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2025 WNBA draft

Basketball player selection From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)'s draft for the 2025 season was held following the 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. It marked the first draft for the newest expansion team for the league, the Golden State Valkyries. The draft took place at The Shed in Manhattan and was televised on ESPN in the USA and on TSN1/3/4/5/SN360/SNP in Canada.[1]

Quick Facts General information, Sport ...
2025 WNBA Draft
General information
SportBasketball
Date(s)April 14, 2025
LocationThe Shed at Hudson Yards in Manhattan, New York
Network(s)USA: ESPN
Canada: TSN1/3/4/5/SN360/SNP
Sponsored byState Farm
Overview
38 total selections in 3 rounds
LeagueWomen's National Basketball Association
Teams13
Expansion teamGolden State Valkyries
First selectionPaige Bueckers,
Dallas Wings
← 2024
2026 →
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There were only 12 picks in the first round, as the Las Vegas Aces' pick was stripped for violating league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and workplace policies.[2]

Draft lottery

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Perspective

The lottery to determine the order of the top four picks in the 2025 draft took place on November 17, 2024. It was televised on ESPN in the United States and streamed on TSN+ in lieu of TSN network due to the latter airing the CFL's 111th Grey Cup with CTV in Canada. The four non-playoff teams in 2024 qualified for the lottery.

Lottery chances

The lottery odds were based on combined records from the 2023 and 2024 WNBA seasons. In the drawing, balls numbered 1–14 are placed in a lottery machine and mixed. Four balls are drawn to determine a four-digit combination (only 11–12–13–14 is ignored and redrawn). The team to which that four-ball combination is assigned receives the No. 1 pick. The four balls are then placed back into the machine and the process is repeated to determine the second pick. The two teams whose numerical combinations do not come up in the lottery will select in the inverse order of their two-year cumulative record. Ernst & Young knows the discreet results before they are announced.[3] The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third rounds was determined by inverse order of the teams' respective regular-season records solely from 2024.

Note: Team selected for the No. 1 pick noted in bold text.[4]

More information Team, Combined 2023–24 record ...
Team Combined 2023–24 record Lottery chances Result
Los Angeles Sparks 25–55 44.2% 2nd pick
Dallas Wings 31–49 22.7% 1st pick
Chicago Sky 31–49 22.7% 3rd pick
Washington Mystics 33–47 10.4% 4th pick
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2025 unofficial combine

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On April 4, 2025 in Tampa, Florida, Intersport Basketball hosted their inaugural Lilly Women’s College All-Star Combine, sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company and Herbalife.[5][6] The event took place during the 2025 NCAA Final Four weekend.[7] Thirty college basketball players with the intent to declare for the 2025 draft were invited to participate in the combine which included "interviews with team personnel, measurement and strength and condition, and on-court basketball drills."[7] Scouts from the thirteen current WNBA teams were in attendance for the combine.[7] The event was streamed live on YouTube.[8]

The 2025 attendees were:[7]

Eligibility and entrants

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Under the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the WNBA and its players' union, draft eligibility for players (not defined as "international") requires the following to be true:[9]

  • The player's 22nd birthday falls during the calendar year of the draft. For the 2025 draft, the cutoff birth date is December 31, 2003.
  • She has either:
    • completed her college eligibility;
    • received a bachelor's degree, or is scheduled to receive such in the three months following the draft; or
    • is at least four years removed from high school graduation.

Early eligibility

Players who are younger than the draft's cutoff age and are scheduled to receive their bachelor's degree within three months of the draft date will only be eligible if the calendar year of the draft is no earlier than the fourth year after their high school graduation.

Players with remaining college eligibility but who do meet the cutoff age criteria must notify WNBA headquarters of their intent to enter the draft no later than 10 days before the draft date, and must renounce any remaining college eligibility to do so. For the 2025 draft, the date fell on April 4. A separate notification timetable is provided for players involved in postseason tournaments (i.e. the NCAA Division I tournament); those players (normally) must declare for the draft within 24 hours of their final collegiate game.

International players

"International players" are defined as those for whom all of the following is true:

  • Born and currently residing outside the U.S.
  • Never "exercised intercollegiate basketball eligibility" in the U.S.
  • The player's 20th birthday falls during the calendar year of the draft. For this draft, the international cutoff birth date is December 31, 2005.

