On Sunday, the Chicago Sky traded the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (as well as a future pick swap) to the Washington Mystics for guard Ariel Atkins.
On the surface, it's a weird trade for the Sky. Atkins is a free agent in 2026 and Chicago isn't a contender, so giving up the chance to draft a player like Sonia Citron there is a little puzzling. But oh well—it gives us more to talk about in the offseason, so it's a good trade for everyone who just wants to discuss ball.
With the No. 3 pick changing hands, let's take a look at what the first round of the 2025 WNBA Draft could look like.
1. Dallas Wings - Paige Bueckers (G, UConn)
It's still possible that Paige Bueckers won't want to come to Dallas, but the Wings have built a pretty solid team this offseason. These aren't the Wings of old, a franchise that felt permanently rudderless. With Curt Miller making personnel decisions now, Dallas has some appeal. Bueckers is the best player in this class and a generational guard prospect. You can't pass that up.
2. Seattle Storm - Olivia Miles (G, Notre Dame)
The Storm find their point guard of the future with the No. 2 overall pick, acquired via the trade that sent Jewell Loyd to Seattle. The gap between Bueckers and Olivia Miles exists, but it's smaller than people think. The Notre Dame product is a great playmaker and has really upped her scoring output this season for the Irish.
3. Washington Mystics - Sonia Citron (G, Notre Dame)
Here's our first change from the last mock draft I put together, but the change is only in who's doing the drafting, not the player who goes third.
Miles' Notre Dame teammate Sonia Citron is a great replacement for Atkins, a 3-and-D wing who will be a dangerous scoring threat on the outside. Citron can do a little bit of everything for the Mystics, who have three of the first six picks in this class and can make the slam dunk right choice here to get their draft going.
4. Washington Mystics - Dominique Malonga (F, LDLC ASVEL Feminin)
By grabbing another first round pick, the Mystics now set themselves up nicely to grab France's Dominique Malonga. This is a rebuilding Mystics team and Malonga is the kind of talent that you have to take a swing on. Maybe USC's Kiki Iriafen makes more sense if Washington was closer to contending, but the Mystics almost have to take Malonga here because otherwise it's doubtful she'll be there at Pick No. 6.
You could argue that Malonga has the second-highest ceiling in this class behind Bueckers, but there's always risk when drafting international players, as they're less likely to consistently play in the WNBA. That's especially true of French players, who always seem to have commitments during the summer.
5. Golden State Valkyries - Kiki Iriafen (F, USC)
While Kiki Iriafen's stock has dropped this season, the fact the Golden State could get her at No. 5 should be viewed as a huge win for the expansion Valkyries. Iriafen is an exciting, athletic frontcourt player who would instantly have a huge role with this team. The volume alone would make her a top Rookie of the Year candidate.
6. Washington Mystics - Shyanne Sellers (G, Maryland)
After adding Citron on the wing, the Mystics continue making moves in the backcourt here by taking Maryland's Shyanne Sellers. She's currently shooting 42.9% from three and gives the Mystics more ball-handling help. Sellers likely can't be a lead ball-handler in the WNBA, but she can be a strong secondary option at shooting guard.
7. New York Liberty - Te-Hina Paopao (G, South Carolina)
With Courtney Vandersloot gone, the Liberty could use additional backcourt help. That's where South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao comes in. Paopao is more combo guard than point guard, but New York doesn't need a true point. It just needs someone who can share the backcourt with Sabrina Ionescu and knock down open looks.
8. Connecticut Sun - Aneesah Morrow (F, LSU)
The Connecticut Sun need to take swings on talent here and Aneesah Morrow is the best player left on the board. Connecticut has really torn things down this offseason and the frontcourt has gone from a strength to a major disadvantage. Adding an athletic four in Morrow is a nice start toward a youth movement.
9. Los Angeles Sparks - Georgia Amoore (G, Kentucky)
Even after trading for Kelsey Plum, the Sparks backcourt looks rough. There are reasons to like both Aari McDonald and Odyssey Sims, but it's clear that adding more help at guard is needed. Georgia Amoore might not be a starting caliber point guard right off the bat, but he's a good shooter who can give Los Angeles solid minutes off the bench.
10. Chicago Sky - Azzi Fudd (G, UConn
The Sky still have one first round pick after the Atkins trade and even after that deal, the team should be thinking guards here. Azzi Fudd is one of the most talented players in this draft and someone capable of scoring a ton of buckets, but she carries with her numerous health concerns, as between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons she played a total of just 17 games. Still, Chicago needs to make a big swing here.
11. Minnesota Lynx - Justė Jocytė (G, LDLC ASVEL Feminin))
There were questions about when Justė Jocytė would be eligible for the draft since the Lithuanian player was born in Washington D.C., but it was recently clarified that she'd be in this class.
It's hard to predict where Jocytė lands because she's a first-round talent but carries with her all the usual concerns with an international player. Someone will take a shot on her early, potentially as early as Mystics at No. 6 if the team doesn't manage to land Jocytė's ASVEL teammate Malonga. She's a big, off-ball guard who can fit in to basically any WNBA team.
12. Dallas Wings - Janiah Barker (F, UCLA)
There are a lot of directions Dallas could go here, but betting on Janiah Barker's talent would be the best direction. Barker has long been a favorite of the WNBA talent evaluation media, a toolsy player who just hasn't put it all together yet. She might have major bust potential, but you aren't getting a player with this much upside at No. 12 every year. Dallas should take the risk.