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After an exciting 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament came to an end, all eyes are on the WNBA.
Just eight days after the UConn Huskies won the national championship, the WNBA Draft will take place on Monday, April 14 at The Shed in New York City.
But the Phoenix Mercury will likely sit this draft out after trading away all their picks.
2025 WNBA Draft schedule, TV channel: How to watch draft
The Mercury earned the No. 7 pick in the 2025 Draft lottery, but because of a previous trade that brought Michaela Onyenwere to Phoenix in 2023, the New York Liberty had pick swap rights. The defending champions then earned the No. 7 pick and the Mercury received the No. 12 pick.
However, the Mercury didn’t hold onto that 12th pick for too long.
On Feb. 2, the Mercury sent the first-round pick to Dallas and the second-round pick to Indiana as part of a four-team trade. The Mercury acquired Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas, along with Wings forward Satou Sabally, Wings center Kalani Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun.
On Aug. 21, 2024, the Mercury traded their third-round pick and guard Sug Sutton for Swedish guard Klara Lundquist’s rights.
The 2025 draft class is interesting this year as UConn star Paige Bueckers is the consensus No. 1 overall pick for the Dallas Wings.
If Bueckers is chosen first, she will become the sixth Connecticut player to be selected first overall, joining Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011) and Breanna Stewart (2016).
Aside from Bueckers, the rest of the draft board isn’t straightforward. Several big names have opted to stay another year in school, including Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles, UConn guard Azzi Fudd and UCLA center Lauren Betts. Miles recently transferred to TCU.
With several players opting out, it opens opportunities for other players to be drafted higher than expected.
One of the most exciting prospects, who can go in the top five, is French center Dominique Malonga. At 6-foot-6, the 19-year-old is the ultimate athlete. She's averaged 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while shooting 53.8% from the field for France's Lyon ASVEL Féminin.
The Seattle Storm secured the No. 2 overall pick after trading all-star guard Jewell Loyd and could fill that void or choose another direction with Malonga available.
Several players shot up the draft boards due to their impressive performances in March Madness, including TCU guard Hailey Van Lith, LSU forward Aneesah Morrow, USC forward Kiki Iriafen and Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron.
The Washington Mystics were quiet in free agency, but will have a big draft night with three picks in the first round (No. 3-4, 6). The Mystics can go in several directions and can target Morrow, Citron, Iriafen, Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers and Lithuanian wing Justė Jocytė.
The newest franchise, Golden State Valkyries, has the No. 5 pick and could get an ultra-competitive player in Iriafen or Van Lith.
The Connecticut Sun are in rebuilding mode after the four-team trade that sent away several starters. The Sun obtained back-to-back picks with No. 7 and 8 and can target Slovenian forward Ajša Sivka, Morrow or Kentucky guard Georgia Amoore.
Several guards will likely go later in the first round.
The Los Angeles Sparks traded for Kelsey Plum to be their top playmaker and got the No. 9 pick in that blockbuster trade. However, the Sparks could get another guard to play with Plum, including Van Lith, Sellers or Amoore.
With the No. 10 pick, it's likely the Chicago Sky will want South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao. If Van Lith and Amoore are still available, they would make viable options.
The Minnesota Lynx could take a look at Alabama guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, whose stock rose when she scored a program-record 45 points in a second-round thriller against Maryland in the tournament.
The Wings will end the first round and could go with a guard like NC State's Saniya Rivers or a forward like USC's Rayah Marshall or TCU's Sedona Prince.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: WNBA Draft 2025: Who is going where?
Continue reading...
Just eight days after the UConn Huskies won the national championship, the WNBA Draft will take place on Monday, April 14 at The Shed in New York City.
But the Phoenix Mercury will likely sit this draft out after trading away all their picks.
2025 WNBA Draft schedule, TV channel: How to watch draft
The Mercury earned the No. 7 pick in the 2025 Draft lottery, but because of a previous trade that brought Michaela Onyenwere to Phoenix in 2023, the New York Liberty had pick swap rights. The defending champions then earned the No. 7 pick and the Mercury received the No. 12 pick.
However, the Mercury didn’t hold onto that 12th pick for too long.
On Feb. 2, the Mercury sent the first-round pick to Dallas and the second-round pick to Indiana as part of a four-team trade. The Mercury acquired Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas, along with Wings forward Satou Sabally, Wings center Kalani Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun.
On Aug. 21, 2024, the Mercury traded their third-round pick and guard Sug Sutton for Swedish guard Klara Lundquist’s rights.
The 2025 draft class is interesting this year as UConn star Paige Bueckers is the consensus No. 1 overall pick for the Dallas Wings.
If Bueckers is chosen first, she will become the sixth Connecticut player to be selected first overall, joining Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011) and Breanna Stewart (2016).
Aside from Bueckers, the rest of the draft board isn’t straightforward. Several big names have opted to stay another year in school, including Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles, UConn guard Azzi Fudd and UCLA center Lauren Betts. Miles recently transferred to TCU.
With several players opting out, it opens opportunities for other players to be drafted higher than expected.
One of the most exciting prospects, who can go in the top five, is French center Dominique Malonga. At 6-foot-6, the 19-year-old is the ultimate athlete. She's averaged 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while shooting 53.8% from the field for France's Lyon ASVEL Féminin.
The Seattle Storm secured the No. 2 overall pick after trading all-star guard Jewell Loyd and could fill that void or choose another direction with Malonga available.
Several players shot up the draft boards due to their impressive performances in March Madness, including TCU guard Hailey Van Lith, LSU forward Aneesah Morrow, USC forward Kiki Iriafen and Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron.
The Washington Mystics were quiet in free agency, but will have a big draft night with three picks in the first round (No. 3-4, 6). The Mystics can go in several directions and can target Morrow, Citron, Iriafen, Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers and Lithuanian wing Justė Jocytė.
The newest franchise, Golden State Valkyries, has the No. 5 pick and could get an ultra-competitive player in Iriafen or Van Lith.
The Connecticut Sun are in rebuilding mode after the four-team trade that sent away several starters. The Sun obtained back-to-back picks with No. 7 and 8 and can target Slovenian forward Ajša Sivka, Morrow or Kentucky guard Georgia Amoore.
Several guards will likely go later in the first round.
The Los Angeles Sparks traded for Kelsey Plum to be their top playmaker and got the No. 9 pick in that blockbuster trade. However, the Sparks could get another guard to play with Plum, including Van Lith, Sellers or Amoore.
With the No. 10 pick, it's likely the Chicago Sky will want South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao. If Van Lith and Amoore are still available, they would make viable options.
The Minnesota Lynx could take a look at Alabama guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, whose stock rose when she scored a program-record 45 points in a second-round thriller against Maryland in the tournament.
The Wings will end the first round and could go with a guard like NC State's Saniya Rivers or a forward like USC's Rayah Marshall or TCU's Sedona Prince.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: WNBA Draft 2025: Who is going where?
Continue reading...
