The 2025 WNBA Draft will be taking place on Monday, April 14 at The Shed in New York City. After a historic class graced the stage last year, another crop of future professional stars are preparing to hear their names called tonight.
Everyone knows that UConn star Paige Bueckers will be the first overall pick in the draft by the Dallas Wings, but after that, things become a bit uncertain. The draft unfolds in a different way every year and, as a result, there is almost no way to predict it.
However, sometimes you just get a certain feeling about a player or a team. Here are three bold predictions for the 2025 WNBA Draft with just hours left until the event begins.
3. The Chicago Sky trade up
On Sunday evening, the Chicago Sky struck a trade with the Minnesota Lynx that gave them the No. 11 pick in this year's draft. That means that the Sky now own the No. 10, No. 11, No. 16 and No. 22 picks in the draft, which is a ton of capital for a team with 13 players already on the roster.
General manager Jeff Pagliocca was aggressive in 2024 to move up for LSU forward Angel Reese, and he may have a similar intention this year. Look for them to try and leapfrog teams on Monday evening, using their crop of picks in the latter part of the first round.
2. Serena Sundell sneaks into the first round
Kansas State guard Serena Sundell had an excellent campaign for the Wildcats during her senior season. She led the entire country in assists per game and also added 14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest. She is an incredibly efficient scorer with a great shooting stroke who can also create for others at a high level.
After a tremendous showing in the NCAA Tournament, it would not surprise me to see her selected earlier than her second-round projections. A team like the Sky could make sense if they stay put at No. 10 and No. 11. Not only does Chicago need a point guard of the future, but their general manager was clear that he prioritizes length in the draft, and Sundell is a 6-foot-1 guard. To me, she has one of the higher ceilings in the class.
1. Hailey Van Lith is drafted in the top 5
Van Lith was once regarded in the same breath as players like Bueckers and Caitlin Clark, but she fell on hard times during her college career. After a tremendous three-year stint at Louisville, scouts began to question her value after a down campaign at LSU. However, her final year at TCU was nothing short of incredible, as she put all doubters to rest with her performance in the Big 12.
Several teams that could use a skilled playmaker like Van Lith who can score easily on all three levels. She also has an intangible quality of being a dependable leader and a calming force for her squad, so I could see a rudderless team like the Washington Mystics or Golden State Valkyries selecting her to right the ship.
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