WNBA draft 2025: Grading the night of every team

The 2025 WNBA Draft is in the books, and, as expected, the Dallas Wings selected Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick. After winning a national championship with UConn, Bueckers will team up with superstar guard Arike Ogunbowale as the upstart Wings look to compete for their first championship since 2008, back as the Detroit Shock.

As for the rest of the lottery, the Seattle Storm picked French sensation Dominique Malonga at No. 2, and the Washington Mystics selected Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen with the No. 3 and 4 overall picks, respectively.

With all three rounds accounted for, here’s a look at the selections, team grades, and breakdowns for every pick.

Picks:

1 . Paige Bueckers, UConn, G

12 . Aziaha Jams, NC State, G

14 . Madison Scott, Ole Miss, PF

27 . JJ Quinerly, West Virginia, G

Since the Wings received the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery, Paige Bueckers has long been projected as their choice to pair with All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale. Since drafting Ogunbowale fifth overall in 2018, Dallas has failed time and time again to pair her with a back court mate of her caliber. As Dallas has said, it’s time to turn the Paige.

Bueckers is an efficient bucket-getter at every level. She’s as dynamic off the ball as she is on it, which will translate well with Ogunbowale. The belief that Dallas needed a point guard in its starting lineup to get the ball out of Ogunbowale’s hands is well-known. In all actuality, that couldn't be farther from the issue Bueckers will solve.

Ogunbowale led the WNBA in unassisted field goal attempts because Dallas didn’t have the talent to score consistently. Defenses collapsed on Ogunbowale, forcing her to take matters into her own hands. With Bueckers in Dallas, Ogunbowale is enabled to fly around and knock down plenty of catch-and-shoot opportunities.

The Wings are focused on a new frontier in downtown Dallas, and with Bueckers’ stardom following her to North Texas, general manager Curt Miller couldn’t be happier. After numerous moves to land DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Ty Harris, and Myisha Hines-Allen, the front office is committed to competing for a championship after the departures of Satou Sabally and Natasha Howard.

During the draft, ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo asked, if you’re a defense facing Dallas with Bueckers, Ogunbowale, and Aziaha James, who do you guard?

Defenses will have to pick their poison with the trio. In James’ case, she is a relentless scorer who draws the attention of everyone on the court. She averaged 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game this past season at NC State. Her shooting is inconsistent, but next to Ogunbowale and Bueckers, James will have plenty of space to do her best work in the midrange as a slasher.

Madison Scott was a mainstay for Ole Miss coach Yolette McCuin. Playing in a program-record 155 games, Scott is the fourth player in Ole Miss history to notch 1,600 points and 1,000 rebounds. In five seasons, she averaged 11.8 points and 3.7 assists per game. She’s not going to drop 20 points every night, but she always manages to fill out a stat sheet and have a considerable impact in games. Her defense and versatility got her drafted, but for Scott to stick to a WNBA roster, she has to develop her three-point shot. She shot a career 21% from deep, and only took 29 shots at Ole Miss.

Scott is a dependable scorer inside the arc and has the athleticism to get to the rim, but without a reliable three-pointer, defenses at the professional level will sit and wait for her to drive.

Picks:

2 . Dominique Malonga, ASVEL, C

26. Serena Sundell, Kansas State, G

After trading All-Star guard Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces in a three-team trade that netted them the second overall pick, it appeared that Seattle was in a prime position to select their next guard of the future. However, that plan dissolved overnight after talented wing Jordan Horston suffered a torn ACL injury while playing in Athletes Unlimited.

With 2024 Olympic silver medalist Gabby Williams returning to the Storm, she’s expected to take Horston’s spot. When Notre Dame star Oliva Miles entered the transfer portal instead of the draft, the Storm’s decision was clear: draft the best talent. Malonga is just that.

Her play style is that of the modern WNBA post player. On offense, she’s as polished as can be for a prospect on the interior. For a Storm offense that scored half of its offense from a strong, dynamic interior game with star forwards Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor, Malonga is a tremendous front line. In 22 games this season, she averaged 15.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, shooting 53.8% from the field and just under 29% from deep. At 6’6 with a 7-foot wingspan, she can score from anywhere on the court.

