WNBA Names Gianna Bryant and<br />Teammates as Honorary Draft Picks On April 17, Gianna Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli<br />and Payton Chester were posthumously<br />honored during the 2020 WNBA draft. They were among the nine killed in a January<br />helicopter crash that also claimed the life of<br />famed basketball player Kobe Bryant. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert made the<br />announcement in a video message, saying the three<br />athletes “represented the future of the WNBA.” Cathy Engelbert,<br />via ESPN Among the family members that<br />spoke following Engelbert’s announcement<br />was Vanessa Bryant, who thanked the<br />WNBA for honoring Gianna. Vanessa Bryant,<br />via ESPN No. 1 overall pick Sabrina Ionescu, who was a close friend<br />of the Bryant family, also praised the WNBA for honoring<br />the young women, saying it was a “beautiful thing.” Sabrina Ionescu,<br />via ESPN