Declared players

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The following players publicly declared for the 2025 draft:[a][10]

Age-eligible college underclassmen

  • None

College seniors

Graduate students

International players


  1. "Redshirt" refers to players who had and used an additional year of eligibility due to having a redshirt year during their college career.

Draft invitees

On April 11, 2025, the WNBA released the names of the sixteen players who were invited to attend the 2025 draft.[28][29]

Draft

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Perspective
Thumb
Paige Bueckers was selected 1st overall by the Dallas Wings.
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Dominique Malonga was selected 2nd overall by the Seattle Storm.
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Justė Jocytė was selected 5th overall by the Golden State Valkyries.
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Georgia Amoore was selected 6th overall by the Washington Mystics.
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Aneesah Morrow was selected 7th overall by the Connecticut Sun.
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Hailey Van Lith was selected 11th overall by the Chicago Sky.

Source:[30]

# Denotes player who never played in the WNBA regular season or playoffs
Bold Denotes player who won Rookie of the Year

First round

More information Pick, Player ...
Pick Player Nationality Team School / club team
1 Paige Bueckers  United States Dallas Wings UConn
2 Dominique Malonga  France Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles)[a] ASVEL Féminin
3 Sonia Citron  United States Washington Mystics (from Chicago)[b] Notre Dame
4 Kiki Iriafen Washington Mystics USC
5 Justė Jocytė #  Lithuania Golden State Valkyries ASVEL Féminin
6 Georgia Amoore  Australia Washington Mystics (from Atlanta via Dallas)[c][d] Kentucky
7 Aneesah Morrow  United States Connecticut Sun (from Phoenix via New York)[e][f] LSU
8 Saniya Rivers Connecticut Sun (from Indiana)[g] NC State
9 Sarah Ashlee Barker Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle)[a] Alabama
Las Vegas Aces (forfeited due to league rules violations)[38]
10 Ajša Sivka #  Slovenia Chicago Sky (from Connecticut)[h] Tarbes Gespe Bigorre
11 Hailey Van Lith  United States Chicago Sky (from Minnesota)[i] TCU
12 Aziaha James Dallas Wings (from New York via Phoenix)[e][g] NC State
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Second round

More information Pick, Player ...
Pick Player Nationality Team School / club team
13 Aaliyah Nye  United States Las Vegas Aces (from Los Angeles)[a] Alabama
14 Madison Scott Dallas Wings Ole Miss
15 Anastasiia Kosu  Russia Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago via 3 trades)[e][j][k] UMMC Ekaterinburg
16 Maddy Westbeld  United States Chicago Sky (from Washington via Las Vegas)[l][m] Notre Dame
17 Shyanne Sellers Golden State Valkyries Maryland
18 Te-Hina Paopao Atlanta Dream South Carolina
19 Makayla Timpson Indiana Fever (from Phoenix)[g] Florida State
20 Bree Hall Indiana Fever South Carolina
21 Sania Feagin Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle)[n]
22 Aicha Coulibaly #  Mali Chicago Sky (from Las Vegas)[m] Texas A&M
23 Lucy Olsen  United States Washington Mystics (from Connecticut)[o] Iowa
24 Dalayah Daniels Minnesota Lynx Washington
25 Rayah Marshall Connecticut Sun (from New York via Chicago)[h][p] USC
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Third round

More information Pick, Player ...
Pick Player Nationality Team School / club team
26 Serena Sundell  United States Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles)[n] Kansas State
27 JJ Quinerly Dallas Wings West Virginia
28 Liatu King Los Angeles Sparks (from Chicago)[q] Notre Dame
29 Madison Conner Seattle Storm (from Washington)[r] TCU
30 Kaitlyn Chen Golden State Valkyries UConn
31 Aaronette Vonleh Dallas Wings (from Atlanta)[s] Baylor
32 Zaay Green Washington Mystics (from Phoenix)[t] Alabama
33 Yvonne Ejim  Canada Indiana Fever Gonzaga
34 Jordan Hobbs  United States Seattle Storm Michigan
35 Harmoni Turner Las Vegas Aces Harvard
36 Taylor Thierry Atlanta Dream (from Connecticut)[u] Ohio State
37 Aubrey Griffin # Minnesota Lynx UConn
38 Adja Kane #  France New York Liberty Landerneau Bretagne Basket
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Footnotes

