An inflow of younger expertise helps to remodel the WNBA. Rookie All-Stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese made an instantaneous impression final season, and 2025’s first-year gamers have adopted swimsuit. Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen have been named All-Stars this summer season, whereas No. 2 decide Dominique Malonga has been setting WNBA manufacturing information as a young person.
The six All-Stars youthful than age 25 this 12 months are essentially the most since 2011, and the 2024 (two) and 2025 drafts (three) have already produced as many or extra All-Stars because the whole between 2021 and 2023 (Aliyah Boston and Rhyne Howard).
Rating these younger gamers required making some exhausting calls, significantly on the prime, the place Boston, Bueckers and Clark have all proven MVP potential. We have put them so as based mostly on their anticipated peak worth fairly than present manufacturing — that means Malonga, the league’s youngest participant at age 19, will get further credit score for her upside relative to gamers whose performances are extra constant proper now.
To be eligible for ESPN’s 25 below 25, gamers should have performed within the WNBA already, so stashed draft picks akin to Juste Jocyte — taken No. 5 by the Golden State Valkyries with their first rookie draft decide — aren’t eligible.
With that in thoughts, let’s run down the brightest younger expertise within the WNBA.
On account of accidents, she has been restricted to 13 video games this season, averaging 16.5 factors, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds. However when wholesome, Clark’s impression is gigantic: She stretches the ground together with her capturing vary, pushes the tempo and picks defenses aside together with her passing. The 23-year-old brings an unmatched pleasure issue each time she’s on courtroom, and her confidence spreads to the entire staff. She can be the most important draw on the street of any WNBA participant, so her impact on the whole league is big. — Michael Voepel
Expectations have been excessive for Bueckers getting into the professionals, with one GM telling ESPN, “She’ll be a Corridor of Famer.” In Yr 1, she has largely lived as much as the hype and is on tempo to hitch Clark as the one gamers to common 19 factors and 5 assists of their rookie season.
Bueckers’ effectivity has largely carried over from UConn, together with her 46.6% area purpose capturing the perfect of any guard averaging not less than 16 factors within the league. She has proven the midrange sport nonetheless has a spot in fashionable basketball, even in 2025. Her crowning achievement got here final week when she grew to become the primary participant to drop 40-plus factors in a sport on 80% effectivity. — Alexa Philippou
3. Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever, C/F, 6-5
The Fever started their rebuild effectively earlier than Clark arrived in Indianapolis. The 2024 No. 1 decide, Boston is simply as essential to the Fever’s success as Clark and has been a significant component in retaining the staff afloat this season because it navigates accidents.
Boston is averaging a career-best 15.2 factors — fourth finest amongst gamers below 25 — and capturing an environment friendly 54.6% from the ground, third finest in the identical group. She has a franchise-record 15 double-doubles this season, fourth most within the league. Boston’s facilitating has at all times been a energy, particularly in tandem with Clark.
And Boston can nonetheless degree up. Her rookie 12 months was targeted on taking part in within the put up. Final season was about evolving the pick-and-roll with Clark. In the course of the offseason, Boston targeted on conditioning, and this summer season she has grow to be an even bigger a part of the offense. Subsequent up is taking extra 3s and turning into extra of a three-level scoring risk and flooring spreader. — Kendra Andrews
There are not any regrets concerning the Storm passing on a pair of rookie All-Stars to take Malonga. Rising over the course of her first season in america, the No. 2 decide has blossomed in August, averaging 13.5 PPG and seven.4 RPG on 60% capturing. Malonga’s athleticism permits her to make performs no different participant her dimension could make, and he or she additionally shows unbelievable contact as a shooter.
Given Malonga could be getting into her second school season if she have been American, she has years of improvement forward. That provides Malonga, whose three 20-point video games are essentially the most ever by a WNBA teenager, MVP potential. — Kevin Pelton
After shattering rebounding information as a rookie, the most important query surrounding Reese was how she may evolve and develop in her sophomore 12 months. She spent a lot of the Unequalled season engaged on her capturing, and it reveals: Her scoring and effectivity have improved this season within the W.
However Reese’s largest offensive bounce has are available in her playmaking. She’s averaging 3.7 assists per sport, prime 5 amongst all forwards and essentially the most amongst WNBA gamers below the age of 25. She excels at passing within the put up, a nod to her chemistry with Kamilla Cardoso, and higher understands how her presence down low opens up her teammates extra.
