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After Notre Dame beat Michigan in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Olivia Miles gave a tearful speech to a packed Purcell Pavilion on Notre Dame’s campus. She knew it was her last time playing for the home crowd there.
“The support y’all have shown me, and all of our seniors, through this long journey, you guys make it all worth it,” Miles said. “You trusted I’d be back here, I’d be back on the court. I love you guys. I love Irish Nation.”
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As I listened to this speech, I assumed Miles was signaling she was headed to the WNBA Draft, so I slotted her as the second pick in my previous mock draft. Miles, who had overcome an ACL tear at Notre Dame, has the skills to be a WNBA player now. She did decide to leave Notre Dame, but not for the professional ranks. Miles transferred to TCU, the very school that had knocked her team out of the tournament.
This means we need a new mock draft. With the WNBA Draft on Monday, here are the names you need to know and where they could fit.
Reminder: There are only 12 picks despite the league having 13 teams this season because the Las Vegas Aces lost their first-round draft pick because of rules violations in 2023. New York, Indiana, Phoenix and Atlanta all traded their 2025 first-round picks.
1. Dallas Wings: Paige Bueckers, UConn
In the national title game, Paige Bueckers started a little slowly. But she shot through it and ended the game with 17 points, six rebounds, two blocks and a championship ring. The smile she had after the win said it all.
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“It’s been a story of resilience, gratitude, of overcoming adversity and responding to life’s challenges,” Bueckers said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
After months of waiting, she will finally take her immense talent to Dallas, whose fans are hungry for success.
2. Seattle Storm: Dominique Malonga, France
Dominique Malonga is 6-foot-6, and she has shown, while playing for ASVEL Feminin in France, that she can get to the basket again and again. In 22 games this past season, Malonga averaged 15.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. The Storm led the WNBA in blocks last season with 5.2 per game. Can you imagine how terrifying the paint will be with Malonga and Ezi Magbegor defending the basket?
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“She is an unbelievably intriguing player because she has size, athleticism and range,” former Washington Mystics general manager Mike Thibault said, via the Associated Press. “She’s got a wide range of skills, which makes her pretty intriguing.”
3. Washington Mystics: Kiki Iriafen, USC
4. Washington Mystics: Sonia Citron, Notre Dame
Elena Delle Donne officially retired last week, making her the last piece of the Mystics’ 2019 championship team to move on. The Mystics now feature young but thrilling pieces, with players like Aaliyah Edwards and Shakira Austin showing just how much promise they have with strong performances in Unrivaled this winter. Iriafen and Citron are two players who will slot in well and can help rebuild Washington to a championship-level team.
5. Golden State Valkyries: Aneesah Morrow, LSU
In her final game with LSU, a loss to UCLA in the Elite Eight, Morrow’s nose was bloodied and swollen, but she returned to the game. LSU coach Kim Mulkey spoke about how special Morrow is after the game.
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“You wish you had Aneesah every time you walked on a court every day because you knew what you were getting from her and her effort. It didn’t matter how banged up she was, how hurt she felt,” Mulkey said. “She will take this loss extremely hard because that’s how she was raised. And give me the Aneesah Morrows of the world every day.”
The Valkyries will need a player to build around in their inaugural season, and Morrow, a double-double machine, fits the bill.
6. Washington Mystics: Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
The Mystics are a team with many good components — but those components will need help handling the ball and staying calm during the rough moments. Paopao shows a maturity well beyond her 22 years, has a national championship to her name, and throughout the 2025 tournament, Paopao was a key part of South Carolina’s success.
7. Connecticut Sun: Shyanne Sellers, Maryland
8. Connecticut Sun: Saniya Rivers, NC State
We will see an almost entirely new team in Connecticut this season, including a new-to-the-WNBA coach in Rachid Meziane. Sellers would likely be higher here if it weren’t for the injuries she dealt with throughout much of the season. But she showed how well she can score in the tournament, especially the 28 points she totaled in Maryland’s double-overtime thriller against Alabama. Rivers’ versatility, especially on defense, will be enticing to the team the Sun are building at Mohegan Sun.
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9. Los Angeles Sparks: Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
Amoore’s team was knocked out in a thriller against Kansas State in the tournament’s second round, so we haven’t seen her play for a few weeks. But that doesn’t change the fact that Amoore is a great shooter (19.6 points per game this past season) who can instantly help the Sparks’ offense under new coach Lynne Roberts.
10. Chicago Sky: Hailey Van Lith, TCU
For the Sky, Hailey Van Lith can be a player who just fits in. She already knows how to play under pressure, having played to at least the Elite Eight in the last five NCAA tournaments; she’s also an Olympic bronze medalist in 3×3. Van Lith also has the advantage of having played with Sky star Angel Reese, which will also make the very quick transition to the WNBA easier.
11. Chicago Sky: Juste Jocyte, Lithuania
Though she’s just 19, Jocyte has been playing against WNBA players for five years. In her first year in EuroLeague, she played against DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones. She could thrive with Angel Reese and the Sky.
12. Dallas Wings: Sedona Prince, TCU
Standing 6-foot-7, Prince has the height and skills that most WNBA teams could use. The Wings upgraded their defense by adding Dijonai Carrington in the offseason, and Prince could add to that. It should not be overlooked that multiple allegations of sexual and physical abuse have been made against Prince, who has denied the claims. It will be up to the team that picks her and the league to investigate the allegations and decide accordingly.
