The 2025 WNBA Draft is set to take place on Monday evening as the brightest young stars in women’s basketball will wait on pins and needles to hear their names called on draft night.
Paige Bueckers is widely expected to be selected by the Dallas Wings with the number one overall pick in this year’s draft. Bueckers solidified herself as one of the greatest college players in the history of the NCAA after leading the UConn Huskies to the national championship game, in which they soundly defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 82-59 last Sunday.
In four outstanding seasons at UConn, she averaged just under 20 points per game, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. If the Wings select her, the franchise will be in good hands and set up for at least the next decade with a franchise-level player.
Dominique Malonga from France, Kiki Iriafen of USC, and Sonia Citron of Notre Dame are all expected to hear their names called by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert early in the draft as well. The Seattle Storm will have the chance to take any one of those players with the second overall pick.
Embed from Getty ImagesHere is a list of the Top 12 draft pick in the First Round:
1. Dallas Wings: Paige Bueckers, UConn – To no one’s surprise, Paige Bueckers is heading to Dallas as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The super star guard out of UConn and 2025 National Champion will team up with Arike Ogunbowale on the Wings.
2. Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles Sparks): Dominique Malonga, France – Malonga, a 6’6″, 19-year-old forward/center, is an outstanding player with an even brighter future, who draws favorable comparisons to San Antonio Spurs center and countryman Victor Wembanyama. With Loyd being traded to the Las Vegas Aces, the Storm were in desperate need of a new point guard/floor general to fill her big shoes. But Malonga, whose ceiling is out of this world, was too good to pass up. Malonga, a member of the French national team, will be joining teammate Gabby Williams on the Storm. Williams won the Olympic silver medal with France this summer alongside Malonga, who was the youngest member of that team.
3. Washington Mystics (from Chicago Sky): Sonia Citron, Notre Dame – The Mystics, who are in the middle of a reset after the recent retirement of Elena Delle Donne, have three of the next four picks and used the first one on Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron. After putting together a string of great performances in the Fighting Irish’s NCAA Tournament run, Washington is adding Citron to their roster, a witty, multi-dimensional guard who will be a bright spot and help the Mystics on both ends of the court.
4. Washington Mystics: Kiki Iriafen, USC – Washington goes with USC forward Kiki Iriafen for its second of three first-round picks. Iriafen, who transferred to USC this offseason after three years at Stanford University, is an above average post player with strengths on both sides of the ball.
5. Golden State Valkyries: Justė Jocytė, Lithuania – In a ground-breaking moment for the league, the Valkyries use the franchise’s first-ever pick in the WNBA on Justė Jocytė, adding the 19-year-old Lithuanian guard to the team’s inaugural squad. Jocytė, who has been playing professionally in the EuroLeague for five years, was expected to go later in the Draft, but will be a good addition to the team’s already international-heavy roster.
6. Washington Mystics (from Atlanta Dream): Georgia Amoore, Kentucky – Washington takes Kentucky guard Georgia Amoore with their last first-round pick of the evening. Amoore was expected to go later in the draft as well, partially due to her miniature stature at just 5’6, as ESPN’s Holly Rowe noted, Amoore is one of few draft prospects shorter than the reporter, but she is an athletic guard with a wide range of shots in her repertoire. Amoore will join fellow rookies Citron and Iriafen on a young Mystics squad, a team already anchored by second-year player Aaliyah Edwards.
7. Connecticut Sun (via Phoenix Mercury): Aneesah Morrow, LSU – With the first of two first-round picks, Connecticut takes LSU forward Aneesah Morrow. As the Sun prepare for a full rebuild next season, Morrow will be a great player to take Connecticut into their next chapter, a great scorer and rebounder with a strong determination and work ethic.
8. Connecticut Sun (via Indiana Fever): Saniya Rivers, NC State – The Sun are going with NC State’s Saniya Rivers for their second first-round pick, selecting the 6’1″ guard at eighth overall. Rivers was an integral piece to the Wolfpack’s Sweet 16 run, posting stats across the board, and will be another key young player as Connecticut starts with a clean slate in 2025.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (via Seattle Storm): Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama – With their lone first-round pick of the 2025 Draft, the Sparks have picked guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, a standout at Alabama who caught the attention of everyone after a tough performance in 2025 March Madness. Barker was not expected to go this early, but her toughness, hard work and high-point performances have seemingly swayed Los Angeles to add her to the roster. Barker will now join a rebuilding Sparks team, who ended the season in the basement. In addition to stars like forward Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles. recently acquired champion guard Kelsey Plum and will hopefully see star second-year center Cameron Brink return this summer after tearing her ACL midway through her rookie campaign.
10. Chicago Sky (via Connecticut Sun): Ajša Sivka, Slovenia – Chicago picks Ajša Sivka, a 6’4″ forward from Slovenia, at tenth overall, the first of two consecutive first-round picks for the Sky. It has been a first round filled with international flavor, with Sivka becoming the third European player to be selected in this round. Sivka is another largely unknown European name in this year’s draft but has drawn comparisons, including from Sivka herself, to the Liberty’s German forward Leonie Fiebich. Sivka’s natural shooting ability should be a strong asset and complement for Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso’s presence in the paint.
11. Chicago Sky (via Minnesota Lynx): Hailey Van Lith, TCU – Hailey Van Lith is a WNBA first-round pick, with Chicago using its second pick to take the guard 11th overall. Van Lith single-handedly lifted her draft stock this month after a spectacular March Madness performance with TCU. The Sky, who needed some more perimeter shooting, will find that with Van Lith, who is a great shooter and a notorious workhorse.
12. Dallas Wings (via New York Liberty): Aziaha James, NC State – The Wings bookended the first round of the draft and used their second first-rounder to take Aziaha James, closing out the first round with the NC State guard. James has a strong arsenal of shots and will be a great pairing with Arike Ogunbowale and new rookie guard Paige Bueckers.
