WNBA: Minnesota Lynx mix youth, experience with three draft picks

The Minnesota Lynx, coming off a WNBA Finals run, have one of the most experienced rosters in the league.

Without a top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, it was already unlikely that they would find someone who could contribute to their immediate contention. They clearly agreed, and traded their own first-round pick—albeit the second to last pick in the round—for sole control of the Chicago Sky’s first round pick in next season’s draft (Minnesota already had swap rights with Chicago due to a previous transaction), which will likely be higher than No. 11.

What Minnesota did find, however, is an opportunity to take a shot on a player who could contribute in a future season, along with two experienced college players who could find their way onto the back end of the roster.

Anastasiia Olairi Kosu

The Lynx’s first selection of their night, at No. 15 overall, was Anastasiia Olairi Kosu, a 6-foot-1 Russian forward who just turned 20 years old.

Kosu has a boatload of international success, including a FIBA U16 MVP award when she was only 14, but it’s very possible that she stays in Europe for at least next season. Because international players can be drafted two years before NCAA prospects, “draft-and-stash” picks are a smart way to build on future rosters, rather than drafting an older prospect who would likely get cut by the end of training camp. Assuming the Lynx don’t bring Kosu stateside just yet, she’ll be able to refine her talents further in the EuroLeague and hopefully make the roster next season.

Dalayah Daniels

Unlike Kosu, Minnesota’s second selection, Dalayah Daniels, has a lot of experience against top American talent. Daniels played five years and 136 games of college basketball at Cal and Washington.

She’s a 6-foot-4 forward who has a prowess for protecting the rim, but questionable offensive development prevented her from being selected higher than No. 24 overall. Daniels had very little scoring deviation throughout her college career, which could either be a good sign of consistency or a disappointing lack of improvement. Her graduate season showed promising efficiency, but she was never in a ball-dominant role. Luckily for her, she certainly would not be in a ball-dominant role in Minnesota. As Daniels surely knows, her job in training camp is to defend, rebound and do the dirty work. If she shows out, she could sneak onto the back end of the Lynx roster before the season opener.

Aubrey Griffin

During last year’s draft, one of the most heartwarming stories was that of Kate Martin, who attended the draft to support her teammate Caitlin Clark, but ended up hearing her own name called too. This year felt like déjà vu when Aubrey Griffin, attending in celebration of her UConn sisters Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen, was drafted with the second to last pick of the night by Minnesota.

Like Martin, Griffin is no charity pick. She can hoop. Multiple injuries derailed her college career, but she kept coming back and kept contributing to one of the country’s best program. Her 2022-23 season was the highlight of her Connecticut tenure, leading the Big East in field goal percentage and averaging 11 points per night. She knows it will be an uphill battle to make a WNBA roster, but getting drafted is a feat on its own. She’ll have a legion of support behind her no matter where she goes, and could bring some valued experience to the Lynx’s depth.