On defense, Malonga is simply gifted. Her fluidity allows her to defend all five positions on the floor efficiently. Averaging 1.4 blocks in her last season, she sends shots back at a whim, but her presence forces ball handlers to rethink their strategy. For a Storm defense that led the league in blocks (5.2) in 2024, her skill level will get ample time to adjust to Storm coach Noelle Quinn’s system.

Serena Sundell wasn’t a volume scorer at Kansas State, but she can still put the ball in the basket. The crown jewel of her skill set is her court vision. Her playmaking exploded on the scene this season, leading the nation in assists per game (7.3). At 6’2, she has the size to post up smaller guards and inflict her will in the paint. Her feel for getting teammates the best available look at a shot is rare for an incoming rookie. Selected with the No. 26 overall pick, it’s shocking to see Sundell fall to the third round. She could likely be the steal of the draft.

WNBA offenses are predicated on the three-point shot. If you net them consistently, the odds of sticking on a roster are great. In Madison Conner’s case, she made more threes than anyone in Division I on a 44.9% clip. The Storm were the worst three-point shooting team in the league last season and took the least attempts of anyone doing so. If Conner can leave a lasting impact, she could land a spot on Seattle’s final roster. It’s important to note that the Storm do not expect Nika Mühl to play this season.

Jordan Hobbs is the type of player who elevates a team’s ceiling. After not playing much in her first two seasons at Michigan, Hobbs was a full-time starter to close out her college career. In her senior year, she played a veteran role to freshmen stars Syla Swords, Olivia Olson, and Mila Holloway. Hobbs is your typical “glue” player who can do a bit of everything. She will stuff the box score as a third option next to a duo of stars in the W.

However, the Storm have eight guards on the roster after the draft. With Sundell and Conner filling an immediate need, Hobbs has an outsider’s chance of making the final roster.

6. Georgia Amoore, Kentucky, PG

At Notre Dame, Sonia Citron took a backseat role next to superstar guards Olivia Miles and Hannah Hidalgo, but her skill set will translate immediately in the W.

A lengthy wing at 6’1, Citron is superb off the ball and will give the Mystics a much-needed threat from outside. A career 37% shooter from three, she can knock it down off the bounce and the catch-and-shoot. She’s an unselfish player who has no problem passing up a good shot for a teammate to get a better one. Citron doesn’t need the ball to be successful, but she’ll have it in her hands more often than not for a Washington team devoid of shot creators.

The Mystics were on the clock for their second of three first-round picks at No. 4. Like the Storm, the Mystics didn’t need another forward since drafting Shakira Austin and Aaliyah Edwards recently, but Kiki Iriafen was the best talent available. She’s a terrific rim runner with an effortless face-up game. Finising at the rim comes with ease for her. Iriafen’s jumper needs to be more consistent, but what she lacks on offense is made up on the other side of the ball. Her versatility allows her to defend multiple positions, and she showed it as one of the best wing defenders this past season for the Trojans.

Georgia Amoore could be the most prolific guard taken in this draft. She is a sensational scoring threat from anywhere on the floor. She creates for herself and others, ranking in the top 10 nationally in assists. After sending franchise star Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky, the Mystics needed Amoore’s talents. At 5’6, there are thoughts about Amoore’s size. Guards in the W are bigger and stronger, which will present a challenge. However, the Mystics have plenty of posts to create schemes to maximize her abilities.

After leading the Big East in scoring (23.3 PPG) in her junior year at Villanova, Lucy Olsen transferred to Iowa and continued to develop her skills. Her three-pointer improved, too. Since trading Karlie Samuelson to the Lynx, Olsen will have an ample chance at cracking the final roster.

With six years in college, Zaay Green flourished at Alabama after transferring from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where she led the SWAC in assists per game (5.6). While not a strong shooter from outside, Green is a problem once she gets downhill at 6’2. She has great instincts when defending on the ball and isn’t shy about using her size against smaller guards.

Entering draft night, the Mystics needed guard depth, with only three on their roster. There’s a good chance that Olsen and Green will compete for a reserve spot.

