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their franchises through the
WNBA draft.
Similar to most other leagues, the first draft pick is usually the most obvious, so the
Dallas Wings picked up
Paige Bueckers as expected. The
UConn guard is an offensive threat and was just a few free throws short of a 50/40/90 season, and knows how to facilitate to the players around her. So she’s a franchise-changing player even without the ball in her hands and is solid on defense, too. Matched with the Wings’ new defensive-focused leadership in General Manager Curt Miller, expect Beueckers to make an immediate impact.
With the No. 2 pick, the Seattle Storm picked up Dominique Malonga. Many assumed Olivia Miles would go second, but she surprisingly returned to school and transferred to
TCU. But don’t fret; Malonga has often been dubbed the WNBA’s response to
Victor Wembanyama, as she stands at 6-foot-6 at just 19 years old. Matched with her 7-foot wingspan, dunking comes easily to her, and she even has a three-pointer. She’s already considered the best player in the French league, which was solidified after she was named MVP in the EuroCup. The Storm has a bunch of new toys this season as they also picked up Serena Sundell and Madison Conner.
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Coming into the draft, you already knew the
Washington Mystics were overhauling their roster after their 14-26 2024 season. With three of their six picks coming in the first round, they lucked out, beginning with Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron for a third pick with impressive defensive skills, and is a much-needed wing pickup with a dependable jumper.
The Mystics also had the fourth pick, selecting Kiki Iriafen. She was the next best player on the board and made some major strides at the end of her college career, including adapting and stepping up in March Madness when an injured Juju Watkins went down. They also picked up Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore with the sixth pick, known for her adept assisting ability and great under-pressure play, winning an ACC title and a Final Four appearance. Her offensive ability is also impressive, but at 5-foot-6, she may be a defensive liability.
The newest WNBA franchise is the
Golden State Valkyries, and they’re ready to chart a path like their NBA counterpart, the
Warriors, with whom they share an ownership group. And it begins with drafting Lithuania’s Juste Jocyte. She’s essentially a mystery to WNBA fans, but at just 19 years old, she’s been playing professionally in France for six years, so she brings a lot of experience but still has malleable talent. The Valykries are a new team, so it’s hard to determine what they’ll look like on the floor with two other new draft picks, Shyanna Sellers and Kaitlyn Chen.
The top 10 was rounded out by LSU’s rebounding legend,
Aneesah Morrow, who is heading to the Connecticut Sun and will be joined by Saniya Rivers of N.C. State.
The Los Angeles Sparks picked up Sarah Ashlee Barke out of Alabama, and the
Chicago Sky picked up Ajsa Sivka and Haile Van Lith, who will reunite with
Angel Reese.
Peep the rest of the picks below.
Round 2 results
13. Las Vegas Aces: Aaliyah Nye — F, Alabama
14. Dallas Wings: Madison Scott — G, Ole Miss
15. Minnesota Lynx: Anastasiia Olairi Kosu — F, Russia
16. Chicago Sky: Maddy Westbeld — F, Notre Dame
17. Golden State Valkyries: Shyanne Sellers — G, Maryland
18. Atlanta Dream: Te-Hina Paopao — G, South Carolina
19. Indiana Fever: Makayla Timpson — F, Florida State
20. Indiana Fever: Bree Hall — G, South Carolina
21. Los Angeles Sparks — Sania Feagin — C, South Carolina
22. Chicago Sky: Aicha Coulibaly — G, Texas A&M
23. Washington Mystics: Lucy Olsen — G, Iowa
24. Minnesota Lynx: Dalayah Daniels — F, Washington
25. Connecticut Sun: Rayah Marshall — C, USC
Round 3 results
26. Seattle Storm: Serena Sundell — G, Kansas State
27. Dallas Wings: JJ Quinerly — G, West Virginia
28. Los Angeles Sparks: Liatu King — F, Notre Dame
29. Seattle Storm: Madison Conner — G, TCU
30. Golden State Valkyries: Kaitlyn Chen — G, UConn
31. Dallas Wings: Aaronette Vonleh — F, Baylor
32. Washington Mystics: Zaay Green — G, Alabama
33. Indiana Fever: Yvonne Ejim — F, Gonzaga
34. Seattle Storm: Jordan Hobbs — G, Michigan
35. Las Vegas Aces: Harmoni Turner — G, Harvard
36. Atlanta Dream: Taylor Thierry — F, Ohio State
37. Minnesota Lynx: Aubrey Griffin — F, UConn
38. New York Liberty: Adja Kane — C, France
See how social media is reacting to the WNBA draft below.
