes netted 21.3 points per game, which ranks fifth in program history for a single season behind fourth place Pondexter. Guirantes made 31 3-pointers during the shortened 2020-21 season and hit 37.8% of her attempts from deep. The Bellport, N.Y. native was named AP All-America Honorable Mention, First Team All-Big Ten, and WBCA Regional All-America.

She recorded a triple-double, the third to ever do it at Rutgers, with four 30-plus-point games including in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Guirantes is the lone player in the Big Ten to have ranked in the top five for points, assists, steals, and blocks per game. Only two times as a Rutgers had a player average at least 20 points, six boards, and three assists and Guirantes has done so on both occasions.

Guirantes finished her time at Rutgers with 1,696 career points, which is the ninth most in program history.

"The word legacy is special to me because I feel like everybody wants to leave a mark," Guirantes said. "I know I came in from a different program, but Rutgers is so special to me. I didn't realize it as a young lady coming out of high school, but honestly, every road led to Rutgers. I was here for a reason. I grew up in 15 minutes away from Sue Wicks. My mom played with Sue Wicks. I grew up going to almost every (New York) Liberty game watching Cappie play before I even knew she was playing at Rutgers. I'm just so happy that I got to finish my career here and play for coach (C. Vivian) Stringer, play for coach (Tim) Eatman, play with this group of girls, and just experience the sisterhood and the unity they have here. It's super special. I hope Rutgers fans just know I gave everything I got, and I'm going to continue that."