The 2024 WNBA Draft order is about. Indiana gained the draft lottery Sunday, giving the Fever the primary choose in what could possibly be one of many deepest drafts in league historical past. May is the operative phrase, as each draft-eligible senior on this class has the chance to return to school for a fifth season as a result of COVID-19 bonus 12 months given to each participant who suited up in 2020-21.
Indiana is the fourth staff within the final decade to earn consecutive No. 1 picks after Seattle had the highest alternatives in 2015 and 2016, Las Vegas had a three-year stretch of choosing first from 2017-2019, and New York gained the lottery in 2020 and 2021. The Storm gained two titles with the duo of Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart, and the Aces have finished the identical with the trio of Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Younger. The Fever hope to shortly comply with of their footsteps with the inside-outside mixture of Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.
we received the No. 1 choose within the 2024 @WNBA Draft & our draft lottery social gathering went nuts! 🔊 pic.twitter.com/OIpuntbosn
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) December 10, 2023
Clark going first has been the anticipated end result for the reason that finish of final season, however what occurs afterward? The Athletic’s first 2024 mock draft makes an attempt to reply that query. This train contains each participant who’s eligible for this 12 months’s draft, although we all know a few of them will select to remain an additional 12 months at school. We’ll cross that bridge later within the 12 months. For now, let’s assume each senior who can go professional will accomplish that.
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Who’re the perfect girls’s faculty basketball gamers for the 2024 WNBA Draft?
1. Indiana Fever
Caitlin Clark | 6-0 guard | Iowa
That is the simplest determination in the complete draft. Clark is a superlative offensive engine, one of many best ever seen in faculty basketball. She pours on factors in a rush and never simply together with her emblem vary; Clark doesn’t shrink back from contact within the paint and her midrange capturing will get higher each season. She’s certainly one of solely 15 gamers in Division I historical past to attain 3,000 factors, and he or she has a practical probability of breaking Kelsey Plum’s scoring report this season, along with chasing Pete Maravich’s all-time report for males or girls.
If, in some way, she could be held in test as a scorer — and good luck with that, no staff has stored her under 20 since Maryland in February, a span of twenty-two video games — Clark can also be an elite passer. She zips the ball up the court docket in transition and makes each learn within the half court docket. That is the participant who led the nation in factors and assists as a sophomore after which improved on each these figures as a junior.
Clark can also be a celebrity. Iowa offered out its season ticket allotment, and attendance rises in each highway enviornment when the Hawkeyes go to as a result of folks need to see Clark. She dazzles within the limelight. She is a advertising and marketing dream for any group; she will be able to deal with the stress of being the face of the franchise. The truth that she’s born and raised within the Midwest and takes nice delight in that makes her a slam dunk in Indiana. Moreover, the basketball match of Clark and Boston is classy. After years of competing towards one another for nationwide awards — and in a single epic NCAA Match conflict — they’ll get to construct one another up as teammates.
Paige Bueckers | 5-11 guard | Connecticut
The Sparks are ecstatic to be within the place, even when Clark is off the desk. The Fever incomes the primary choice makes it extra probably that Clark declares for the draft, giving L.A. its choose of each different participant within the nation. Though fan sentiment is in favor of Cameron Brink (take into consideration the final time the Sparks chosen a Stanford frontcourt star within the lottery), proper now, now we have the Sparks taking Bueckers.
Bueckers’ damage historical past — she missed a lot of the 2021-22 season with a knee problem after which all of 2022-23 with a torn ACL — offers pause, however her play when wholesome nonetheless portends a future celebrity. She will be able to work with the ball in her arms and is completely lethal within the midrange whereas additionally making 44 p.c of her 3s in her UConn profession. The one approach to hold her from attending to her spots is to disclaim her the ball, and together with her dimension and talent to learn the ground, even that doesn’t at all times go properly for opponents.
She gained nationwide participant of the 12 months as a freshman and stored UConn’s 14-year Closing 4 streak alive as a sophomore regardless of getting back from damage two video games earlier than the Huge East event. She’s a big-game participant, and the Sparks want that, particularly from the guard place. Since Chelsea Grey left in 2021, L.A. has lacked a dynamic playmaker who can also be a scoring risk. That’s Paige Bueckers.
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Nameless WNBA GM ballot: Candid ideas on potential 2024 draftees Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers
Cameron Brink | 6-4 ahead/middle | Stanford
It could be extra poetic if the Stanford massive went to L.A. and the Connecticut guard went to Phoenix, however Brink lands with the Mercury on this mock. It isn’t a lot about match as a result of Phoenix has two starter-level bigs in Brittney Griner and Brianna Turner, however she’s the perfect participant out there. Brink is the perfect frontcourt choice on this draft. She’s a completely terrifying defensive presence who stifles publish gamers and likewise sticks with guards on the perimeter. She has a flexible offensive recreation, mixing in guard abilities with the normal inside scoring of a 6-4 participant.
Brink’s the kind of participant you possibly can think about having the ability to guard A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart in a few years whereas additionally having the ability to change out onto Clark. Each WNBA staff goes to wish that.
