The WNBA Draft lottery is within the books, atmosphere the sequence for April’s 2025 draft. Alike to the day two years, there shouldn’t be a lot drama on the manage, taking into account the one method Paige Bueckers doesn’t get drafted first is that if she elects to stick at UConn for an supplementary season. For probably the most section, this mock draft doesn’t come with gamers who’ve any other 12 months of eligibility, however I’ve integrated a few exceptions, specifically Bueckers, who stated she is treating 2024-25 as her ultimate season.
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The @DallasWings may have the number one total choose within the Draft on April 14th pic.twitter.com/l9C6zpL167
— WNBA (@WNBA) November 17, 2024
That is the league’s first draft with 13 groups, because the Blonde Condition Valkyries will start play games within the 2025 season. Then again, there are quiet most effective 12 selections within the first around since the Las Vegas Aces misplaced their choose for offering impermissible participant advantages.
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Dallas Wings ranking Negative. 1 choose in 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery
Let’s take a look at which gamers are the most efficient are compatible for every WNBA staff.
Paige Bueckers | 6-foot keep an eye on | UConn
It is a dream situation for the Wings, who’ve heaps of intensity within the frontcourt with Satou Sabally, Teaira McCowan and Maddy Siegrist, however Dallas wishes an organizing pressure within the backcourt. Bueckers has vacillated at the positional spectrum right through her UConn occupation, however her playmaking has thrived without reference to the place she is positioned at the court docket. She has ranked in no less than the 92nd percentile in offer proportion each season time additionally putting within the 98th percentile or above in assist-to-turnover ratio. Despite the fact that Bueckers isn’t a prototypical level keep an eye on (and gained’t be requested to play games that function with KK Arnold and Kaitlyn Chen at the Huskies’ roster this season), her selflessness way she’s repeatedly having a look to form for others.
Bueckers may be an exceptionally environment friendly scorer who finishes at an elite price in any respect 3 ranges (within the paint, midrange and past the arc). On protection, Bueckers has proven the power to keep an eye on one via 4. She is robust in isolation however a threat as a backup defender, studying the ground in addition to she does on offense to select off passes and jump-start the Huskies’ transition assault. The Negative. 1 employ in her highschool magnificence has been as excellent as marketed, showcasing an entire all set of abilities in school that still figures to translate seamlessly to the professionals.
I simply fell to my knees. THANK YOU LORD!
— Arike Ogunbowale (@Arike_O) November 17, 2024
Olivia Miles | 5-10 keep an eye on | Notre Dame
It’s dangerous to draft for want on the Negative. 2 choose, and Kiki Iriafen is the higher-rated chance, however the Sparks want a keep an eye on in a wicked method, particularly since they already despatched away their 2026 first-round choose to the Seattle Typhoon. There’s not anything to be won from any other 12 months of lacking the playoffs. With Cameron Breaking point and Rickea Jackson already at the roster — in addition to a still-in-her-prime Dearica Hamby — Los Angeles wishes any person to supremacy its offense, and that’s Miles.
Even if she neglected her youthful season with a torn ACL (and will technically go back to Notre Dame for yet another 12 months), Miles has seemed spry during the Irish’s first 4 video games, flying up and unwell the court docket and appearing off her trademark passing ocular. Miles is at all times having a look to generate offense in transition, and she or he creates home windows within the part court docket together with her correct ball supply. She helps to keep defenses truthful together with her drives to the ring and turns out to have old the 12 months off to refine her capturing stroke, as she’s making 47 % of her 3s and 83 % of her unfastened throws. The Irish have usually trusted perimeter ability all the way through Miles’ tenure, however she will have to have minimum issue transitioning right into a post-heavy offense together with her IQ.
Miles may be a robust defender with excellent measurement for her place. It’s simple to believe her protecting ones in isolation but additionally switching at the perimeter along Rae Burrell and Jackson.
May Kiki Iriafen thrive with the Sky in spite of their bevy of bigs? (Catherine Steenkeste / Getty Pictures)
Kiki Iriafen | 6-3 ahead/heart | USC
This isn’t a great are compatible for the Sky, who have already got Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. Then again, the franchise is just one 12 months out of the playoffs and will come up with the money for to be affected person within the rebuild, even supposing that implies overloading within the frontcourt to get any other gifted participant.
Iriafen got here on a a bit late in her school occupation on account of the glut of bigs forward of her at Stanford, however she excelled when given a habitual function. She’s a high-usage, high-efficiency scorer, and she or he improves when the lighting fixtures are brighter. Iriafen’s athleticism pops at the flooring, whether or not it’s her first step when going through up, her elevation on the rim or her competitiveness at the glass. Preferably, she’d harness that athleticism extra on protection, the place she hasn’t been an elite playmaker — the Cardinal’s protection wasn’t noticeably other together with her on or off the court docket. Then again, her bodily equipment counsel she will also be impactful in this finish, and USC will probably be reliant on that.
