2023 WNBA Draft: 3 sleepers you should know

This year’s WNBA Draft is shaping up to be very interesting. With many top prospects returning to college, lesser known players have a chance to climb the board. Here are a few sleepers to keep an eye on.

As the WNBA Draft approaches, fans, scouts, and GMs are scrambling to finalize their big boards. The wave of projected first-round prospects returning to college has shaken up the entire draft process.

With so many spots now up in the air, the WNBA Draft is almost certain to live up to its chaotic standard of the last few years. It feels inevitable that some player will slip, or another will make a massive leap in the order. These moves will show which teams have and haven’t done their homework. They will also have plenty of viewers asking “Who?” upon hearing names called.

Here are a few sleepers that you should know for draft night.

WNBA Draft 2023: 3 sleepers you should know

Elena Tsineke, G, USF

2022-23 stats: 17.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, .452/.383/.794 shooting splits

Elena Tsineke went out with a bang in her final college season. She posted career highs across the board while posting her most efficient season. You may remember watching her and Zia Cooke battle it out during the tournament last month

Tsineke may be the best pick-and-roll guard in this class. Her craftiness is unmatched. She excels at using her body to prevent defenders from cutting her off as she drives to the rim, where she is a versatile finisher. When defenders manage to cut her off, Tsineke is able to open things back up with an array of crafty dribbles, sound footwork, and elite screen navigation. While she is primarily scoring-minded, her gravity in those situations often opens things up for her teammates, too,

Her size is a question mark for the next level, and average athleticism won’t help. If she continues improving, though, Tsineke could be the steal of this draft when all is said and done.

Maia Hirsch, C, Villenueve

2022-23 stats (France-LFB): 4.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.3 blocks, .425/.286/1.00 shooting splits

At just 19 years old, Hirsch is a potential draft-and-stash steal. Her stats don’t pop out, but she passes the eye test with flying colors. She has the potential to be a very good WNBA big.

Hirsch is an advanced defender for her age. She does not struggle in space like many 6-foot-5 players do. She moves very well on switches, closeouts, hedges, and help rotations. Hirsch has a few bad habits to work out, though.

On the other end, Hirsch looks every bit like a “unicorn.” She has a very quick release for a big and can knock down shots from anywhere on the floor. She moves well along the baseline, too, and is a timely cutter. Her offensive ceiling is tough to gauge given her role on her team, but it feels very high.

Stephanie Soares, C, Iowa State

2022-23 stats: 14.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 3.0 blocks, .544/.306/.667 shooting splits

Soares has one of the more unique paths to the draft. She spent four years at The Master’s University, an NAIA school in California, before transferring to Iowa State. Her season at ISU was cut short by an ACL tear just 13 games into the season, but Soares had already done enough to enamor scouts and analysts alike.

Her shooting ability looks legit, despite a lackluster percentage. Her form needs a minor tweak, but the starting point is decent enough to warrant some belief. Soares is an excellent passer for a big and has shown the ability to set up teammates in a variety of situations.

On the other hand, Soares has some glaring deficiencies as well. Despite her six-foot-six frame, her post-up finishing leaves much to be desired. She’s a liability defending in space – a vital skill in today’s WNBA. On top of that, she’s rehabbing her second major knee injury in recent memory, essentially making her a draft-and-stash project.