As we approach March Madness, anticipation builds for the 2025 WNBA draft. Considered the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes, the UConn Huskies guard is expected to be the top pick. However, Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles has emerged as a contender for the coveted spot. Let’s explore how the first round might play out as the women’s college basketball season progresses towards the postseason.
Notable absences from this mock draft include UCLA’s Lauren Betts and UConn’s Azzi Fudd, who are anticipated to return to college. Fudd, recovering from an ACL injury, retains eligibility for another season, while Betts is set to team up with her sister at UCLA.
The Las Vegas Aces won’t participate in the 2025 first-round draft following the WNBA’s revocation of their pick due to rule violations regarding player benefits. All statistics are up to date as of Saturday.
2025 WNBA Mock Draft
1. Dallas Wings: Guard Paige Bueckers (UConn)
The Wings secured the top pick in the lottery and are set to welcome the highly-touted Paige Bueckers. Arike Ogunbowale of Dallas expressed gratitude on social media for this opportunity. Known as a generational talent, Bueckers brings her scoring, shooting, and playmaking skills to the team, averaging 18.6 points, 41% from 3, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists this season.
2. Seattle Storm: Guard Olivia Miles (Notre Dame)
Following a trade involving Jewell Loyd, the Storm acquired the second pick and selected Olivia Miles. Known for her playmaking abilities, Miles has seamlessly returned from a knee injury to showcase her talent alongside Hannah Hidalgo. Averaging 16.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, Miles is a force on the court.
3. Chicago Sky: Guard Sonia Citron (Notre Dame)
The Chicago Sky chose Sonia Citron as their guard of choice after the departure of Chennedy Carter. Seeking depth, the Sky opted for Citron, an efficient scorer and solid defender, adding to their roster. Citron averages 13.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game this season.
4. Washington Mystics: Forward/Center Dominique Malonga (France)
Continuing the French influence in basketball, Dominique Malonga is poised to join the Mystics, following in the footsteps of Victor Wembanyama.
Prospect Analysis:
This talented 6-foot-6 center from France’s Lyon ASVEL Feminin has been making waves with her remarkable athleticism, speed, length, and explosiveness. At just 19 years old, she is averaging 15.6 points, shooting an impressive 41.7% from 3-point range, grabbing 9.4 rebounds, and blocking 1.6 shots per game. With the Mystics showing interest in her, she could be a key player in their rebuilding efforts under new management.
Golden State Valkyries:
LSU standout Aneesah Morrow fits the profile of what Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase is looking for in a player – ultra competitive, high character, and never satisfied. Morrow’s impressive stats include averaging 18.1 points, a league-leading 14.4 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game. Her versatility and relentless attitude make her a prime candidate to help establish the Valkyries in their inaugural season.
Washington Mystics:
The Mystics select USC forward Kiki Iriafen as their next addition. Standing at 6-foot-3, Iriafen brings immediate impact potential to Washington with her scoring prowess, shooting 50.6% from the field, solid rebounding, and playmaking abilities. The Mystics are hopeful that Iriafen can help lead them back to playoff contention after a disappointing previous season.
New York Liberty:
Despite being the defending champions and retaining their starting lineup, the Liberty aim to fill the gap left by guard Courtney Vandersloot by drafting the skilled playmaker Georgia Amoore from Kentucky. Despite her height of 5-foot-6, Amoore excels in facilitating the offense and leads the SEC in assists per game. She is also averaging a career-high 19 points and shooting 43% from the field.
Connecticut Sun:
The Sun have faced significant roster changes during the offseason, losing key players and their head coach. Slovenian forward Ajsa Sivka emerges as a draft-and-stash prospect for the Sun’s rebuild. With her well-rounded skills, averaging 11 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2 steals per game, Sivka could be a valuable asset for the Sun’s future plans.
Knocking down 42.2% of her shots from beyond the arc for Tarbes Gespe Bigorre, WNBA Draft prospect Ajša Sivka showed her skills in the first half of the Slovenia vs Finland game, racking up 9 points, 2 steals, and shooting 4-5 from the field. While her 3-point shooting performance is yet to be seen today, Sivka is proving to be effective in other aspects of the game so far. The Los Angeles Sparks made a splash in free agency by acquiring two-time WNBA champion Kelsey Plum, who will be joining forces with Cameron Brinks, Rickea Jackson, and Dearica Hamby in Los Angeles. Adding to their roster, the Sparks selected guard Shyanne Sellers, a player who perfectly fits new coach Lynne Roberts’ up-tempo style of play. Sellers has been averaging 13.9 points per game, shooting an impressive 47.9% from the field and a career-high 42.9% from beyond the arc, while also contributing 4.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Notably, Sellers has made history at Maryland by becoming the first player to achieve 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists. Moving on to the next pick, the Chicago Sky chose guard Te-Hina Paopao from South Carolina in the first round. Paopao, reunited with former teammate Kamilla Cardoso, has showcased her ability to create scoring opportunities for both herself and her teammates, along with marked improvement on the defensive end. With averages of 10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, Paopao is shooting 47.1% from the field and 38.7% from beyond the arc. The Minnesota Lynx, aiming to build on their previous season’s success, selected 6-foot-7 center Sedona Prince from TCU. Despite her impressive stats of 17.8 points, 61.3% shooting from the field, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game, Prince’s on-court achievements have been clouded by allegations of abuse and sexual assault, which may impact her draft stock. Finally, the Dallas Wings, having already secured Paige Bueckers with the first overall pick, strengthened their lineup by choosing guard Saniya Rivers from NC State. Rivers brings defensive prowess, averaging 12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. The Wings, who struggled defensively last season, look to Rivers to bolster their performance on that end of the court. Stay informed with the USA TODAY app for the latest news, award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, and the eNewspaper. This detailed analysis originally appeared on USA TODAY, covering the WNBA mock draft for
