silverguide.site –
The No 1 overall pick will be …
For the past three years, the No 1 pick has been a foregone conclusion: Aliyah Boston in 2023, Caitlin Clark in 2024, Paige Bueckers in 2025. This year has much less certainty. Will the Dallas Wings go for a big or a guard? How did UConn’s exit and UCLA’s triumph affect the stock of their stars? It’s a toss-up, but I’ll go with Awa Fam. She’s only 19, but her athleticism and pick-and-roll game will make her a strong complement to Bueckers in Dallas. EB
Awa Fam. Not the most polished prospect in the class, but perhaps the one with the highest ceiling. The Spanish center has professional experience with Valencia and held her own against some of the WNBA’s best in a Fiba World Cup qualifying tournament defeat to the United States last month. She moves fluidly for her 6ft 4in frame, shoots with touch and reads the game well. For Dallas, her ability to stretch the floor and grow alongside Bueckers fits a long-term build. BAG
Azzi Fudd. There’s a lot of debate right now about what teams need and who complements which system the best, but Fudd makes sense for the Wings if Dallas are building around Paige. Their experience will help the Wings get where they want to be a little faster than they may otherwise. SK
As much as it likely saddens Bueckers, who would no doubt relish a reunion with UConn spouse Fudd, consensus appears to be consolidating around Awa Fam. With Bueckers and Fam, a three-level scorer who could become the first foreign player to go No 1 since treble league MVP Lauren Jackson, Dallas have a chance at a one-two punch they can really build around. AL
The team who had the best expansion draft was …
The Toronto Tempo took some inspiration from Golden State’s journey from expansion team to contender last season: their GM said they want to win “immediately”. Julie Allemand should slot in as a starting point guard, and Aaliyah Nye and Nyara Sabally have experience on championship rosters. Marina Mabrey has competed at an All-Star level before and could get there for real if she improves her consistency. EB
Toronto Tempo. After the Golden State Valkyries sold out all their games and became the first expansion side to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season, the expectations around first-year teams have been raised. The experienced core of Allemand, Mabrey and Maria Kliundikova will help Toronto be more competitive right away, though the playoffs may still be a few years off. BAG
This one is tough! Both teams made really compelling choices. I’m inclined to say the Toronto Tempo because their expansion draft selections are easy to understand, but it feels like the Fire are hoping to make a Valkyries-esque splash this season. SK
Toronto Tempo. Mabrey (a stone-cold baller) is a helluva pickup, and Sabally (who helped clinch the Liberty’s 2024 WNBA title) is a beguiling veteran who could finally tap into her true potential as new-old coach Sandy Brondello puzzles through the Tempo’s rotations. That said: I don’t see either team being as good out of the box as the Valkyries, who scrapped their way to a 2025 playoff spot and aren’t likely to give any ground to this year’s newcomers. AL
This will be a good draft for …
UCLA Bruins. Lauren Betts only improved her case to be a top-five pick by leading the Bruins to the national title and earning Most Outstanding Player honors. Who will be the second UCLA player off the board? That’s the big question. Gianna Kneepkens is one of the most talented shooters in the class, while Gabriela Jaquez (21 points and 10 rebounds in the final) and Kiki Rice (12.8 points, 5.2 rebounds in the tournament) had standout postseasons. UCLA could become the first school with four first-rounders since UConn’s Fab Four in 2002. EB
UCLA players. The Bruins’ title run turned an already respected group into the story of the draft. Betts, Rice, Jaquez, Kneepkens and Angela Dugalic all gained traction at the ideal time and multiple mocks see UCLA flooding the first round with players who look immediately usable in pro rotations. BAG
The Washington Mystics are poised to pick up quite a few players in the first round. Washington have the No 4, 9, and 11 picks, which could see them drafting Betts, Olivia Miles, or even Fam at that top spot, as well as potentially Cotie McMahon, Jaquez, or Ta’Niya Latson. SK
The Atlanta Dream, who scored all-star Angel Reese in a shock trade for two noodle packs and a jar of Ragu. She gives the Dream something their transition offense sorely needed – a player who can net them extra possessions off the glass. All they’re missing now is shooting, and TCU’s Marta Suarez or UCLA’s Jaquez (if she falls or they trade up to get her) would neatly fit the bill. AL
Whose stock has risen more in the last month?
Outside anyone with “UCLA” next to their name, I’ll say South Carolina’s Raven Johnson. Before this season, she was already one of the most decorated players in the history of a very decorated program. The Gamecocks’ title-game run boosted that résumé, leaving her with four national championship appearances, five Final Fours and five conference championships. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year played a key part in shutting down Fudd and Sarah Strong in the Final Four, holding UConn to their fewest points since 2022. She could jump into the top 10. EB
Raven Johnson. Her extra year at South Carolina seems to have done exactly what she needed. Her improved shooting, command and all-around growth have impressed draftniks, who have slotted her as a first-round player who could help a good team with defense, strength and winning habits. BAG
It’s pretty tough to deny that UCLA’s Betts, Jaquez, Kneepkens, and Rice are all getting even more attention post-tournament, and they deserve it. All four played crucial roles in their win over South Carolina in Phoenix, and will be assets to any team that drafts them. SK
Feels like Iyana Martin has been drawing more buzz since her flashy run in for Spain in recent Fiba World Cup qualifiers. At just 20 years old, she’s got a ton of room for growth – and at a slight 5ft 9in, she’ll surely have to hit the weights to keep from getting bodied off the ball by the W’s brawny perimeter defenders. AL
Which international player could surprise?
