WNBA mock draft 2024: Caitlin Clark is going No. 1 to Fever. What happens after that?

The 2024 women’s NCAA tournament is in the books, and you know what that means: It’s time to start looking forward to the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Just as in the past few WNBA Drafts, the number of draft-eligible seniors using their extra year of NCAA eligibility granted at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken things up a bit, and there are also a handful of international prospects who could be selected in the first round. Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark will undoubtedly be picked first, and Stanford’s Cameron Brink and Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson also seem to be locked in as lottery picks, but after that it’s anyone’s guess as to how the draft will go.

No matter how things shake out, we’ve got you covered. Without further ado, here is SB Nation’s 2024 WNBA Mock Draft, with projections and analysis for all 36 picks.

1. Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark, G (Iowa)

There’s no question that Clark will be the Fever’s choice at No. 1 overall. One of the most highly-decorated players in college basketball history and the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, Clark’s ability to shoot from several feet beyond the 3-point line is unparalleled, and the ease with which she finds open shooters when defenses commit to guarding her makes her one of the most enticing lead guard prospects in recent memory. Pairing Clark with 2023 No. 1 overall pick and reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston will give the Fever one of the most talented young duos in the league and set Indiana up with a rock-solid foundation that it can build upon for many years.

Cameron Brink

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

2. Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink, F (Stanford)

The Sparks officially entered rebuild mode with the loss of longtime forward Nneka Ogwumike in free agency, and fellow Stanford alum Brink would make for a good choice at No. 2 as Los Angeles prepares for the future. At a wiry 6’4, Brink makes plays on defense that many at her position simply aren’t capable of making, blocking shots at an elite rate (14 percent block rate as a senior; Her Hoop Stats) while covering enough ground outside of the paint to play in more aggressive defensive schemes. Offensively, Brink has the stride length and skill around the hoop to excel as a pick-and-roll player, despite not doing much of that at Stanford.

3. Chicago Sky: Rickea Jackson, F (Tennessee)

Things have gone downhill in a hurry in Chicago, and the Sky’s trade of Kahleah Copper to Phoenix and choice to not re-sign several veteran free agents during the offseason seem to signal that the team is ready for a youth movement. Chicago is badly in need of a foundational player or two, and Jackson would certainly give the team a go-to perimeter scorer; the three-time All-SEC honoree averaged at least 19 points per game in each of her last three seasons, and at 6-foot-2 has both the skill and the size to play either forward position.

Kamilla Cardoso

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

4. Los Angeles Sparks: Kamilla Cardoso, C (South Carolina)

The 6’7 Cardoso is one of the most physically imposing players in the draft class, and while it may seem redundant for the Sparks to take her if they also Brink, it would provide Los Angeles with the makings of an extremely stout defensive infrastructure for years to come. Cardoso is the type of center who can truly anchor a defense; Cardoso blocked 2.5 shots per game as a senior while allowing opponents to shoot just 25 percent at the rim (Synergy Sports), and she’s a high-efficiency offensive player as well, shooting no lower than 55 percent from the field in any of her four collegiate seasons.

5. Dallas Wings: Carla Leite, G (France)

Is No. 5 too early to draft and stash an international prospect? Maybe, but it’s doubtful that the Wings will be able to immediately roster both of the first-round picks they have this year, and it’s not yet known if Leite would be able to play in the WNBA this summer. Still, drafting the 19-year old point guard is an investment Dallas should consider making; when Leite is able to come over, she’ll bring with her a burst off the dribble and pick-and-roll playmaking that’s advanced beyond her years.

6. Washington Mystics: Jacy Sheldon, G (Ohio State)

Having just lost Natasha Cloud in free agency, Mystics sorely need another on-ball creator in their backcourt, and Sheldon is one of the best such players in this draft class. The three-time All-Big Ten selection shot it well from both 2-point (57.7 percent) and 3-point range (37.5 percent) in her fifth season as a Buckeye and also excelled in Ohio State’s press defense, posting a steal rate of at least 2.5 percent for the third time in her career. Sheldon’s ability to play with or without the basketball would make her an appealing choice for a Washington to pair with Brittney Sykes and Ariel Atkins and would also aid in the continued development of young center Shakira Austin.

7. Minnesota Lynx: Aaliyah Edwards, F (UConn)

There aren’t many forwards in the country who can defend like Edwards, whose strength and lateral quickness allow her to be highly disruptive when guarding the pick-and-roll. As a senior, Edwards averaged 17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game and garnered All-American honors while shooting 59 percent from the field. She’d be a great addition to the Lynx frontcourt and would help Minnesota further its positional versatility alongside Napheesa Collier and Diamond Miller.

