As the faculty basketball world gears up for March Insanity, that is the final probability for seniors to make an impression on WNBA expertise evaluators forward of the 2025 WNBA Draft, which can be held eight days after the nationwide championship.
In contrast to on the lads’s facet, match risers aren’t as prevalent, because of 4 years of tape on most prospects. Nonetheless, a powerful run of play to shut the season can’t harm. In current reminiscence, Maddy Siegrist (2023) and Emily Engstler (2022) vaulted themselves into the lottery with their performances in February and March.
With WNBA free company and commerce season basically behind us however with the NCAA ending kick but to return, right here is how the highest prospects stack up in The Athletic’s newest mock draft.
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Not that there have been any doubts about Paige Bueckers being the best choice on this draft, but when there have been, these have been summarily put to relaxation with Bueckers’ most excellent participant tour de drive in her remaining Huge East match, with Dallas basic supervisor Curt Miller and head coach Chris Koclanes trying on from the stands. Bueckers showcased the total gamut of abilities that make her such a tantalizing prospect: shot-making, shot creation, controlling the tempo and defensive playmaking. She additionally demonstrated the management and aggression any staff seems to be for in a possible franchise participant.
The first knock on Bueckers in her faculty profession has been that she is deferential to a fault. That shouldn’t be a priority with the WNBA’s expertise degree; regardless, her profession common of 19.6 factors per sport would have been seventh within the league in 2024. Mix that with a rare degree of effectivity — for her profession, Bueckers has made 58.5 p.c of her 2-pointers, 42 p.c of her 3s and 85 p.c of her free throws — and it’s arduous to think about the Huskies star being unable to impression successful straight away.
There’s a excessive normal for Bueckers to reside as much as as a prime choose from UConn, a bunch that features Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Diana Taurasi and Sue Hen. Bueckers’ collegiate manufacturing signifies that she is a worthy addition to this lineage.
Miles is a generational playmaker whose means to learn the ground in pick-and-rolls, in transition and in opposition to any form of junk protection leaps off the display screen. She has led the ACC in assists in every of her three full seasons. She’s additionally a value-add on protection along with her dimension, rebounding and understanding of schemes. Contemplating how shallow the purpose guard pool is within the WNBA, she is a secure choose to ultimately be the most effective gamers at her place.
The upside with Miles comes along with her scoring. She has all the time been wonderful at attacking the rim and is a powerful finisher. This season, she added a jumper and has been elite at capturing from 3-point vary. That can allow her to play on and off the ball as a professional, making her a pure match subsequent to former Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, but in addition the inheritor obvious at level guard when the 34-year-old veteran strikes on. Miles’ total protection and turnover fee lag behind that of Bueckers, which is why she isn’t within the dialog for the No. 1 choose, however the Storm ought to be thrilled to have Miles as a basis for his or her future.
The Storm obtained this choose from the Los Angeles Sparks.
Bueckers would be the No. 1 choose on this draft, however there’s a probability that Malonga finally ends up as the most effective participant. At 19 years previous (she gained’t flip 20 till after the 2025 WNBA season), Malonga is a full 4 years youthful than Bueckers, and at the very least three years youthful than the opposite home draft prospects. Nonetheless, she competes in opposition to veterans in France’s prime league and is already producing.
In a league dominated by put up play — the groups with celebrity energy forwards and facilities are likely to win titles — Malonga is the way forward for this place. She is lengthy and athletic and has the mobility to defend a number of positions. Her free-throw capturing has improved in each skilled season, from 60 p.c in 2021-22 to 71.4 p.c this season, which bodes nicely for Malonga ultimately stretching out her sport. She’s already making 32.3 p.c of her 3-pointers, albeit on restricted quantity (10 of 31).
It bears repeating that Malonga is succeeding in opposition to professionals as a teen. Her growth curve is simply getting began, and she or he was already ok to make the silver-medal French Olympic staff in 2024. The sky is the restrict with Malonga, with the one main concern being her availability, because the French nationwide staff calls for heavy dedication through the summers.
The Mystics obtained this choose from the Chicago Sky.
Citron was 5 spots decrease within the final mock draft, as I prioritized gamers with extra offensive potential. Citron has by no means been the No. 1 choice at Notre Dame, and translating position gamers to the WNBA is a trickier train. However the Irish senior is such a spectacular secondary (or tertiary) choice that it’s unlikely she’s going to fall previous Washington within the draft, whether or not that’s on the fourth choose or the sixth choose.
Citron can defend a number of positions with out a lot assist along with her dimension and IQ, although she may most likely stand so as to add energy within the W. She has efficiently taken on the Bueckers and JuJu Watkins assignments the final two seasons, main Notre Dame to a 3-0 document in opposition to the Huskies and the Trojans. She is a constant 3-point shooter, making 37 p.c of her makes an attempt in her faculty profession. Citron additionally has sufficient of a deal with that she will put the ball on the ground and assault a closeout, if not run the offense.
The Mystics have sufficient younger frontcourt gamers with Shakira Austin, Aaliyah Edwards, and probably Sika Koné and Emily Engstler. After drafting Malonga, it is smart to attempt to construct up the backcourt. Together with her versatility, Citron ought to be a fixture within the league for a very long time.
Iriafen is an impressive athlete at her place and has a nostril for the glass, particularly as an offensive rebounder. Probably the most disappointing end result of a USC possession needs to be taking part in good protection, forcing a miss from Watkins, after which watching Iriafen are available in for a putback. Her positioning is great, and her second soar makes her a troublesome cowl. That’s a talent that may instantly translate to the WNBA.