Stanford’s historical past of manufacturing high-level frontcourt gamers additionally works in Iriafen’s partial. Ahead of the 2024 draft, WNBA normal managers when compared her recreation to Nneka Ogwumike’s. The 2012 Negative. 1 choose’s school occupation used to be way more adorned than that of Iriafen, however they have got related builds and play games kinds, offering a great ceiling for Iriafen within the W.
Dominique Malonga | 6-6 heart | Lyon (France)
The Mystics are but to rent a GM or lecturer, so the decision-making falls to Michael Winger, the president of Huge Basketball for the Mystics and the NBA’s Wizards. What we find out about Winger from his NBA enjoy is that he believes in construction patiently during the draft. From his two drafts with the lads’s staff, it’s unclouded he loves younger French possibilities, because the Wizards drafted 18-year-old Bilal Coulibaly in 2023 and 19-year-old Alex Sarr in 2024. That makes this the very best franchise to swing bulky on Malonga, who will flip 20 sooner than the draft.
Malonga is a different athlete, vertically and laterally, as the primary Frenchwoman to dunk in a recreation. She averaged 11.9 issues and eight.9 rebounds within the French league in 2023-24 in spite of being a number of years more youthful than maximum of her pageant, and she or he advanced the ones numbers to 19.3 issues and 13.3 rebounds all the way through the playoffs. She additionally got here off the bench for France all the way through the Olympics as the house staff gained a silver medal. Her talent to form with the ball in her palms may be distinctive for a frontcourt chance.
Dominique Malonga au dunk, c’est trop #PassionnémentBleu pic.twitter.com/VmVA90et06
— Équipes de France de Basket (@FRABasketball) October 30, 2024
The Mystics have already got Shakira Austin as a tender heart, however accidents have restricted her to 31 video games during the day two seasons. Malonga’s pace and the doubt over Austin’s condition form taking a shot at the younger French big name usefulness it.
5. Blonde Condition Valkyries
Georgia Amoore | 5-6 keep an eye on | Kentucky
It’s difficult to select a participant for a staff with an deserted roster, so be expecting this spot to switch considerably till the draft. For now, let’s set in with some extent keep an eye on who is aware of learn how to run a pro-style offense: Amoore. Amoore has been expectantly running out of the pick-and-roll for 3 years, eminent probably the most nation’s perfect offenses at Virginia Tech. She’s a admirable ballhandler and decision-maker, even supposing her aptitude now and again will get her into hassle.
Like any other level keep an eye on who performs for a Blonde Condition staff, Amoore additionally likes to explode from lengthy distance, developing large territory in spite of her miniature body due to her side-step takeoff. Her proportion has cratered on self-created 3s, although the ones photographs are continuously compelled upon her when the offense can’t generate a greater glance; alternatively, she shot 43 % on spot-up 3s over the day two seasons and has stunning capturing mode equipped she will restrict her quantity.
Amoore has been finding out from fellow miniature keep an eye on Kelsey Plum for the day two seasons and would have the benefit of enjoying for Natalie Nakase, Plum’s former worker who occurs to be any other scale down keep an eye on. Amoore is personable and marketable, and she or he makes a ton of sense as a construction cancel for a brandnew franchise.
6. Washington Mystics (from Atlanta Dream by way of Dallas)
Sonia Citron | 6-1 wing | Notre Dame
Preferably, Citron would land on a staff higher located to compete instantly — and in all probability any person will industry up for her — however she’s just too gifted and fertile to fall under this spot. Citron is a occupation 37 % 3-point shooter and 83.4 % free-throw shooter who too can force and end via touch. She rebounds neatly for a fringe participant and may be an ideal defender from one to a few. She’s overtaxed developing with the ball in her hand however is an exceptional secondary choice. In a league slim on wings, Citron may have a job to play games for years.
The Indiana Fever can be a really perfect touchdown spot for Citron if they’re prepared to fork over some belongings to Washington. Because it stands, the Mystics can be lucky to have her as a part of their rebuild.
Maddy Westbeld | 6-3 ahead | Notre Dame
The Sovereignty thrived with a wing-heavy, bodily id ultimate season, in particular all the way through the postseason and particularly once they went with 3 bigs within the decisive Sport 5 of the WNBA Finals. Despite the fact that Maddy Westbeld turns out positionally redundant, Untouched York will give you the chance to get her at the court docket given her toughness, talent to safeguard more than one positions and 3-point capturing. It’s simple to believe Westbeld ultimately taking on for Kayla Thornton as an inside defender — no person gave Elizabeth Kitley extra issue than Westbeld all the way through the All-American’s 2023-24 season. Even if Westbeld doesn’t have great athleticism, her manufacturing hasn’t ever suffered for it.