Frieda Bühner had a very short stint in the US college game in 2022-23, playing four games for Florida before she returned to Germany. She’s since had a nice career in the Spanish league, averaging 17.1 points this season. Buhner also has a solid international record for a 21-year-old: she came off the bench at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and was named to the All-Star Five of last month’s Fiba World Cup qualifying tournament. EB
Frieda Bühner. She is not generating the same buzz as Fam, but the profile is compelling: size, strength, fast decisions, interior scoring and encouraging indicators on the jumper. In the right developmental setting, she could wind up looking like one of the steals of the international group. BAG
Nell Angloma might be the Juste Jocyte of this year’s draft. The France-to-USA pipeline is strong, and she could end up drafted higher than a lot of people think. She’s only 19 and has plenty of time before she even touches her ceiling, and could be a great asset for Toronto in particular. SK
Stella Colas could get a look near the end of the draft. The Frenchwoman had acquitted herself well in second division play last year and overcame an uneven start to this season to show flashes of creative playmaking. But with so many great guards available, she remains a long shot to hear her name called on Monday night. AL
Later-round gem to watch
Israel’s Yarden Garzon didn’t have the valedictory season she had hoped for after transferring from Indiana to Maryland. But her length is a perfect fit for the pro game and her range is deep. If she can hit threes as consistently as she did at Indiana, where she was knocking ‘em down at a near 50% clip, she’ll crack a WNBA rotation – and quickly. EB
Hannah Stuelke. ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo more or less gave the scouting report for why Caitlin Clark’s former Iowa teammate is such an interesting sleeper: motor, size, athleticism and real upside as a rim-runner. She still feels unfinished, which may push her into the second- or third-round, but she could thrive if the right club takes a flyer on her. BAG
Keep an eye on Stuelke, Tennessee’s Zee Spearman, and Texas’s Rori Harmon. All three have room to grow and deserve a spot somewhere in the league to maximize their potential. Harmon in particular could surprise a lot of people if the right team takes a chance on her. SK
Maggie Doogan from Richmond made headlines in January when she set the record for most points (48) in a Division I game. She shot 50.6% from the floor this season to go with 21.1 points per game. She won’t go as high in this year’s draft as Maddy Siegrist, another crafty scorer from a small school, but she has enough similar traits that she could make an impact at a team’s training camp. Another to watch: Harmon. She’s undersized at 5ft 6in and has some shooting weaknesses, but she proved herself as one of the country’s best on-ball defenders in the Longhorns’ run to the Final Four. AL
Who drafted the best last year?
The Mystics struggled to close out games last year and couldn’t crack the top of the East, but two of their three first-round picks – Notre Dame’s Sonia Citron and Stanford’s Kiki Iriafen – had standout seasons. They shattered franchise records and were two of three rookies (the other being Bueckers) to be All-Star selections. Washington are the only team with two top-10 picks this year – but they also fired their GM a week before the draft. We’ll have to see how that works out. EB
The Wings. If you land the Rookie of the Year, you are in the argument by default. Bueckers has given the Wings a true centerpiece on and off the court. The results lagged as the Wings shared the WNBA cellar with Chicago, but that is secondary. The draft is about acquiring the best asset available, and no player from last year’s class offered more immediate or long-term value. BAG
I think it’s difficult to say anyone but the Wings, right? Bueckers is a generational talent and a strong leader, especially for someone who is still so young. The Mystics also picked up a whole collection of players whose names we’ll be hearing for years to come. SK
Mystics GM Jamila Wideman did a nice job grabbing Citron, Iriafen, Georgia Amoore and Lucy Olsen before management showed her the door after one season in the role. Three out of the four turned out to be gainful contributors – not least Citron, an All-Star (with Iriafen) who finished runner-up to Bueckers for rookie of the year. Where the team goes from here is anyone’s guess, but it can’t be said they weren’t set up for success. AL
The top 10 picks will be* …
Ella Brockway’s top 10
Dallas Wings — Awa Fam, center, Spain
Minnesota Lynx — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn
Seattle Storm — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU
Washington Mystics — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA
Chicago Sky — Kiki Rice, point guard, UCLA
Toronto Tempo — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, South Carolina
Portland Fire — Gabriela Jaquez, shooting guard, UCLA
Golden State Valkyries — Nell Angloma, forward, France
Washington Mystics — Gianna Kneepkens, shooting guard, UCLA
Indiana Fever — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina
Bryan Armen Graham’s top 10
Dallas Wings — Awa Fam, center, Spain
Minnesota Lynx — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA
Seattle Storm — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU
Washington Mystics — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn
Chicago Sky — Kiki Rice, guard, UCLA
Toronto Tempo — Iyana Martín, point guard, Spain
Portland Fire — Gabriela Jaquez, shooting guard, UCLA
Golden State Valkyries — Gianna Kneepkens, guard, UCLA
Indiana Fever — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, LSU
Indiana Fever — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina
Stephanie Kaloi’s top 10
Dallas Wings — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn
Minnesota Lynx — Awa Fam, center, Spain
Seattle Storm — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU
Washington Mystics — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA
Chicago Sky — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, LSU
Toronto Tempo — Nell Angloma, forward, France
Portland Fire — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina
Golden State Valkyries — Gianna Kneepkens, shooting guard/wing, UCLA
Washington Mystics — Cotie McMahon, forward, Mississippi
Indiana Fever — Ta’Niya Latson, shooting guard, South Carolina
Andrew Lawrence’s top 10
Dallas Wings — Awa Fam, center, Spain
Minnesota Lynx — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn
Seattle Storm — Nell Angloma, forward, France
Washington Mystics — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA
Chicago Sky — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU
Toronto Tempo — Kiki Rice, guard, UCLA
Portland Fire — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina
Golden State Valkyries — Ta’Niya Latson, shooting guard, South Carolina
Washington Mystics — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, LSU
Indiana Fever — Gabriela Jaquez, shooting guard, UCLA
* This is what our writers think the order will be, rather than what they think it should be.
Comment