Angel Reese

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

8. Chicago Sky: Angel Reese, F (LSU)

Reese plays with a relentless energy that elevates her teammates, and though her offensive skills are still developing, there’s no question how productive she is when it comes to hustle stats, leading the country in offensive rebounding (5.5 per game) and ranking second in free throw attempts (8.1 per game) as a senior. Most of Chicago’s current front court players are only under contract through this season, so Reese could be eased into the team’s rotation, and her style of play would be a shot in the arm for a Sky franchise searching for some kind of identity.

9. Dallas Wings: Nika Mühl, G (UConn)

Mühl’s draft stock is higher than it’s ever been after a strong showing in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, but the two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year has been playing at a high level all season, averaging 6.4 assists per game and shooting 40.8 percent on 3-pointers. The Wings don’t need any more forwards or centers at the moment, and they’ve got plenty of on-ball creation, too, so they may just be looking for a complementary player who can defend anywhere on the perimeter and shoot when open, which is a role that would be tailor-made for Mühl.

10. Connecticut Sun: Nyadiew Puoch, F (Australia)

Connecticut will enter the draft already up against the salary cap, so don’t be surprised if the Sun pick an international player at No. 10. Puoch is just 19 years old and her offensive game is still raw, but she’d be worth the gamble for her potential alone, as she already displays next-level athleticism and has the tools to be a defensive playmaker at either forward position. Whoever drafts Puoch will need to be patient, but that wouldn’t be an issue for the Sun, who will have trouble rostering this pick right away.

Charisma Osborne

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

11. New York Liberty: Charisma Osborne, G (UCLA)

As star-studded as New York’s roster is, defense at the point of attack was an issue last season, particularly in the WNBA Finals against Las Vegas. Osborne is a strong, tenacious guard who has no problem doing the dirty work on or off the ball; the four-time All-Pac-12 honoree recorded a steal rate of at least 2.5 percent in three of her five seasons at UCLA (Her Hoop Stats), and she would add additional ball handling to the Liberty backcourt, too, having recently posted a career-high four assists per game and 2.09 assist/turnover ratio as a graduate student.

12. Atlanta Dream: Leila Lacan, G (France)

Lacan is perhaps the most talented international prospect in the draft class, bursting onto the scene with 17.1 points and three steals per game in the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup, and the French national team has big plans for her, which could actually negatively impact her WNBA Draft stock. If the Dream draft and stash Lacan now, however, they could end up reaping the benefits somewhere down the road; the 5-foot-11 guard has a diverse offensive game and recently averaged 3.2 steals per game in France at just 19 years old.

13. Chicago Sky: Marquesha Davis, G/F (Ole Miss)

Chicago may be looking to add more size on the perimeter, and the 6-foot Davis would give the Sky a wing player who can push the envelope athletically on both ends of the court. An acrobatic finisher at the rim, Davis broke out in her senior season at Ole Miss, averaging a career-high 14 points and 1.5 steals per game, and 30.4 percent of her offensive possessions came in transition (Synergy Sports).

Kiki Jefferson

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

14. Seattle Storm: Kiki Jefferson, G/F (Louisville)

Seattle loaded up in the offseason, adding stars at guard and forward in Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike, but could still use some size on the wing. Jefferson put up massive numbers at James Madison before spending her graduate season at Louisville, where she shot a career-high 51.2 percent on 2-pointers. At a sturdy 6-foot-1, Jefferson likes getting downhill and attacking the rim, and 29 percent of the points she scored in college came at the free throw line.

15. Indiana Fever: Alissa Pili, F (Utah)

If the Fever are looking to add a different scoring dimension to their frontcourt, Pili would be a good choice. In two seasons at Utah, Pili shot just over 40 percent on 3.2 three-point attempts per game, and she was a bully in the post, too, ranking in the 97th percentile in post-up scoring (1.233 points per possession; Synergy Sports) as a graduate student. Pili’s listed height of 6-foot-2 may be an exaggeration, but the diversity of her offensive skillset isn’t in question, and she’d be a great fit next to Fever center Aliyah Boston.

16. Las Vegas Aces: Leilani Correa, G (Florida)

The Aces have become the best team in the WNBA thanks in large part to unrivaled shot creation and floor spacing, and adding another perimeter shooter like Correa would make their offense even deadlier. The sweet-shooting SEC Sixth Player of the Year ranked in the 92nd percentile on spot-up opportunities (1.094 points per possession; Synergy Sports), and at 6-foot has the size to hold her own on the wing.

