Featured Columnist IVNovember 17, 2024
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Pictures
The WNBA is holding its Draft Lottery on Sunday to find out the order of the 2025 draft, which might be held on April 14. 4 groups are at present within the operating for the highest general decide.
Under, we’ll break down the lottery odds, present draft order and prime prospects probably obtainable on this 12 months’s version.
Lottery Odds
The Los Angeles Sparks had the perfect odds to win the highest general decide, at 44.2 %, adopted by the Dallas Wings (22.7 %), Chicago Sky (22.7 %) and the Washington Mystics (10.4 %). Dallas had the proper to swap picks with Chicago.
The remainder of the order was mounted, together with the enlargement Golden State Valkyries choosing fifth.
Draft Order
- Dallas Wings
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Chicago Sky
- Washington Mystics
- Golden State Valkyries
- Washington Mystics (from Atlanta Dream by way of Dallas Wings)
- Phoenix Mercury*
- Indiana Fever
- Seattle Storm
- Chicago Sky (from Connecticut Solar)
- Minnesota Lynx
- New York Liberty*
*New York can swap its first-rounder for Phoenix’s choice.
Prospects to Know
Sunday’s Lottery is basically the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes. The UConn senior has averaged 19.9 factors, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in her profession, taking pictures a powerful 50 % from three.
ESPN @espn
PAIGE AT THE BUZZER 😳
Paige Bueckers as much as 15 factors on the finish of the primary 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OB8r94ftr0
B/R Hoops @brhoops
Paige Bueckers went off for 29 factors in a win over No. 14 North Carolina 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QAVt9iWClr
She’s almost as a lot of a no brainer choice for the highest general decide as Caitlin Clark was a 12 months in the past. And Wings’ star Arike Ogunbowale is clearly enthusiastic about the potential for pairing with Bueckers:
As for the board behind her, USC energy ahead Kiki Iriafen might be a wonderful comfort prize. She averaged 19.4 factors and 11 rebounds for Stanford final season, and since transferring to the Trojans has put up 17.3 factors and 7 rebounds whereas taking pictures 50 % from three in 4 contests this season.
The Notre Dame backcourt of level guard Olivia Miles and taking pictures guard Sonia Citron may additionally garner top-five curiosity. Miles is a nightly triple-double menace, averaging 17.7 factors, seven rebounds and 6.7 assists this season, whereas Citron has had a slower begin (10.5 PPG) however put up 17.3 factors per sport final season.
Miles might select to return to Notre Dame for an additional 12 months, nonetheless, which might be price monitoring this offseason.
UConn’s Azzi Fudd will not play till December and will return to UConn for the 2025-26 season, so she is probably not obtainable for groups. She has top-five expertise, nonetheless, making her a reputation to know.
UCLA middle Lauren Betts is one other participant who might have top-five enchantment if she declares for the 2025 WNBA draft. And LSU’s Aneesah Morrow is a doubtlessly top-five decide, particularly if the underclassmen listed above return to highschool.
However Bueckers and Iriafen really feel like digital locks to be the primary and second gamers off the board, respectively.