  1. February 1, 2025: Three-team trade among Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Seattle[31]
    • Las Vegas acquired Jewell Loyd (from Seattle) and a 2025 second-round pick (from Los Angeles)
    • Los Angeles acquired Kelsey Plum, 2025 first-round and 2026 second-round picks (from Las Vegas)
    • Seattle acquired the rights to Li Yueru and a 2025 first-round pick (from Los Angeles), and a 2026 first-round pick (from Las Vegas)
  2. February 23, 2025: Chicago to Washington[32]
    • Chicago acquired Ariel Atkins
    • Washington acquired a 2025 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and the rights to swap 2027 first-round draft picks
  3. January 21, 2023: Atlanta to Dallas[33]
    • Atlanta acquired Allisha Gray
    • Dallas acquired 2023 and 2025 first-round picks
  4. April 10, 2023: Dallas to Washington[34]
    • Dallas acquired the rights to Stephanie Soares
    • Washington acquired 2024 second-round and (from Atlanta) 2025 first-round picks
  5. February 11, 2023: Four-team trade among Chicago, Dallas, New York, and Phoenix[35]
    • Chicago acquired Marina Mabrey and a 2024 second-round pick (from Phoenix)
    • New York acquired rights to Leonie Fiebich, a 2024 second-round pick (from Chicago), and the right to swap 2025 first-round picks (from Phoenix)
    • Phoenix acquired Michaela Onyenwere, 2024 third-round and 2025 second-round picks (from Chicago)
    • Dallas acquired Diamond DeShields, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, and the right to swap 2025 first-round picks (from Chicago)
  6. March 16, 2025: New York to Connecticut[36]
    • New York acquired Natasha Cloud
    • Connecticut acquired 2025 No. 7 draft pick and 2026 first round draft pick
  7. February 2, 2025: Four-team trade among Connecticut, Dallas, Indiana, and Phoenix[37]
  8. July 17, 2024: Chicago to Connecticut[39]
  9. April 13, 2025: Minnesota to Chicago[40]
    • Chicago acquired 2025 No. 11 draft pick
    • Minnesota acquired outright 2026 first-round draft pick
  10. February 6, 2024: Phoenix to Chicago[41]
  11. April 14, 2024: Chicago to Minnesota[42]
    • Chicago acquired a 2024 first-round pick and Nikolina Milić
    • Minnesota acquired a 2024 first-round pick, Sika Koné, a 2025 second-round pick, and the right to swap 2026 first-round picks
  12. February 5, 2023: Washington to Las Vegas[43]
    • Las Vegas acquired 2024 and 2025 second-round picks
    • Washington acquired the rights to Amanda Zahui B
  13. February 7, 2025: Las Vegas to Chicago[44]
    • Chicago acquired 2025 second-round picks
    • Las Vegas acquired Dana Evans
  14. February 14, 2025: Seattle to Los Angeles[45][46]
    • Los Angeles acquired 2025 and 2027 second-round picks
    • Seattle acquired Lexie Brown and a 2025 third-round pick
  15. May 7, 2024: Connecticut to Washington[47]
  16. March 14, 2024: New York to Chicago[48]
    • Chicago acquired 2025 and 2026 second-round picks
    • New York acquired Rebekah Gardner
  17. February 19, 2024: Los Angeles to Chicago[49]
    • Los Angeles acquired Julie Allemand, the rights to Li Yueru, and a 2025 third-round pick
    • Chicago acquired a 2024 first-round pick
  18. May 11, 2024: Washington to Seattle[50]
    • Seattle acquired a 2025 third-round pick
    • Washington acquired Jade Melbourne
  19. May 4, 2024: Atlanta to Dallas[51]
  20. August 20, 2024: Phoenix to Washington[52]
    • Washington acquired Sug Sutton and a 2025 third-round pick
    • Phoenix acquired the rights to Klara Lundquist
  21. May 16, 2023: Connecticut to Atlanta[53]
    • Connecticut acquired Leigha Brown
    • Atlanta acquired a 2025 third-round pick

References

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