The 2025 WNBA Draft was on Monday, and for some teams, it was just another annual event, but it was a monumental day for some teams. Dallas Wings had the No. 1 overall pick, and their fans were excited for the day. For The Golden State Valkyries it was a very special day as it was their first ever draft.
The Valkyries selected Juste Jocyte at No. 5 with their first-ever pick in WNBA history. They also selected Shyanne Sellers at No. 17 and national champion Kaitlin Chen at number 30. There are talks about whether the Valkyries made the right decision passing up on NCAA stars and going international for their first pick.
Is Passing on Aneesah Morrow a Smart Decision by the Valkyries?
There were plenty of options for the Valkyries in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Most fans expected that the Valkyries would select a well-known college player such as Aneesah Morrow or Hailey Van Lith or Harmoni Turner.
It is believed that drafting a popular player to a big market would be a quick way to establish a significant fanbase and draw attention to the games.
However, the Valkyries had other ideas and selected the 19-year-old Juste Jocyte from Lithuania. This decision has fans and media outlets wondering if it’s smart or not. CBS analyst Terrika Foster-Brasby shared her thoughts.
“I don’t think they lost the draft, but they, I think, made a big faux pas in that first round by not selecting Aneesah Morrow at number five”, Foster-Brasby said. “I was quite shocked that she was not taken at that spot.
“I’m thinking you wanna have a person that is going to come into your organization that is gonna bring some defense, that is going protect the rim for you, that is going to really build momentum for you, build an identity, and for me, I thought Aneesah Morrow was going to be the perfect person to fill that spot for Golden State.
“So I was quite surprised that they decided to go in a different direction.”
She further expressed her happiness that the Connecticut cut selected Morrow instead.
“At the same time, I was very happy that Connecticut said that your mistake is going to be my way of getting back into the fold of the conversation of being the team to be reckoned with this particular season,” Foster-Brasby said.
KEEP READING: ‘Almost Didn’t Let Us Use The Bathroom’ — Golden State Draftee Kaitlyn Chen Recalls WNBA Draft Night Excitement
Nevertheless, it is too early to judge if the Valkyries made the right decision or if they missed out on a special gem.
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