17. New York Liberty: Isobel Borlase, G (Australia)

The Liberty are in win-now mode and whichever player they draft here will be a long shot to make the team, so stashing an international prospect would make sense. Borlase led Australia in scoring during the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup (14.9 points per game) and is already playing heavy minutes for Adelaide in the WNBL; she’s also safely in the pipeline for the Australian national team, so Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello is more familiar with her than most.

Taiyanna Jackson

Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

18. Las Vegas Aces: Taiyanna Jackson, C (Kansas)

A towering presence in the paint, there aren’t many better rim protectors in the country than the 6’6 Jackson, who swatted at least three shots per game in every one of her seasons at Kansas and allowed opponents to shoot just 27 percent at the rim (Synergy Sports). She’s also tough to keep off the glass, recording 22.3 percent of her halfcourt offensive possessions on putback opportunities as a senior. She’d make for good frontcourt depth for the Aces behind an aging Candace Parker.

19. Connecticut Sun: Dre’una Edwards, F (Baylor)

One of the more versatile forwards in the class, Edwards has stuffed the stat sheet for several Power Five programs, most recently averaging 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game for Baylor while posting a 3.2 percent steal rate and shooting 34.7 percent from long range. Edwards’ ability to handle, pass and shoot the ball at 6-foot-2 makes her stand out, and she’d be a good understudy for Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas.

20. Atlanta Dream: Dyaisha Fair, G (Syracuse)

Fair ends her collegiate career as the No. 3 all-time scorer in NCAA history and a two-time All-ACC first-teamer. Shifty off the dribble and deadly from beyond the arc, Fair’s size (5-foot-5) may be concerning to WNBA teams, but she’s carried the offensive load for every collegiate team she’s been on, and the Dream could use another dynamic guard like her to back up recent offseason acquisition Jordin Canada.

Jaylyn Sherrod

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

21. Washington Mystics: Jaylyn Sherrod, G (Colorado)

The high-octane Sherrod is perhaps the most explosive ball handler in the class and was a one-woman fast break for Colorado, racking up 33.5 percent of her possessions in transition (Synergy Sports) and finishing the season as just one of sixteen players in Division I to average at least five assists and two steals per game (Her Hoop Stats). If she’s still around at No. 21, she’d be a nice upside play for the Mystics as they rebuild their backcourt.

22. Connecticut Sun: Elizabeth Kitley, C (Virginia Tech)

The most accomplished player in Virginia Tech history and a three-time ACC Player of the Year, Kitley stands at 6-foot-6 and is one of the most skilled low-post scorers in the country, topping out at 22.8 points per game on 55.6 percent shooting in her final collegiate season. A torn ACL cut Kitley’s graduate season short and will keep her from playing this summer, but the Sun could still stash her rights for 2025, at which point they’ll be looking for another center to round out their roster.

23. New York Liberty: Celeste Taylor, G (Ohio State)

Taylor has elite defensive instincts and extremely quick hands, and her winning Defensive Player of the Year in both the Big Ten and the ACC (with Duke, prior to transferring to Ohio State) speaks to just how good she is on that end of the floor. Her jumpshot isn’t quite at the same level yet, but chances are whichever WNBA team drafts her will not be doing so for her offense, especially if she’s still on the board for New York here.

McKenzie Forbes

Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

24. Las Vegas Aces: McKenzie Forbes, G/F (USC)

It’s going to be difficult for any draftee to make the Aces’ final roster, but Forbes is the type of player Las Vegas would love to have in its training camp. She can do a little bit of everything with the ball in her hands, having led USC in assists from the wing position while shooting 37.4 percent on over six 3-point attempts per game, and has good size on the perimeter at 6-foot-0.

25. Phoenix Mercury: Jessika Carter, C (Mississippi State)

Phoenix has signed several frontcourt players to training camp contracts, but it’s not immediately clear which of them (if any) will be backing up Brittney Griner at center. If the Mercury want to add more depth at the position, the 6-foot-5 Carter would be a worthwhile pick in the third round, especially considering it will be Phoenix’s first pick in the draft. In her final season at Mississippi State, she nearly averaged a double-double at 14.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game and was named to the All-SEC Second Team.

