When the Los Angeles Sparks traded out of the WNBA Draft lottery to acquire Kelsey Plum, part of the organization’s stated rationale was skepticism about who would be available to select with the No. 2 pick. A similar thought process informed Chicago’s decision to trade No. 3 for Ariel Atkins. Both of the projected top-two picks, Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles, had additional years of collegiate eligibility, as did several other highly ranked prospects.
With the draft less than a week away, on Monday, and the declaration deadline behind us, that uncertainty was well-founded. Although Bueckers will be joining the WNBA in 2025, Miles elected to return to college and transfer from Notre Dame. Azzi Fudd, Bueckers’ teammate, will be back at UConn next season. Other potential early entry candidates decided to stay put, including LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, UCLA’s Lauren Betts and Janiah Barker, and South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson, who just transferred from Florida State.
As a result, this draft isn’t as deep as the one that preceded it. There is still significant talent, however, if not full-on star power beyond Bueckers.
(Despite 13 teams in the league with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries, the draft’s first round will feature only 12 selections. The Las…
