COLUMBIA, S.C. _ "Mad Kiki" is headed to Minnesota.
South Carolina women's basketball star Mikiah Herbert Harrigan was selected No. 6 overall in Friday's WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx, completing a massive rise up draft boards after a stellar senior season.
Before the start of the 2019-20 season, Herbert Harrigan wasn't included in any first-round mock drafts after a tumultuous offseason in which she brieflt entered the transfer portal before deciding to stay at USC.
The 6-foot-2 forward, blossomed however, posting a career high 13.1 points per game as a senior. She led the No. 1 team in nation in scoring while becoming just the third player in program history to record 1,000 points and 200 blocks in her career, and her fiery play and passion earned her the moniker "Mad Kiki" and endeared her to fans.
She was named All-SEC for her season and also earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the SEC tournament. Coach Dawn Staley said a week before the draft that she had heard from pro general managers and coaches that Herbert Harrigan's stock was rising into the first round.
But heading into Friday's draft, even the latest mock drafts had her going in the later stages of the first round. Instead, she became the fourth highest draft pick in program history at sixth. She'll be the only former Gamecock currently on the Lynx. Counting fellow senior Tyasha Harris, who was taken the pick after her at No. 7, Herbert Harrigan is South Carolina's 12th WNBA draft pick and ninth in the first round.
WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith sang the praises of Herbert Harrigan in a Instagram Live interview with analyst LaChina Robinson before the draft.
"Kiki Herbert Harrigan though, she's tough. I just like her demeanor. You can't be scared. You can't be scared, so if she can make a pick and pop shot, if she can rebound, if she can defend one through four ... she can immediately come in, I think she should be All-Rookie team, for sure."
