Three former UConn teammates got to spend some quality time together in New York City on Wednesday night, but the one topic never brought up was how their lives would change 24 hours later during the 2018 WNBA Draft.

Gabby Williams was the first former Husky off the board, going No. 4 to Chicago. Azurá Stevens was taken with the sixth overall pick by Dallas and Kia Nurse was the 10th overall pick by New York.

"I was nervous, I was anxious and I wanted the time to be here already," Williams said. "It's a scary thing. You don't know what city you are going to, you don't know what team you are going to be, you don't know who your teammates are."

UConn has had 23 of its players selected in the first round. The only programs with more total draft picks are Tennessee and Stanford.

"It says so much about the program that Coach (Geno Auriemma) and CD (Chris Dailey) have built, people want UConn players and that is because they know how to develop us," Williams said. "That is why I went to UConn so I could be developed and I could be pushed every day."

It was the seventh time that three teammates from the same college were selected in the first round in the same draft.

It is the third time is happened with UConn players. In 2002, the program made history when Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams were among the top six picks. In 2016, Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck were the top three picks.

In 2001, Georgia teammates Kelly Miller, Deanna Nolan and Coco Miller were all first-round picks. In 2002, Oklahoma's Stacey Dales, LaNeishea Caufield and Rosalind Ross were all first-round picks.

Ten years later Tennessee's Shekinna Stricklen, Glory Johnson and Kelley Cain were among the top seven picks while Alaina Coates, Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis from South Carolina were each No. 1 picks last year.

Stevens was thought to have the chance to go as high as No. 2, but she is excited to land in Dallas which also selected former UConn guard Saniya Chong last season.

"A little bit of nerves, actually a lot of nerves because I didn't know where I would end up, but really happy to be a part of that team," Stevens said.

"These couple of days have been amazing, to have these teammates here is really cool. It is one thing to experience this but to have them by my side with the things we have been through and to be able to play with them this year, it has been really cool to see this special day happen to them."

Nurse was available when the Connecticut Sun picked at No. 9. Sun coach and general manager Curt Miller coached both her older sister and aunt when he was a college coach and he recruited her hard when he was at Indiana.

Instead the Sun picked Duke's Lexie Brown. Miller said Brown's ability to play the point guard at the professional level was a deciding factor. Nurse went with the next pick to the Liberty.

"My emotions were that wherever I get an opportunity to play, that is where I am going to be happy," Nurse said. "This is a great fit for me and I am excited about it. I love the city and I am excited to get there."

Now the three former teammates head their separate ways to embark on their professional careers, although both Nurse and Stevens could make their pro debuts against each other in a preseason game next month at Mohegan Sun Arena.

"To have been with them for as long as I have to know and see how hard they work each and every day, to have them reach their dreams and their goals is absolutely incredible to be here to see that happen," Nurse said.

Former UConn forward/center Natalie Butler was selected by Dallas with the 30th overall pick.