4. Seattle Storm
Rickea Jackson | 6-2 ahead | Tennessee
Jackson’s placement within the lottery assumes that she’ll return quickly from an damage that has restricted her to 2 video games this season. As a result of if Jackson regains her kind from final season, she’s an expert scorer who belongs on any WNBA roster. She even received to her spots towards a Staff USA squad that got here to Knoxville for an exhibition in November, main all scorers.
Seattle’s most important drawback in 2023 was a dearth of offensive choices, leaving Loyd to fend with suffocating defensive coverages. Jackson can alleviate that stress. What she does finest is put the ball within the hoop.
Nyadiew Puoch | 6-3 ahead | Southside Flyers (Australia)
Usually, I attempt to shrink back from worldwide gamers within the first spherical given their nationwide staff commitments and the difficulties of prioritization. However it’s a lot simpler for Australian gamers to make the transfer to the WNBA as a result of their home league, the WNBL, doesn’t battle in any respect with the WNBA calendar. Because of this, Puoch is a robust choice for Dallas at No. 5.
Puoch has put up sturdy performances internationally on the youth degree; she significantly dazzled for the world staff on the inaugural Nike Hoop Summit in April. Her defensive versatility pops. At the same time as a wing, Puoch is a dynamic rim protector in assist protection. The 19-year-old can also be a easy driver, mixing in Euro steps with highly effective takes to the cup and ending together with her left regardless of being right-handed. She’s connecting on 50 p.c of her 3s within the WNBL this season, making her a prototypical 3-and-D wing to enhance Dallas’ stars.
Nyadiew Puoch will get higher each time she steps on the court docket.
Tonight’s recreation towards Bendigo was subsequent degree, as she displayed extra of her offensive arsenal than ever earlier than.
That hesi transfer goes to be a nightmare for opponents to cope with for years to return!
17p/9r/3a.#WNBL24 pic.twitter.com/qLQgduhuaw— Hayley Wildes (@wildes_hayley) December 9, 2023
Jacy Sheldon | 5-10 guard | Ohio State
The Mystics love a guard who will get after it on protection, and even when she had been subbing in for Brittney Sykes (or probably Natasha Cloud), there could be no defensive drop-off with Sheldon. She’s been an lively full-court defender for 5 years at Ohio State and completely excellent off-ball within the half court docket, which inserts seamlessly subsequent to the point-of-attack stress of Sykes. For a staff that prides itself on stopping opponents, Sheldon makes a ton of sense.
Washington wants to enhance its spacing on offense, and Sheldon additionally fills that position. She was at or close to 35 p.c from lengthy vary in her first three seasons with the Buckeyes and has raised that to 40.5 p.c as an excellent senior. The Mystics generate a excessive quantity of triples of their system however have related on them at a below-average charge yearly since 2019 after they set a WNBA report for offensive effectivity. Guards who can shoot are a should.
Charlisse Leger-Walker’s dimension makes her a robust match for the Lynx at level guard. (Norvik Alaverdian / ATPImages Getty Photographs)
Charlisse Leger-Walker | 5-10 guard | Washington State
The Lynx don’t have any level guards beneath contract for the 2024 season. Though they appear completely content material discovering a flooring normal from the veteran waiver wire, as they did the final two years, the draft is a major alternative for Minnesota to search out one other franchise tentpole to pair with Napheesa Collier and Diamond Miller.
Cheryl Reeve appears to favor lead guards with a little bit extra dimension (therefore the Tiffany Mitchell and Rachel Banham experiments at level), which is why Leger-Walker is the choose. She’s a dynamite passer, not simply within the pick-and-roll but additionally on skip passes out of drives. She will be able to get to the basket on her personal and off cuts, and he or she has a easy midrange recreation, significantly when she posts up smaller guards. Her capturing vary hasn’t but expanded constantly to the 3-point line, however being a profession 80 p.c shooter from the foul line suggests it’s doable. As a defender, Leger-Walker is bodily and rebounds properly. She’ll want work in one-on-one protection, nevertheless, most rookies do. Assuming Leger-Walker can rise up to snuff on the defensive finish, she would match properly offensively on the Lynx, who get a number of shot creation out of their frontcourt.
Kamilla Cardoso | 6-7 middle | South Carolina
Watching the Dream within the playoffs final 12 months — and in a few of their disappointing fall-from-ahead defeats within the common season — the key want on this roster is a veteran level guard who can settle Atlanta within the run of play. Sadly, drafts don’t yield veterans, which implies the Dream is perhaps finest suited buying and selling this choose if they’ll’t land a flooring normal in free company.
If we follow the perfect participant out there, Cardoso will get the nod. She would assist beef up a considerably undersized frontcourt; she might again up Cheyenne Parker and even play subsequent to her, contemplating Parker’s perimeter abilities. The Dream had been mauled on the glass within the postseason towards Dallas and had no greater choices on the bench to show to — Cardoso solves that drawback. And in contrast to many draftees who wrestle with the adjustment of enjoying within the second unit, Cardoso has finished that for a lot of her collegiate profession.