5. Justė Jocytė, Lithuania, SG

Due to overseas commitments, there’s always an unknown for front offices when drafting international talent. For the Valkyries, that comes in the form of the expansion team’s first-ever draft pick, Lithuania guard Justė Jocytė.

Jocytė made Lithuania’s national team at 13 and made her professional debut at 14. While she may be unfamiliar to fans stateside, she’s drawn praise for her offensive capabilities and pick-and-roll savvyness. While her skills are off the charts for a big guard at 6’0, it’s uncertainty regarding her ability to have an immediate impact for the Golden State. There were several quality options sitting at the fifth pick that fit the bill, but the Valkyries took a swing, hoping not to strike out.

Shyanne Sellers dropped farther than anyone could’ve expected, but that’s where the Valkyries swooped in and got a steal. Sellers is a dynamic athlete who can play in the backcourt or out on the wing at 6’2. She has the versatility on both sides of the ball and playmaking ability that will be a welcomed addition for a young team with no true expectations, as they’ve yet to play a game.

In its first season in the league, Golden State will seek to build an identity on the court in training camp where anyone who fits the mold will have a chance in making the roster. From draft pick to expansion draft selections, the playing field is as open as could be. This will be one of many teams that others will pay close attention to when it comes down to final cuts to possibly add to their own rosters.

After a collegiate career that saw her corral the second-most rebounds in Division I NCAA women’s basketball history, Morrow entered the draft as one of most pro-ready prospects. While questions linger surrounding her height at 6-foot-1, her unrelenting motor cannot be ignored. She thrives inside the paint, where she can finish through traffic, and the attention she demands from defenses allows her to find open shooters on kickouts.

The Sun lost franchise icon Alyssa Thomas, also known as “The Engine”, as part of a four-team trade this offseason. For Morrow, she has the perfect opportunity to step in and fill the shoes of a legend. That’s not to say that Morrow will morph into a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate overnight, but her ceiling is just that high. She’s a Swiss knife on defense, where she guards multiple positions. Her impact will be felt immediately.

As the No. 1 overall pick, Bueckers will likely be the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. However, on a team with several stars who require the ball, that may work against her. In Morrow’s case, there are no longer four All-Stars in the Sun’s lineup to share the ball with, giving her ample shots and opportunity to be a dark horse for the award.

Morrow’s ability to score consistently from the perimeter needs work, but it’s no secret that Connecticut isn’t competing for a championship this season or in the next several following. Given the circumstances, Morrow couldn’t have landed in a better situation for her development.

Sun coach Rachid Meziane is a highly-skilled coach and teacher of the game, having led the French women’s basketball club, Villenueve d’Ascq, to a Ligue Feminine de Basketball Championship and a EuroLeague runner-up result in the 2023-24 season. He also took the Belgian Women’s National team, which included WNBA champion Emma Meesseman and Valkyries guard Julie Vanloo, to a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

With their second pick in the first round, the Sun selected Saniya Rivers, arguably the best athlete in the draft. At 6’1 with a 6’5 wingspan, Rivers can get to the rim whenever she pleases with a lightning-quick first step. Her slashing ability puzzles defenses routinely. She improved as a playmaker every year in college and isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and get into the action.

On defense, she’s a terror and can comfortably defend multiple positions. There isn’t much she can’t do, even with taller players. Her feel for navigating screens, jumping passing lanes, and defensive prowess overall will keep her on the floor.

Like Morrow, there’s improvement needed from outside, but both players have a great foundation to grow their abilities. The Sun couldn’t have asked for a better draft.

Rayah Marshall was projected to be a late second-round pick, and the Sun took her with the last selection. She’s a reliable rebounder and defender on the interior but hasn’t shown much upside in her collegiate career.

While Morrow and Rivers are locks to make the final roster, there is a bit of unknown concerning Marshall. What she does have working in her case is Tina Charles and Olivia Nelson-Ododa being the only proven post players on the roster.

With the ninth overall pick, it seemed to many that better prospects were available for the Sparks. Perhaps no player benefitted more from the NCAA Tournament, where Barker scored 45 points in a loss at Maryland. It’s clear her motor and get-it-done mentality impressed the Sparks.