On protection, her rebounding is pretty much as good as ever. She leads the league at 12.2 boards per sport, and simply 25 video games in has already tied her rookie file because the quickest participant in WNBA historical past to achieve 300 rebounds in a single season. — Andrews
The No. 3 decide of this 12 months’s draft has blown away expectations for her rookie season, rising as Washington’s go-to scorer after the Brittney Sykes commerce, in addition to a authentic perimeter stopper. Extra of a task participant alongside the Notre Dame backcourt of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, Citron is averaging extra factors (15.2) within the W than she did as a school senior (14.1) however has maintained her effectivity, capturing 42% on 3s and 88% from the road. Citron’s .608 true capturing proportion ranks within the WNBA’s prime 10. And at 21, she’s youthful than the everyday school product. — Pelton
The No. 3 decide within the 2024 draft, Cardoso has improved her stats from her rookie season throughout the board, averaging 13.4 factors, 8.4 rebounds and a pair of.3 assists. The 9-28 Sky have struggled and can miss the playoffs for the second 12 months in a row. However at 24, Cardoso has proven the type of progress a younger put up participant wants, which bodes effectively for a protracted profession. — Voepel
Onlookers have been calling Jackson pro-ready since her days at Tennessee, and since arriving because the No. 4 decide in 2024, she has proven why. She is usually a matchup nightmare for opposing defenders and at her finest is a prolific bucket getter and stellar shot creator, already boasting eight 20-plus level video games for the Sparks since mid-June. The extra environment friendly and constant she might be offensively, and if she will be able to keep regular on protection, the extra Jackson will additional set up herself as probably the greatest younger skills within the sport. — Philippou
9. Cameron Brink, Los Angeles Sparks, F, 6-4
Brink was one of many tougher gamers for our panel to evaluate given she has performed in solely 26 video games over two years and remains to be making her method again to full kind following a June 2024 ACL tear. However it was straightforward to see why she went No. 2 within the 2024 draft, significantly shining on the defensive finish as an elite rim protector. Whereas she’s nonetheless getting her toes again below her after returning to the ground in late July, her 3-point capturing (20-for-44, 45.5%) has excelled, a superb signal for her offensive improvement. — Philippou
10. Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics, F, 6-3
The No. 4 draft decide in April, Iriafen turned 22 this week. She was an All-Star after exhibiting how rapidly she tailored to the professional sport, particularly her potential to rebound at an elite degree. She is averaging 12.9 factors and eight.7 rebounds and has began each sport for Washington. She and rookie teammate Sonia Citron look to be the important thing elements for the Mystics in rebuilding. — Voepel
Lacan was the Solar’s 2024 first-round decide although she did not debut within the WNBA till this July. However 20 video games in, she has been definitely worth the wait. The 21-year-old Frenchwoman boasts an astounding plus-20.3 web score for the Solar, and her two-way impression has revitalized a staff that had simply two wins previous to her arrival. (The Solar have received seven video games since.) Her defensive prowess has translated instantly — her 2.4 steals per sport are tied for essentially the most within the league — and he or she’s a standout facilitator, already recording a 14-assist, 0-turnover sport earlier this month. — Philippou
12. Saniya Rivers, Connecticut Solar, G, 6-1
The Solar have had a rocky 12 months, nevertheless it’s straightforward to see the promise of their younger core, together with this 2025 first-rounder. The previous NC State standout and No. 8 decide has established herself as a stellar defender (1.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG) with the potential to be a perennial All-Defensive Group choice. Her offensive sport (8.3 PPG, 41.4% FG, 32.3 3FG%) has room for development, however she has proven vibrant spots together with her facilitating (together with a handful of video games with six or extra assists) and scoring that the Solar can construct off of. — Philippou
Akoa Makani moved from Cameroon to France as a toddler and has performed professionally there for a number of years. At 24, she made her WNBA debut this season and began 32 video games as a key a part of the new-look Mercury. Most WNBA followers did not know a lot about Akoa Makani however have watched as she has adjusted effectively to the league. She is averaging 8.4 factors, 2.6 assists and a pair of.2 rebounds. — Voepel
Once we final noticed Horston within the WNBA — she tore her ACL throughout Athletes Limitless play in April which has sidelined her this season — she had acquired votes for each Most Improved Participant and Sixth Participant in 2024. After taking part in closely at energy ahead as a rookie in 2023, the versatile Horston shifted to the wing and shot 57% on her 2s. The Seattle bench has missed that punch, plus Horston’s potential to rack up steals and blocks. Whether or not she will be able to enhance on a 25% profession 3-point capturing will outline Horston’s upside. — Pelton
