Everyone is obsessed with the "Caitlin Clark effect." It’s real. It changed the math for the WNBA. But honestly? If you think the talent boom stopped with the 2024 class, you haven't been watching enough UConn or USC lately. The 2025 WNBA draft mock season is already hitting a fever pitch because the league is finally expanding. With the Golden State Valkyries officially entering the fold, the stakes for this upcoming draft have shifted from "who is the best player" to "who is the foundational piece for a brand new franchise." It’s a totally different vibe.
Paige Bueckers. That’s the name. If you aren't starting your board with her, you’re probably overthinking it. But behind her, there’s a massive knot of talent that makes the 1-12 range look incredibly volatile. We're talking about a mix of fifth-year seniors taking their COVID eligibility and young superstars who have been dominant since they were freshmen.
The Paige Bueckers Factor and the Valkyries' Big Choice
It’s almost a foregone conclusion. Paige is the prize. After years of navigating brutal knee injuries and setbacks, her return to form at UConn has been nothing short of cinematic. She’s not just a shooter; she’s a floor general with a basketball IQ that rivals some of the best vets currently playing in the "W."
When you look at a 2025 WNBA draft mock, the Golden State Valkyries are the wildcard. They need a face. They need a jersey that sells out in San Francisco. Bueckers provides that instantly. However, the complexity of an expansion draft means the Valkyries will already have a roster of veterans by the time they pick. This changes how they’ll view the draft. If they manage to snag a high-level point guard in the expansion draft, do they still take Paige? Probably. You don't pass on a generational talent because of "fit." You just don't.
But let’s be real for a second. The gap between Paige and the rest of the field isn't as wide as some people suggest. It's close. Kiki Iriafen has entered the chat, and she’s bringing a physical dominance that the league desperately needs.
Kiki Iriafen and the Rise of the Modern Power Forward
If you watched Stanford last year, you saw it. Then she moved to USC. Kiki Iriafen is a problem. In a league that is getting faster and more perimeter-oriented, having a mobile 6'3" forward who can face up, hit the mid-range, and defend multiple positions is gold.
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Most scouts I talk to are obsessed with her motor. She doesn't take plays off. In a 2025 WNBA draft mock, she’s a lock for the top three. Think about a team like the Los Angeles Sparks or the Washington Mystics. They need interior presence that isn't just a "traditional" center. Iriafen fits the modern mold perfectly. She’s quick enough to switch onto guards on a pick-and-roll, which is basically the price of admission in the WNBA right now.
The Depth Nobody Is Talking About: Aneesah Morrow and Azzi Fudd
Here is where things get weird. The "middle" of the first round is a total mystery.
Aneesah Morrow is a stat-sheet stuffer. At LSU, she’s shown she can play alongside other stars without losing her identity. She’s a rebounding machine. For a team like the Phoenix Mercury, who often struggle with consistency on the glass, Morrow is a dream. She’s slightly undersized for a traditional "big," but she plays like she's 6'10".
Then there’s Azzi Fudd. The health question.
If Azzi is healthy, she’s the best pure shooter in the draft. Period. Better than Paige. Better than anyone coming out of the collegiate ranks right now. But the "if" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. A 2025 WNBA draft mock that places Fudd in the top five is betting on her medicals. A mock that has her slipping to the late first round is playing it safe. In the WNBA, where roster spots are more precious than diamonds, taking a risk on a player with a history of injuries is a gamble that can cost a GM their job.
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Why the Expansion Draft Changes Everything
We have to talk about the Valkyries again. Usually, a draft is just about the worst teams getting the best players. In 2025, the expansion draft (scheduled for late 2024) will strip the existing 12 teams of one protected player.
This creates a vacuum.
Teams like the Indiana Fever or the New York Liberty might lose a key rotational piece. This makes their 2025 draft needs highly specific. They won't just be looking for "best player available." They’ll be looking for a very specific "3-and-D" wing or a backup rim protector to replace whoever Golden State snatched away.
- The Guard Surplus: This draft is heavy on perimeter talent.
- The International Wildcard: Keep an eye on Dominique Malonga. The French sensation is a 6'6" tower with guard skills. If she declares, she could realistically go #2 overall. She's that good.
- The Fifth-Year Seniors: Because of the 2020 COVID rules, we still have players who have been in college for what feels like a decade. They are "pro-ready" in a way 19-year-olds aren't.
Small Schools and Sleeper Picks
Don't sleep on the mid-majors. We’ve seen players like Dyaisha Fair prove that scoring translates, regardless of the conference. In the 2025 WNBA draft mock circles, scouts are spending a lot of time looking at players who can provide "instant offense" off the bench.
The WNBA is a brutal league for rookies. Most don't make the opening day roster. Seriously. Even first-round picks get cut in training camp. That’s why teams are shifting their focus toward players with high "floor" rather than just high "ceiling." They want someone who can understand a defensive scheme on day one.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Draft Projections
People love to compare these women to NBA players. It’s a lazy habit. "She’s the female Steph Curry." No. She’s Paige Bueckers. The game is played differently. The spacing is different. The physicality in the paint is, frankly, often more intense in the W than in the NBA regular season.
When you see a 2025 WNBA draft mock, look at the defensive stats. Steals and blocks are better indicators of WNBA success than raw points per game. If a player can’t guard their position, they won't see the floor. This is why players like Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles (depending on her recovery and declaration status) are so highly valued. Impacting the game without scoring is a veteran skill that rare prospects possess.
How to Track the 2025 Class Effectively
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, you can't just watch the box scores. You have to watch the matchups against Top 25 teams. How does Kiki Iriafen handle a double team against a physical SEC defense? How does Paige Bueckers look when she’s being hounded by a specialist defender for 40 minutes?
The 2025 draft will be a turning point. It’s the bridge between the "old" WNBA and the new, expanded era. The talent is there, the interest is at an all-time high, and the stakes have never been higher for the front offices.
Next Steps for Following the Draft:
- Monitor the Transfer Portal: Player movement in college basketball is fluid. A player’s draft stock can skyrocket if they move to a system that showcases their specific strengths.
- Watch the French League (LFB): If you want to see Dominique Malonga, you have to go to the source. She is the biggest threat to the domestic players' draft positions.
- Check the Expansion Protected Lists: Once teams announce who they are protecting from the Valkyries, the "needs" for each team in the 2025 draft will become crystal clear.
- Follow the Medical Reports: For players like Azzi Fudd or Olivia Miles, the mid-season injury updates are more important than any single game performance.
The 2025 WNBA draft mock isn't just a list of names. It’s a map of where the league is heading. Whether it’s the Valkyries building a foundation or the Fever trying to find the final piece for a championship run, the names called in April 2025 will define the next decade of women's hoops.