3 WNBA Draft second-round sleepers who could become stars

It seems like every year there is a transformational player set to be taken at the top of the WNBA Draft board. In recent drafts, players like Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu and A'ja Wilson have heard their names called early on draft night and their impact on the league was immediate.

But not every player who carves out a career for themselves in the WNBA has that fortune. Some may wait until the later rounds on draft night, some may not get selected at all, and others take years to find their footing in the game's toughest league.

However, the W is expanding, in large part due to the influx of talent both coming up from the college ranks and flying in from around the world. The 2025 WNBA Draft class may not be as star-studded as it has been in recent years, but this group of players is deep and organizations should be able to find key contributors in every round.

1. Ayoka Lee, C, Kansas State

Lee has been a force in college basketball for the past five seasons but is currently slated to be drafted near the beginning of the second round. This is in large part due to her production dropping off a bit from recent years, but Lee is still the same force in the Big 12 that she has been since 2019.

While there are concerns about her health and conditioning, she has been a record-setting big throughout her tenure as a Kansas State Wildcat. Lee missed the entire 2022-23 season with an injury and is playing considerably fewer minutes than she has in seasons past, but this is the same player who set the NCAA Division I record for points in a single game (61).

Simply put, there are a handful of WNBA franchises who could look at the 6-foot-6 center as a project with major potential. In just 19 minutes per game this season, she is still averaging 16.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. Even if she is a role player behind an elite big for a few years, Lee has all the tools to figure it out.

2. Makayla Timpson, PF, Florida State

Timpson is another player who is currently projected to be chosen at the beginning of the second round but has endless potential. The 6-foot-2 forward from Florida State is a double-double machine, averaging 17.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per contest for the 2024-25 season.

Her role has expanded each year as a Seminole, with her points, rebounds, steals, and blocks all increasing in each of her four years in college. Not only does she get it done on the offensive side of the ball, but she is an absolute problem for opposing teams on the defensive side. Timpson is averaging 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game, which shows her versatility as a defender.

She can play multiple positions, which professional scouts love, and if she can improve her outside shooting ability, Timpson could become a force at the next level. She will likely earn her way onto the floor due to her defense, but with a few seasons of growth, she could become a star.

3. Hailey Van Lith, SG, TCU

Hailey Van Lith was once held in the same conversations as Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers as a prospect, but an up-and-down college career has seen her WNBA stock plummet a bit. After an excellent start to her career at Louisville, she regressed a bit when she transferred to LSU, but she has found new life at TCU this season.

With averages of 18.7 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, Van Lith should be towards the top of draft boards but is not projected to be chosen until the end of the second round. She is a bit undersized and there are questions about her defensive ability, but her production cannot be questioned.

She is a bit old for a WNBA prospect, but she is the same age as Bueckers, who many think will be drafted first overall this year. Her down year at LSU may have given scouts the perception that she cannot play well alongside other professional talent, but she has silenced that noise this season. Do not be surprised if Van Lith is a star in the W, wherever she gets drafted.