Westbeld may be an intuitive offensive participant who strikes off the ball neatly, a need in Untouched York’s machine. If worse involves worst and Westbeld’s trauma problems to begin the season linger, Untouched York has proved it’s probably the greatest parks to rehab within the WNBA.
8. Indiana Fever
Te-Hina Paopao | 5-9 keep an eye on | South Carolina
The Fever wish to beef up their protection and in all probability discover a combo ahead who can advance on what NaLyssa Smith introduced ultimate season. Then again, that form of participant isn’t to be had at this level within the draft, so why now not double unwell on what Indiana does neatly? The Fever have already got offensive firepower with the backcourt of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, and bringing in Paopao as a sub for both helps to keep the extent imposing. Paopao is one among school basketball’s maximum exceptional shooters in contemporary reminiscence; she made 46.8 % of her makes an attempt ultimate season, eminent the community. She additionally runs a heartless pick-and-roll, reads the ground neatly, has a creating floater and usually executes the whole lot you possibly can need from a supremacy keep an eye on or two-guard offensively.
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To conserve South Carolina on manage, Break of day Staley needed to trade
Defensively, being at South Carolina has labored wonders for Paopao. She has advanced at staying in entrance on the level of assault, and she or he positions herself neatly in backup protection. Paopao isn’t the kind of participant who will single-handedly lift Indiana’s defensive flooring, however she will earn mins by means of fending off errors.
However this choose isn’t in regards to the protection. Simply believe seeking to safeguard a Clark/Aliyah Boston pick-and-roll with Mitchell and Paopao order them. It kind of feels bodily unattainable.
Shyanne Dealers may well be a scouse borrow overdue within the first around. (Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Pictures)
9. Seattle Typhoon
Shyanne Dealers | 6-2 keep an eye on/wing | Maryland
The Typhoon want some younger ability with upside. They have got Jordan Horston however no person else who’s realistically at the entrance finish in their construction curve now that Nika Mühl is out for the season with a torn ACL. This appears like an opportune date in order in Dealers, a participant with stunning athleticism and a imposing IQ. Dealers is a dynamic downhill attacker who has a pretty soar shot. She has improbable generation within the detectable court docket and is the foot for Maryland’s transition assault. Her level keep an eye on reps in school had been helpful, however at 6-2, she will play games more than one positions, giving her supplementary importance within the execs. The sky’s the restrict with Dealers.
Saniya Rivers | 6-1 keep an eye on/wing | NC Condition
The early returns from Rivers’ senior season have indicated she is perfect with the ball in her palms because the supremacy keep an eye on, so it could appear odd to tie her to Miles in Chicago. Then again, Miles is in a position to enjoying off the ball — and she or he must do enough quantity of that with Hannah Hidalgo this season — permitting Miles and Rivers alternatives to run the purpose. Moreover, Marsh comes from Las Vegas, which old more than one ballhandlers (Plum, Chelsea Grey and Jackie Younger).
Becoming a member of Marsh additionally explains why this are compatible is smart for Rivers. She is hyper-athletic and will get into the paint with diversion, and being disruptive doesn’t start to describe the defensive havoc she will wreak. However her jumper and decision-making want some paintings. Rivers’ bodily equipment recall to mind a more youthful Younger. Marsh helped flip the Aces big name into an effective offensive participant, and that would be the activity with Rivers.
Charlisse Leger-Walker | 5-10 keep an eye on | UCLA
The Lynx were given property play games out in their supremacy keep an eye on spot from Courtney Williams, however they may quiet usefulness a real level keep an eye on to arrange their scorers. Leger-Walker is an excellent passer within the part court docket — her skip passes out of the pick-and-roll call for more than one rewatches. She’s been inconsistent as a shooter, however in all probability sitting out for a 12 months with a torn ACL will pressure her to form her jumper. Leger-Walker hasn’t introduced a lot to the ground as a defender, however Minnesota drafted Alissa Pili ultimate 12 months, in order that doesn’t appear to be a prerequisite.
12. Phoenix Mercury (change with Untouched York)
Aneesah Morrow | 6-1 ahead | LSU
Phoenix performed maximum of ultimate season with out a true energy ahead, which creates a gap for Morrow. She places power at the basket, rebounds the ball higher than virtually any individual at her place, constantly makes performs on protection and will get buckets regardless of who else is at the court docket. The ones attributes would receive advantages the Mercury. The only factor for Morrow in Nate Tibbetts’ machine is that she doesn’t whisk or form 3s, however she does such a lot of alternative issues neatly that it will be crisp to go on her on the finish of the primary around.
Additionally in attention: South Carolina’s Raven Johnson, Kansas Condition’s Ayoka Lee and Ole Omit’ Madison Scott.
(Govern photograph: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Pictures)