9. Dallas Wings
Georgia Amoore | 5-6 guard | Virginia Tech
The Wings employed Crystal Dangerfield as their place to begin guard for many of final season however didn’t appear totally offered on Dangerfield at that place, finally benching her within the second spherical of the playoffs. Each she and Veronica Burton are nonetheless beneath contract, however neither has a protected deal, that means this spot may be very a lot up for grabs in Dallas. Amoore could possibly be the participant who lastly brings stability at level guard.
Amoore has turn out to be an impressive distributor, together with her help proportion leaping above 40 this 12 months after hovering round 27 her first three seasons. She’s stored her turnovers fixed within the course of, making her much more harmful with the ball in her arms. The Australian guard can also be a reliable scoring risk, with the flexibility to complete creatively on the rim and rating within the midrange on pull-ups and floaters. However her trademark is the sidestep past the arc which permits her to place up a excessive quantity of 3-pointers. Amoore runs a number of pick-and-rolls, and one can solely think about what she would do with the area afforded by a Teaira McCowan display. Her 3-point proportion is barely down this season, however that appears to be a problem of overuse. If Amoore had been ever arrange by a teammate — which hardly ever occurs at Virginia Tech — she’s a superb spot-up shooter. She’s a shooter defenders wouldn’t need to depart alone, even when she’s sharing the court docket with McCowan or Arike Ogunbowale.
Amoore’s dimension presents issues about her means to carry up defensively within the WNBA, which is why she slots behind different guards. Nonetheless, Dallas survived defensively with Dangerfield, and Amoore provides extra on offense. She might step proper into an present position with the Wings.
Te-Hina Paopao is among the nation’s high offensive guards. Who will take her? (Lance King / Getty Photographs)
10. Connecticut Solar
Te-Hina Paopao | 5-9 guard | South Carolina
Each offseason, I dream of the way the Solar might get some spacing, and we’re going to manifest it by sending them Paopao. She is among the finest total offensive guards in faculty basketball. Paopao is outstanding at operating an offense, particularly within the pick-and-roll, however she can also be distinctive off the ball as a spot-up shooter, which is necessary when Alyssa Thomas will usually be dealing with the rock. Paopao isn’t the perfect point-of-attack defender however does properly in assist and works exhausting boxing out. She and Ty Harris (one other Gamecocks product!) would complement one another properly.
I thought-about placing Charisma Osborne on this spot, since her defensive mindset is a fairly apparent match with the Solar. Osborne is an efficient rebounder and playmaker who doesn’t present the identical degree of particular person offense as Paopao, nevertheless, and the latter’s edge in capturing was sufficient to earn her this spot.
11. New York Liberty
Angel Reese | 6-3 ahead/middle | LSU
Honestly, I don’t actually know what sort of minutes Reese would get in a lineup that already has Breanna Stewart and (presumably) Jonquel Jones — although I’d like to see some jumbo seems with all three since Stewart and Jones can each area the ground. However Reese is much too proficient to cross over at this level. In April, one WNBA GM stated Reese was certainly one of two gamers on this draft (together with Clark) who had a chance to be “generational.” Relying on Brionna Jones’ Achilles restoration in Connecticut, it’d even make sense for the Solar to pick out her.
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Nameless WNBA GMs on Angel Reese: ‘She’s a assured lock influence participant, All-Star.’
Reese brings on the spot physicality and a presence on the glass at each ends. She creates further possessions, her motor is endless, and LSU feeds off her power. There’s a toughness in Reese’s recreation that will be a useful addition to New York, and he or she’s the type of star persona who would thrive in that market.
There’s some uncertainty round Reese given her latest unexplained absence from the Tigers, and, as famous in our nameless GM ballot, there have been questions on her maturity even previous to that. The staff that drafts Reese ought to have a steady locker room stuffed with veterans, and the Liberty match the invoice.
12. Los Angeles Sparks (from Las Vegas Aces)
Alissa Pili | 6-foot-2 ahead | Utah
The Sparks defended exhausting in 2023. With Jordin Canada on the level of assault and Nneka Ogwumike anchoring the frontcourt, Los Angeles had the flexibility to comprise even the perfect offenses within the league. However the Sparks made offense look exhausting for themselves, too, and so they might use a participant who can rating effectively and in a wide range of methods.
Pili is among the nation’s most versatile offensive gamers, a publish savant who may also step out. She will be able to assault the basket on the catch or off cuts. She does every part, and L.A. wants that offensive juice. The way in which she poured it on towards a stout South Carolina protection means that Pili can cling towards WNBA-level defenses regardless of her shorter stature. She merely will get buckets.
Knocking on the door: Aaliyah Edwards, Charisma Osborne, Celeste Taylor
(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; Images of Angel Reese, Cameron Brink and Caitlin Clark: Brian Rothmuller/ Getty, Elsa / Icon Sportswire, Maddie Meyer / Getty)