That is additionally touchdown spot for Iriafen to get extra reps at a excessive degree. She has been taking part in heavy minutes for under the final two seasons, in two dramatically completely different techniques, and will use some growth time earlier than the Valkyries are able to compete with the most effective groups within the W. Golden State’s roster is stocked with gamers who can play energy ahead, however none has Iriafen’s scoring means. She will shoulder a excessive offensive utilization straight away.
Washington is basically solely starting its rebuild, so it isn’t essential to make use of its three picks on a giant, a wing and a degree guard. The Mystics aren’t constructing an Unmatched staff, in any case. Nonetheless, the most effective participant obtainable at this spot is Saniya Rivers, which makes for a cheerful accident.
Rivers is an amazing passer, particularly in transition. Her shops and hit-aheads are jaw-dropping. She can be a top-tier athlete — she’ll step into the WNBA as one of the vital athletic gamers within the league already along with her velocity, her bounce and her lateral quickness. That’s a part of what makes her an elite defender each on the level of assault and on the wing.
The knock on Rivers is her capturing. Her jumper is damaged and wishes a whole overhaul. Consequently, defenders sag on her, which limits her willingness to get to the rim. Even when she does drive, her contact on the basket isn’t nice. She’ll have to work on her scoring bundle, and Washington has the time to develop her. Even so, her passing, protection and bodily attributes are too spectacular to cross up.
Washington obtained this choose from the Atlanta Dream by way of the Dallas Wings.
Morrow doesn’t have the dimensions of a prototypical energy ahead. Listed at 6-1, the LSU media information could also be exaggerating even that quantity. Nonetheless, her manufacturing within the paint is simple. She is an environment friendly finisher and a voracious rebounder. Though she lacks the dimensions to defend from behind within the put up, she will entrance and has good arms, permitting her to deflect passes and trigger turnovers. Have been she a couple of inches taller, she’d be a lottery choose, however her dimension creates questions. Connecticut has succeeded with gamers who didn’t match a specific archetype, and the Solar want expertise, particularly within the frontcourt.
The Solar obtained this choose from the Phoenix Mercury by way of the New York Liberty.
There wouldn’t be a degree to hiring Rachid Meziane if the Solar weren’t going to step into worldwide waters, and Jocytė is essentially the most intriguing European prospect after Malonga. Her dream is to play within the WNBA, and she or he particularly confirmed her draft eligibility — though she grew up in Lithuania, she was born within the U.S., which may have subjected her to the collegiate age restrict rule. Jocytė has been profitable competing in FIBA, main Lithuania to a U-18 gold medal in 2022. She at the moment performs with Malonga in Lyon. Though her 2-point capturing has dipped in 2024-25, she is a stable 3-point shooter and wonderful from the foul line, which signifies that she may very well be a 3-and-D wing going ahead. At 19 years previous, even when she doesn’t come over straight away (EuroBasket will happen this summer season), Jocytė may nonetheless contribute in Connecticut for a very long time.
Connecticut obtained this choose from the Indiana Fever.
Assuming she is wholesome, Fudd has first-round expertise. She is a giant guard who can defend the 2 and three positions. Her jumper is pristine. You’d like a participant along with her dimension to make extra performs on protection and get to the road extra typically, however that’s why Fudd isn’t a lottery choose. There’s additionally the hope that as she positive factors extra confidence in her physique, she’ll turn into extra aggressive as a defender and driver. The Sparks may desperately use a shooter of Fudd’s caliber, even when she isn’t a three-level scorer. The three-pointer and midrange is sufficient for now.
The Sparks obtained this choose from the Seattle Storm.
The Sky are in win-now mode, after buying and selling the No. 3 choose on this draft, plus swapping rights in 2027, for Ariel Atkins. In that respect, drafting a fifth-year senior who has gained a nationwide title and instantly suits on Chicago’s roster is the transfer. Paopao can again up Courtney Vandersloot and Atkins on the one and two. She is a wonderful shooter off the catch and off screens, and she or he is aware of find out how to play with ball-dominant bigs. Plus, she may have quick chemistry with Kamilla Cardoso, her former Gamecocks teammate. Coach Tyler Marsh emphasised motion capturing as an space of want when Chicago employed him, and there’s no one higher than Paopao at that particular talent.
Chicago obtained this choose from the Connecticut Solar.
The Lynx may go worldwide at this choice to discover a wing — somebody like Slovenia’s Ajša Sivka, who can slot subsequent to Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride, looks as if match. Nonetheless, Minnesota suffered from an absence of playmaking within the WNBA Finals, as Courtney Williams, McBride and Collier are all scorers first. Getting a real level guard, even when she comes off the bench, to assist transfer the ball and set up the offense appears helpful. Amoore is already adept at working pick-and-roll and the Lynx’s dimension on the different positions will assist cowl for her defensively. Amoore can assist create simpler pictures for these stars to maintain them more energizing on the finish of video games.
Curt Miller’s finest participant growth success tales as Connecticut’s basic supervisor have been with Maryland gamers: Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones. Why not return to the Brenda Frese nicely? Sellers is a stable defender, an above-average 3-point shooter, and her level guard reps have expanded her shot-creation talents. She has struggled with knee points as a senior, however even taking a 12 months off to get better wouldn’t be the worst end result. Dallas already has a glut of guards with Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, Ty Harris and certain Bueckers. They will let Sellers rebuild her physique, and she will enter the league when the worth of a rookie scale contract is far larger in 2026.
Dallas obtained this choose from the New York Liberty by way of the Phoenix Mercury.
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Images of Aneesah Morrow, Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles: Jacob Kupferman, Justin Casterline, Joe Buglewicz / Getty Photographs