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Syracuse point guard Tiana Mangakahia declared for the WNBA draft on Friday. The fifth-year released a statement on Twitter saying her collegiate career has “come to a close,” opting to forgo the extra season of eligibility granted to all NCAA winter athletes this year.

Mangakahia finishes her Syracuse career as the school’s all-time assists leader, with 736 in just three seasons. Her 7.2 assists per game this year tied Iowa’s Caitlin Clark for the best mark in Division I.

“Coming to college in America was the best decision of my life and I wouldn’t change anything about the path I took,” said Mangakahia, who is from Australia, in the statement.

The WNBA draft will be held on April 15 and televised on ESPN. Mangakahia aims to be the first SU player drafted since guards Brittney Sykes and Alexis Peterson went in the first and second round of the 2017 draft, respectively. ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel predicts that Mangakahia will be drafted No. 27 overall by the Atlanta Dream.

Mangakahia began her collegiate career at Division II Hutchinson Community College in Kansas but transferred after two seasons. After she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2019, Mangakahia sat out the entirety of SU’s 2019-20 season. She underwent a successful double mastectomy that November and was declared cancer-free.

Her play and story make her a fan-favorite for jersey retirement, which would be the first female number retired by Syracuse.

“I hold Tiana in incredibly high regard, and I have as much high respect for her as I do anyone” Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack said Wednesday in a press conference.

Head coach Quentin Hillsman confirmed Thursday that Wildhack reached out to him regarding the potential retirement of a Syracuse women’s jersey. The 15-year head coach was overcome with emotion describing what Mangakahia meant to him and the program following SU’s season-ending 83-47 loss to UConn on Tuesday.

“I don’t know where to start,” Hillsman said before pausing, then rocking back and taking off his glasses to wipe his eyes. “She’s just a really tough kid … She’s like my daughter.”

Published on March 26, 2021 at 5:11 pm

Contact Tim: tnolan@syr.edu