With the WNBA Draft less than a week away, we’re here to provide a mock draft complete with a full analysis of all 12 first-round picks. Who goes where?
2025 WNBA Mock Draft: Full First Round
Following the end of the WNBA season, many seniors who were expected to declare for the draft did so—except for Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles, who announced her intentions to transfer to TCU for her fifth year. She was widely expected to be a top-five pick, potentially throwing a wrench in plans for guard-needy teams early on.
Regardless, the 2025 edition of the WNBA Draft is full of talented and accomplished players who may very well become stars at the next level.
We’ll begin with a former Husky who just won a national championship for UConn and boasts star potential from day one.
1. Dallas Wings: Paige Bueckers, UConn
Fresh off a national championship with the UConn Huskies, Bueckers will most likely join the Wings in Dallas. Last season, they only won nine games and finished with the worst point differential in the entire league.
A terrific all-around prospect, Bueckers fills up the stat sheet, averaging 19.9 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, and 4.6 assists per game. In addition to that, her on-court intelligence and decision-making separate her from her peers, as the former Husky simply knows how to make the best basketball play at any particular moment.
From the moment she steps on the court in Dallas, she’ll immediately drive winning— something the Wings haven’t consistently done in the franchise’s history.
2. Seattle Storm: Dominique Malonga, France
The Storm had the fifth-best record in the WNBA last season but hold this pick by virtue of a trade with the LA Sparks, putting them in a majorly advantageous situation.
At 6’6″, Malonga will bring a physical presence to Seattle down low as the post for the future. In addition to her physicality, she also moves extremely well with nimble feet and elite athleticism for her size.
As a French prospect, Malonga still has some unknowns as she transitions to the WNBA. However, she poses as having the highest potential of all the draft prospects. A contending team like the Storm would be a perfect landing spot for her as she develops and adjusts as a rookie.
3. Washington Mystics: Sonia Citron, Notre Dame
A senior out of Notre Dame, Citron poses as the Mystics first of their consecutive picks at No. 3 and 4. A 6’1″ guard, Citron had a tremendous career with the Fighting Irish. She averaged double figures scoring in all four seasons, highlighted by 17.3 points per game her junior season.
Her senior season saw her scoring dip to 14.1 points per game as Notre Dame had several other talented players beside her—yet Citron’s field goal percentage increased to 48.4% from the field and 37.2% from beyond the arc.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Mystics need players like Citron, who are steady contributors and can space the floor.
4. Washington Mystics: Juste Jocyte, France
With two selections in the first four picks, Washington would be wise to aim for potential with one of the two picks. Citron isn’t that, as she’s a developed prospect who can contribute and fill a role right away.
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Meanwhile, Jocyte has played professional basketball since the age of 14 and, while being a skilled offensive player with a tight handle and sweet mid-range shooting stroke, may have issues adjusting to the WNBA game.
Her defense is a major question mark, but her size—6’2″—gives hope that she can develop into a requisite team defender. Whether she can fully develop into a star player or not is a worthy shot for the Mystics to take, given their current standings.
5. Golden State Valkyries: Kiki Iriafen, USC
Iriafen broke out during her junior and senior seasons, growing into one of the top players at the college level. In her senior season, she averaged 18.0 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game despite shooting only 49.0% from the field.
Increased efficiency should see her score more points if given opportunities to succeed at the next level. An expansion team, the Valkyries would be a perfect spot for Iriafen to continue to grow as a professional player and develop her ability to finish around the basket.
Additionally, the Bay Area would feel like home for the former USC Trojans and give fans someone familiar to root for.
6. Washington Mystics: Shyanne Sellers, Maryland
After nabbing a duo of wings with their first two picks, the Mystics select a ball-handling guard with excellent positional size in Sellers.
Another steady four-year contributor, Sellers scored 14.4 points per game and dished out 4.1 assists per game during her senior season and was the catalyst behind the Terrapins’ Sweet Sixteen run. She moved up draft boards in the tournament after scoring 28 points against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second round.
Her ability to get down hill with ease will be key in being able to distribute to her teammates in Washington.
7. Connecticut Sun: Aneesah Morrow, LSU
The Sun could use some scoring down low, and they get that here in Morrow, who averaged 18.7 points per game while grabbing 13.5 rebounds per game for the Tigers. An undersized forward at 6’1″, Morrow makes up for it with her tenacity and toughness.
While not seen as having the highest ceiling, the former LSU star would be a great fit in Connecticut, which has proven to be a contending team in the WNBA.
8. Connecticut Sun: Saniya Rivers, N.C. State
With their second consecutive pick, the Sun take a flier on a player who has high potential but may not be able to contribute immediately.
One of the most athletic players in this draft class, Rivers needs work refining the edges of her game, but her effort stands out over everything else. As a 6’1″ guard, she snagged 6.6 rebounds per game while also registering 11.9 points per game during her senior season.
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Her shooting is a major question mark regarding her ceiling, as she shot just 27.2% last season. Regardless, Connecticut is in a position to take a project player like Rivers, who may grow into something more down the road.
9. Los Angeles Sparks: Hailey Van Lith, TCU
A year after taking Cameron Brink with the second-overall pick in the 2024 draft, the Sparks get their point guard of the future here and create a potentially deadly pick-and-roll duo.
Van Lith emerged during her lone season with the Horned Frogs into one of the top players in the country after disappointing in a season with LSU.
As a fifth-year senior, she showed her scoring prowess (17.9 points per game) and distributing ability (5.4 assists per game). Her leadership qualities should also factor into this pick, as she stepped into a vocal role for TCU in leading them to the Elite Eight.
10. Chicago Sky: Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
At 5’6″, Amoore is certainly on the smaller side for the point guard position. But what she lacks in height, she makes up for with heart and smarts on the floor. She led the Wildcats in assists with 6.9 per game. She did score 19.6 points per game on a high volume, proving that her role in the WNBA is likely as a passer.
The Sky, who just missed the playoffs last season, desperately need a player like Amoore to feed their young posts in Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. Amoore fits that bill as a perfect complement to both players.
11. Minnesota Lynx: Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
The Lynx are not looking to add projects as they aim to compete for a WNBA title. The Lynx would be wise to select Paopao, who is a terrific shooter and plays well off of star players.
Across her career, the 5’9″ guard shot 40.0% from beyond the arc and averaged 11.4 points per game. If she were to head to Minnesota, she would be a rotation player off the bench who would be valuable with her ability to space the floor and knock down open looks.
12. Dallas Wings: Serena Sundell, Kansas State
After selecting Bueckers with the top pick, the Wings select Sundell as a potential partner in the backcourt for the future. While Bueckers can handle the ball, Sundell could help take some of that pressure and be the main distributor for the Wings after averaging 7.3 assists per game for the Wildcats in her senior season.
She’s also just a good basketball player with a good basketball IQ—something that can’t be overlooked as the first round comes to a close.
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