WNBA mock draft: Who is No. 2 after UConn’s Paige Bueckers?

The whirlwind for Paige Bueckers is at full tilt and won’t ease up till late within the fall.

Just like the previous two No. 1 WNBA draft picks, South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Bueckers will go from the Ultimate 4 to the draft with little time to mirror on her faculty profession as a result of the subsequent step is correct across the nook.

Bueckers is predicted to be the highest choose Monday within the WNBA draft (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York Metropolis. Who will observe her?

Since our final mock draft, three outstanding faculty gamers are out of the primary spherical. Guard Olivia Miles, who was within the No. 2 slot beforehand, is staying for her fifth season in faculty and just lately transferred to TCU.

Guard Hailey Van Lith and middle Sedona Prince, who simply completed their faculty careers serving to TCU make the Elite Eight, had been beforehand within the No. 9 and 12 spots. Present intel from across the league tasks them to extra probably be second-round picks, however that is not essentially a foul factor in the event that they find yourself with a workforce that’s the proper match.

Right here is ESPN’s newest mock draft of the primary spherical.

UConn Huskies | level guard | 6-foot | senior

Bueckers just added a national championship to her résumé and is the straightforward alternative at No. 1. She completed her senior season averaging 19.9 factors, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists whereas capturing 53.4% from the sector and 41.9% from 3-point vary. She can be a franchise-changing player.

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Earlier than They Have been Subsequent: Paige Bueckers

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France | middle | 6-6

Malonga, 19, performed for France within the Olympics final summer time and dunked in a sport in November. She has performed in France’s prime skilled ladies’s league since she was 15 and is at present averaging 15.4 factors, 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists for Lyon Asvel Feminin. Her ceiling appears excessive.

USC Trojans | energy ahead | 6-3 | senior

The Mystics, who’re at present in rebuilding mode with a brand new coach and normal supervisor, have three of the highest six picks. Iriafen had a breakout season as a junior at Stanford. As a senior at USC, she averaged 18.0 factors, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists because the Trojans received the Large Ten regular-season title and made the Elite Eight.

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Kiki Iriafen’s 36-point sport helps advance USC to Candy 16

Kiki Iriafen finishes with 36 factors, 9 rebounds and a pair of blocks as USC defeats Mississippi State.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish | capturing guard | 6-1 | senior

Citron averaged 14.1 factors, 5.4 rebounds and a pair of.7 assists as a senior, serving to Notre Dame win a share of the ACC regular-season title and attain the Candy 16. She was a first-team All-ACC choose and was on the league’s all-defensive workforce. Her defensive versatility helps her case to be a lottery choose.

LSU Tigers | small ahead | 6-1 | senior

Morrow led Division I in rebounding (13.5 RPG) and double-doubles (30) this season, additionally averaging 18.7 factors. LSU superior to the Elite Eight in each her years there after she transferred from DePaul. Morrow made simply 24 3-pointers in her two years in Baton Rouge, however the 53 she knocked down as a sophomore at DePaul present they are often a part of her repertoire on the professional stage.

Maryland Terrapins | level guard | 6-2 | senior

Sellers’ means to play level guard at her measurement may very well be certainly one of her finest benefits for being picked within the first spherical. She shot a career-best 40.8% from 3-point vary this season whereas averaging 14.4 factors, 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Terps, who made the Candy 16.

Slovenia | level ahead | 6-4

The Solar are in rebuilding mode with a brand new coach, Rachid Meziane from France. Sivka, 19, performs for the Slovenian nationwide workforce and competes professionally in France. She might both be a draft-and-stash prospect or play within the WNBA this season. Her measurement and capturing means are property.

NC State Wolfpack | capturing guard | 5-9 | senior

James is likely one of the most explosive perimeter scorers obtainable on this draft. She helped NC State make the Ultimate 4 in 2024 and the Candy 16 this yr. As a senior, she averaged 17.9 factors, 4.9 rebounds and a pair of.6 assists. She has turn into a dependable 3-point shooter her previous two seasons, hitting 75 and 76 3s, respectively.

Kentucky Wildcats | level guard | 5-6 | senior

Amoore averaged 19.6 factors, 2.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists whereas enjoying an SEC-high 36.7 minutes per sport this season for the Wildcats. She spent her first 4 seasons at Virginia Tech, which she helped result in the 2023 Ultimate 4. Amoore made 408 3-pointers in faculty, capturing 35.6% from behind the arc.

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How Kenny Brooks, Georgia Amoore rebuilt Kentucky into an SEC energy

Ryan McGee explores the odyssey of SEC assists chief Georgia Amoore, from Australia to Virginia Tech to the bluegrass of Kentucky.

South Carolina Gamecocks | energy ahead | 6-3 | senior

Feagin was a late bloomer in faculty, largely as a result of she was enjoying behind WNBA lottery picks Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso. This season, an harm to Ashlyn Watkins introduced Feagin extra to the forefront, and she or he responded because the Gamecocks superior to the nationwide championship sport. Feagin would possibly simply be scratching the floor of what she will be able to do and will be a part of Cardoso with the Sky.

Lithuania | capturing guard | 6-1

Jocyte is Malonga’s teammate at Asvel Feminin, the place she’s averaging 11.9 factors, 3.2 rebounds and a pair of.8 assists. She might play within the backcourt or on the wing and has been in comparison with New York’s Leonie Fiebich. Jocyte wish to play within the WNBA this yr, however she could be prepared to take a seat out this season if her workforce needs her as a draft-and-stash.

NC State Wolfpack | small ahead | 6-1 | senior

Rivers is a do-it-all kind of offensive participant who additionally might become a powerful professional defender. She received an NCAA title with South Carolina as a freshman earlier than transferring to NC State. She helped lead the Wolfpack to the Ultimate 4 final season and the Candy 16 this yr, when she averaged 11.9 factors, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks.