The whole thing about professional sports drafts is that you can't pick where you do. I mean sure, there are your rare examples where someone pulls an Eli Manning, but for the most part, you go where you go.
That often means players don't land exactly where they'd fit the best.
Let's take a look at the top prospects in this year's WNBA Draft class and talk about where their semi-realistic perfect fits would be. Just for the purposes of not verging completely into some fantasy realm, let's say they can't fall more than three spots from where I had them being drafted in my most recent mock draft, but teams could definitely reach for one of them.
Paige Bueckers - Seattle Storm
Don't kill me, Wings fans. I don't believe any of the noise about Paige Bueckers forcing her way out of Dallas.
Let me repeat this on a new line just for emphasis: I think next week, Paige Bueckers will be a Dallas Wing.
With that said, her best fit is definitely in Seattle, where she would join a formidable Storm team and instantly push the team into contender status. Putting her in the backcourt with Skylar Diggins-Smith would mean the team could bring Erica Wheeler off the bench, improving the first and second unit at the same time.
Dominique Malonga - Golden State Valkyries
I can promise you that Dominique Malonga won't fall to No. 5, even factoring in the usual concerns about whether or not an international player will come over.
But Seattle and Washington have pretty crowded frontcourts. If I'm Malonga, I'm not sure I'm signing a deal and heading over to the United States to barely see the floor.
But the expansion Valkyries? That's somewhere where Malonga — a super athletic big who can run the floor and shoot from deep while also protecting the paint on defense — could get rotation minutes immediately.
Sonia Citron - Washington Mystics
I initially had the Storm as the choice here, but the more I look at that roster, the more I think that while Sonia Citron's skillset would be useful for Seattle, there's just too much of a glut on the wing. She would have to beat out Gabby Williams, Katie Lou Samuelson and Alysha Clark for minutes.
In Washington, that wouldn't be the case. The Mystics have an intriguing frontcourt, but also huge question marks at the two and three. Citron could immediately slide into a starting role with Washington.
Kiki Iriafen - Connecticut Sun
The rebuilt Connecticut Sun will be one of the league's worst teams this year, so rookies who need a lot of playing time would likely be thrilled to end up there.
Kiki Iriafen isn't someone who needs to sit on the bench and learn. She's ready to play professional basketball, though there are kinks in her game she'll need to work out. Getting to do that while learning from Tina Charles would be a big win for her career.
Shyanne Sellers - Washington Mystics
The Mystics' ball-handler situation is dire. Brittney Sykes is still a really good player, but behind her, you have Jade Melbourne and Sug Sutton. Melbourne was okay for Washington in a low-usage bench role last year. Sutton had a breakout 2023 campaign before struggling immensely between Phoenix and Washington last year.
By landing in Washington, Shyanne Sellers wouldn't have to move far, as she played her college ball at Maryland. She would get plenty of run as the secondary ball-handler beside Sykes.
Justė Jocytė - Golden State Valkyries
Another international player for the Valkyries? Yep. It's unrealistic to actually think Dominque Malonga lands there without Golden State trading up, but her Lyon teammate Justė Jocytė could easily land in Golden State.
The argument here is basically the same as the argument for Malonga. If I'm a 19-year-old Lithuanian player, I'm hesitant to go somewhere unless I know I'd have an immediate role. Golden State can offer that.
Georgia Amoore - Connecticut Sun
After trading Natasha Howard to the Liberty, the Sun need a starting point guard. This would be the one realistic shot for Georgia Amoore to immediately slide into a starting role.
Not that she'd just assume it without a contest. Leïla Lacan is expected to come over from France this year and is very intriguing, but Amoore should theoretically have a shot to start.
Aneesah Morrow - Connecticut Sun
Same thing here as with Iriafen. Yes, Aneesah Morrow has stuff about her game that needs to be improved on. Namely, she has to show that she can extend her range and refine her athleticism.
The best chance of that happening is with game reps, and the best chance to get game reps is in Connecticut, where the two forward spots are expected to be occupied by Diamond DeShields and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Morrow would get heavy minutes in Uncasville.
Hailey Van Lith - Chicago Sky
The Sky have an intriguing roster, especially after the team added Ariel Atkins this offseason. What they really need now though is an insurance primary ball-handler, because point guard Courtney Vandersloot probably doesn't have much time left in the WNBA.
Hailey Van Lith in Chicago would be a lot of fun. She'd get plenty of run as a spark plug off the bench with a viable path toward starting in 2026 if she impresses as a rookie, and she'd get to play with former LSU teammate Angel Reese again.
Te-Hina Paopao - Dallas Wings
The Wings need a point guard. IRL, they get that in Paige Bueckers. In this fantasy world though, adding Te-Hina Paopao at the end of the first round fills a need for additional backcourt shooting and ball-handling beside Arike Ogunbowale.