2025 WNBA Draft Report Cards: Grading Team Strategies & Rookie Potential

Dallas Wings: A+ Draft Masterclass

Key Picks:

• 1st Overall: Paige Bueckers (UConn PG) - Elite court vision & clutch scoring
• 12th Pick: Aziaha James (NC State SG) - Explosive perimeter scorer

Analysis: Dallas transformed its backcourt by pairing Bueckers' playmaking with James' scoring punch. GM Curt Miller emphasized defensive versatility with Madison Scott (Ole Miss) and JJ Quinerly (West Virginia). The Wings now boast the league's most dynamic young guard rotation alongside veteran Arike Ogunbowale.

Washington Mystics: Rebuild Accelerated

Franchise-Changing Selections:

• 3rd Pick: Sonia Citron (Notre Dame) - Lockdown defender with 42% 3PT accuracy
• 4th Pick: Kiki Iriafen (USC) - Double-double machine (17.2 PPG/10.1 RPG)

Depth Additions: Kentucky playmaker Georgia Amoore (6th pick) and Iowa sharpshooter Lucy Olsen (23rd) create multiple lineup options. The Mystics added 48.3 combined PPG from their top three selections.

Golden State Valkyries: Expansion Growing Pains

Controversial Choices:

• 5th Pick: Justė Jocytė (Lithuania) - Raw international prospect (8.4 PPG in EuroLeague)
• 17th Pick: Shyanne Sellers (Maryland) - Sliding draft stock after injury-plagued season

Concerns: The expansion team's decision to prioritize international prospects over NCAA-proven talent raises questions. Front office faces pressure to develop 19-year-old Jocytė into a franchise cornerstone.

Notable Value Picks

• Indiana Fever: Makayla Timpson (19th) - ACC-leading 2.3 BPG
• Seattle Storm: Dominique Malonga (2nd) - 6'6" French center with 63% FG%
• Connecticut Sun: Aneesah Morrow (7th) - SEC rebounding leader (12.3 RPG)

Team Grades Breakdown

Full analysis includes 11 teams' draft strategies and projected rookie impacts. Teams without picks (Phoenix, New York) excluded from grading.