Barker can aid an offense with or without the ball in her hands and has a dynamic stroke from the perimeter. She shot 37% this past season, which surely caught the eye of Sparks coach Lynne Roberts. In her last three seasons at Utah, her teams led the nation in three-point efficiency and at the rim. The Utes also placed second in offensive rating and third in effective field-goal efficiency. A player with Barker’s abilities will be a welcome addition as Roberts builds out her first roster.

With four consecutive Final Four trips and two national championships on her resume at South Carolina, Sania Feagin entered the draft as the most accomplished player. Standing at 6’3 with a 6’5 wingspan, Feagin is a fierce defender on the interior and is capable of matching the pace of quicker players on the drive.

She didn’t play much her first two years in Columbia sitting behind All-Americans Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso, but showed promise in her junior year. With Cardoso in Chicago and Ashlyn Watkins out for the season with a torn ACL suffered in early January, Gamecocks coach turned to her senior in Feagin to be the woman in the middle. With an opportunity to showcase what she’s learned, she made the most of it.

Through the first 15 games in an elevated role, Feagin averaged 2.1 blocks per game. Even if she didn’t get the rejection, her presence alone forced defenses to reconsider their path of approach in the paint.

On the offensive end, Feagin comes from a long line of highly creative post passers. She averaged 1.5 assists in her last 25 games, including tourney matchups. But her court vision goes past assist numbers. Feagin has the uncanny ability to get her teammates great shots.

At South Carolina, she was a reliable ball handler pushing it in transition and had no issue demanding the ball to reset possessions. High-low looks with other posts was where she made her bread and butter, a skill that will translate rather easily with Cameron Brink and Dearica Hamby.

When Feagin gets two feet in the paint and sets a seal, she wastes no time putting the ball up. If there’s traffic, she’s comfortable with rising up for a midrange shot, shooting over 67% on twos in her first 18 games without Watkins.

After South Carolina’s SEC Championship win over Texas, Staley couldn’t help but point out Feagin’s commitment to her craft.

“When she’s locked in, she’s communicative, she has great footwork, great touch and can stick to a gameplan. You’re seeing all of her skill set that we saw during the recruiting process that we didn’t see on a consistent basis her first three years.”

Between draft picks and training camp invites, the Sparks have only a few roster spots open.

From the start of the offseason, Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca was adamant about adding shooting and wing depth next to franchise cornerstones Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. He got that in talented 19-year-old Ajsa Sivka.

On draft night, the Sky executed a last-second trade with the Lynx, securing back-to-back picks in the first round for a 2026 first-round pick. In short, the team is looking ahead to free agency in 2026, when nearly every household name will be on the open market. Stockpiling assets for the future is the first step to be a winner when the time comes, in free agency and on the court.

Still, with two draft picks being possible grab-and-stash prospects, it’s unclear whether Pagliocca’s plan will yield fruit this season or in the several to follow.

Sivka is a 6’3 combo forward who could be a perfect fit to space the floor around Reese and Cardoso. She’s a solid shooter on the perimeter and has a reputation for mind-boggling assists in the French league. There are some concerns about her capabilities on defense guarding WNBA post players and how her game will translate to the league’s style of play.

However, it appears that Chicago isn’t banking on her to contribute immediately since Sivka starts for Slovenia’s national team and is expected to play in Eurobasket this June.

Entering the draft, the Sky needed a point guard for the future. Hailey Van Lith has the potential to be that for a young, rebuilding team. After transferring to TCU, Van Lith set out to hone her skills as a lead guard and thrived in a spread pick-and-roll offense. An advantageous passer and reliable shot maker, Van Lith will be welcomed within a Sky offense in need of concise decision-making in both departments.

Maddy Westbeld excels at the little things that make a team better. Surrounded by stars Olivia Miles, Hannah Hidalgo, and Sonia Citron, Westbeld’s contributions were overlooked more times than not. She’s a durable shooter from outside and excels in pick-and-pop scenarios. At 6’3, she has the size to make matchups uncomfortable and is an effective rebounder.

Aicha Coulibaly is still recovering from an ACL injury and isn’t expected to play this season, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune.