After averaging lower than 4 factors in her first two WNBA seasons with Las Vegas and Atlanta, Rupert is scoring 9.0 factors per sport on 46.3% 3-point capturing — the third-best mark amongst gamers below 25 — which supplies the Valkyries a giant physique to stretch the ground. A part of her development has come from extra taking part in time with Golden State. However she additionally developed her ending potential across the rim with the French nationwide staff for the 2024 Olympics. — Andrews
Paopao’s slide to the second spherical of this 12 months’s draft has paid off for the Dream, who’ve plugged her into their guard rotation after buying and selling away their first-round decide. A nationwide champion at South Carolina in 2024, Paopao has contributed to Atlanta’s rise within the standings by capturing 42% from 3-point vary. Solely Citron has been extra correct amongst rookies this season. — Pelton
17. Janelle Salaun, Golden State Valkyries, F, 6-2
Salaun is one other participant whose impression and potential might be higher measured by her profession abroad. Within the 2024-25 season with Famila Schio in Italy, she helped the staff win the home cup and the league championship and was named Finals MVP, averaging 13.2 factors, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals over the five-game collection for the league championship. With the Valkyries, she has been a staple within the beginning lineup and a dependable scorer. Her dependability and availability have been two of her strongest attributes; other than the three video games she missed competing in EuroBasket, she has appeared in each WNBA contest this season and suited up for all 30 video games with Famila Schio. — Andrews
18. Aneesah Morrow, Connecticut Solar, F, 6-1
She averaged a double-double (20.5 PPG, 12.3 RPG) in school, spending two years at DePaul and two at LSU. Undersized within the WNBA, she is now adjusting her ability set. Nonetheless, Morrow has began 16 video games for the Solar and is averaging 7.5 factors and 6.4 rebounds. Search for the 22-year-old to enhance her perimeter capturing — she is at 26.7% from 3-point vary — as she progresses as a professional. — Voepel
Edwards obtained buried within the rotation in Washington, however she had sufficient moments in her rookie season that ought to make the Solar enthusiastic about her potential. She averaged 7.6 factors and 5.6 rebounds in 21.8 minutes and began 17 of 34 contests final 12 months. Her averages are down this season, however she stays extremely environment friendly. Taking part in time and utilization have not boomed since her arrival in Connecticut, nevertheless it’s straightforward to consider she has extra development in her, given time and alternative. — Andrews
Miller is one other tough participant to evaluate since she hasn’t but discovered a gradual position within the league. She was drafted No. 2 in 2023, extremely regarded for her athleticism and flexibility, and averaged 12.1 factors as a rookie with Minnesota. However she noticed minimal time there the previous two seasons, after being hampered by accidents and falling out of the rotation. After being traded final month, she has the chance to regain her footing in Dallas and brings a special look to the wing together with her dimension in comparison with a number of of her undersized teammates. — Philippou
21. Aziaha James, Dallas Wings, G, 5-9
A fixture within the Wings’ rotation in July, James averaged 9.4 PPG to rank sixth amongst rookies that month. James has light in August, partly as a result of she has shot 28% from the 3-point line. A 34% 3-point shooter throughout her final two seasons at NC State, James has room for enchancment. That and her superior dimension give her the nod over fellow Dallas rookie JJ Quinerly, whose season ended this week due to an ACL sprain. — Pelton
22. Carla Leite, Golden State Valkyries, G, 5-9
Leite averages simply 7.3 factors for the Valkyries, taking part in 17.8 minutes off the bench, however her play in Europe suggests she has a a lot increased offensive ceiling. This 12 months she was named Finals MVP after main French membership Villeneuve d’Ascq to a EuroCup championship in April, averaging 20.5 factors, 6.0 assists and a pair of.5 rebounds. — Andrews
23. Awak Kuier, Dallas Wings, F, 6-6
The No. 2 decide in 2021 has but to make a giant impression stateside, averaging 2.6 PPG in three seasons in Dallas. Since final showing for the Wings in 2023 at age 22, nonetheless, Kuier has proven dramatic improvement in Europe. Kuier averaged 16.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG for Umana Reyer Venezia in EuroLeague play final 12 months, rating third in scoring behind WNBA All-Stars Brionna Jones and Emma Meesseman. — Pelton
She was the nineteenth decide in April out of Florida State and has been a superb match as a reserve for the injury-plagued Fever. Timpson has one other former Seminoles star, Fever veteran ahead Natasha Howard, to study from. Timpson, 22, is averaging 2.7 factors and a pair of.1 rebounds. Her taking part in time has fluctuated so much, however she has proven promising moments. It will likely be a giant offseason for her to develop her sport. — Voepel
25. Laeticia Amihere, Golden State Valkyries, F, 6-3
After being drafted No. 8 in 2023 by Atlanta, Amihere has discovered a house with Golden State. She had her first stint with the staff throughout coaching camp, the place she averaged 12.5 factors on 60% capturing in 17.4 minutes. She was waived however rejoined the staff in June and has been a gradual position participant since. — Andrews