The Aces selecting Aaliyah Nye with the 13th overall pick may have surprised some, but she’s been one of the best shooters in the nation for several seasons. In three years at Alabama after transferring from Illinois, Nye led the SEC in three-point percentage twice, averaging 6.4 shots a game from the perimeter. At 6’0, she’s a big guard that can get her shot off, open or not. She shot a career-best 46% from three this past season and owns a 40% career clip.

Nye is a stout defender with a versatile profile that accentuates Las Vegas’ style of play in transition.

Harmoni Turner was named the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year in her final year at Harvard, which created a perfect storm for the Aces with the 35th overall pick. Turner is a natural leader and terrific scorer, averaging 22.5 points per game this past season. The Aces need talent, and Turner has an endless amount of it.

15. Anastasiia Olairi Kosu, Russia, SF

37. Aubrey Griffin, UConn, SF

Considering that the Lynx were a blink away from claiming the franchise’s fifth championship, they weren’t any eye-opening needs to fill. Since coach Cheryl Reeve is returning key players that got the team to the WNBA Finals, they’re a favorite to return.

The Lynx only have one or two roster spots for the taking, but Dalayah Daniels is a 6’4 forward who can do a bit of everything on the floor. She’s a force in the paint on both sides and takes pride in doing the dirty work that makes teams at this level great. Her shot profile needs work, but Minnesota is one of the best organizations in the league for developing talent.

Te-Hina Paopao was thought to be a high first-round pick, so the Dream had to be pleased when seeing she was available at 18th overall.

Paopao is a 5’9 combo guard who’s just as dynamic off the ball as she is on it. She’s a career 40% three-point shooter and led the nation in efficiency during the 2023-24 season. She can create for herself and others and is as pro-ready as any player in this draft. She can stretch the floor around Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones and has shown the ability to run a pristine pick-and-roll at South Carolina. For a Dream team in need of shooting self-creation, Paopao is a great fit.

On defense, she’s a ball hawk that knows when to pounce for the ball and when to pull back and let it come to her. Her motor is undeniable and has surprising strength when defending bigger guards. She’s no stranger in the paint to grab a timely rebound, either.

Thierry was one of the best defenders in the Big Ten. If she doesn’t make this roster, she could very well be one of many players who are invited to training camp to compete for a spot.

The Fever didn’t make any splashy acquisitions on draft night, but they didn’t need to. The roster was transformed in free agency, signing veteran All-Stars DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard. With the picks available to them, the strategy was clear: shore up the defense.

With the 19th pick, Indiana took Makayla Timpson out of FSU. She’s a rim-running machine who can finish at the rim at will. At 6’2 with a 6’7 wingspan, she will be a lob threat favorite for run-and-gun superstar Caitlin Clark.

On defense, Timpson made the ACC All-Defensive Team three times. For the past two seasons, he led the ACC in blocks per game. Her ceiling is sky-high and will prove to be a worthy addition through training camp.

As a career 37% shooter, Bree Hall was a reliable safety valve for the Gamecocks. She’s great in stationary settings and has no issue relocating to get her shot off. For most of her college career, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley relied on Hall to defend the opposing team’s best player. Her poise in various scenarios reflects that of an established veteran, which will bode well in the W. The Fever need reliable defenders, and Hall has a good chance to be that for a team looking to compete for a championship.

In five seasons at Gonzaga, Yvonne Ejim was a career 14.8 PPG scorer, but blossomed her last two years, leading the WCC in points, averaging 20.2 per game. In her final year, she led the conference in rebounds (9.3). She has a face-up game that’s as smooth as butter and is no slouch on the defensive side. Standing at 6’1, she’s a matchup nightmare on any given night. What she lacks in a perimeter shot is made up for in the midrange, where she shot a WCC-best 60% in 2023-24.

With only one pick in the draft and the very last one, options were limited for the defending WNBA champions. The Liberty have struck gold with international prospects before, so it’s no surprise that’s the direction the team went with the 38th overall pick.

Adja Kane, a 6’3 forward from France, currently plays for Landerneau Bertagne Basket and was on the U20 French EuroBasket team. She’s a versatile defender with tremendous length.

Like the Lynx, the Liberty didn’t have a need that jumped off the page. With one of the best scouting departments in the league, New York may have another Leonie Fiebich-type of scenario with Kane