26. Seattle Storm: Quinesha Lockett, G (Toledo)

WNBA teams are always looking for guards who can get into the paint, and Lockett is among the best in her class at attacking off the dribble. The three-time All-MAC selection took 33.3 percent of her halfcourt shot attempts at the rim and shot 64.2 percent on those attempts (Synergy Sports), and she has both the size (5-foot-10) and physicality to be an on-ball shot creator as a pro.

Mackenzie Holmes

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

27. Indiana Fever: Mackenzie Holmes, C (Indiana)

One of the country’s premier low-post players, Holmes is extremely efficient around the basket, having shot better than 60 percent from the field in all five of her seasons as a Hoosier and ranking in the 95th percentile on post-up efficiency (1.153 points per possession; Synergy Sports) as a grad student. There are concerns about whether Holmes will be able to defend at the pro level, but there’s little reason why the Fever can’t use a third-round pick on her and reunite her with fellow Hoosier alum Grace Berger.

28. Los Angeles Sparks: Helena Pueyo, G (Arizona)

A 6-foot-0 guard, Pueyo’s defense is her calling card. In her final season at Arizona, the two-time Pac-12 All-Defense honoree ranked 11th in Division I in steals per game (3.2) and held opposing pick-and-roll ball handlers to 0.510 points per possession (Synergy Sports). Pueyo doesn’t get to the rim very often, but if WNBA teams believe in her jumpshot, she could be drafted as a potential “3-and-D” player.

29. Phoenix Mercury: Endyia Rogers, G (Texas A&M)

For as many players as the Mercury have signed to training camp contracts, none of them are truly ball handlers, so Rogers would be a good late-round selection for them. Her assist/turnover ratio of 2.78 ranked 16th in Division I, and she’s recorded 1.2 steals per game in each of her last three collegiate seasons.

Esmery Martinez

Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

30. Washington Mystics: Esmery Martinez, F (Arizona)

Martinez is a highly active and versatile defensive-minded forward, who at 6-foot-2 can defend both in the paint and on the perimeter. In each of her last four collegiate seasons, she posted a steal rate of 2.9 percent or better; the level of energy and disruptiveness she brings on defense would be a good complement to the paint protection of Mystics centers Shakira Austin and Queen Egbo.

31. Minnesota Lynx: Hannah Jump, G (Stanford)

Jump has earned a reputation as one of the best shooters in the country, and like most Stanford products, she knows how to move without the basketball. She ranked in the 94th percentile on catch-and-shoot efficiency at 1.23 points per shot (Synergy Sports) in her final collegiate season, and while her role in the WNBA probably won’t be any larger than it was at Stanford, she’d be a valuable addition to Minnesota’s training camp roster due to her ability to play without the ball.

32. Atlanta Dream: Honesty Scott-Grayson (Auburn)

Scott-Grayson had the best season of her collegiate career as a grad student, averaging 17.3 points, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals for an Auburn team that won 20 games for the first time since 2019, earning an All-SEC First Team nod for her efforts. She’d make a good late-draft training camp addition for a Dream roster that could use another guard or two.

33. Dallas Wings: Bella Murekatete, C (Washington State)

This pick almost certainly won’t make the Wings’ final roster, but if Dallas is looking for an energetic big to push its frontcourt vets in training camp, Murekatete would fit that bill. She ranked in the 92nd percentile or better in total rebounding rate in each of her five seasons at Washington State (Her Hoop Stats) and a career-high 3.5 percent steal rate as a fifth-year player.

Amari Robinson

Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

34. Connecticut Sun: Amari Robinson, F (Clemson)

A versatile play finisher, Robinson averaged 17.3 points per game on 53 percent shooting as a graduate student en route to All-ACC honors. She’s a tad undersized as a power forward and will probably have to continue extending the range on her jumpshot to stick around in the WNBA; she recently shot 35.4 percent on 2.5 3-point attempts per game, which is a step in the right direction, especially when also considering her career-high 4.9 free throw attempts.

35. New York Liberty: Danae McNeal, G (East Carolina)

McNeal has great size in the backcourt at 6-foot-0, and she recorded a 4.4 percent steal rate in each of her three seasons at East Carolina, so there’s a lot to like about her as a late-draft sleeper pick. She’ll need to show more consistency on her jumpshot, but her physical tools alone should be enough to at least earn her a look in this range.

36. Las Vegas Aces: Savannah Wheeler, G (Middle Tennessee)

Wheeler was one of the country’s most prolific pick-and-roll scorers as a fifth-year player, recording over 50 percent of her offensive possessions as the pick-and-roll ball handler (Synergy Sports) and ranking in the 92nd percentile in scoring efficiency. If WNBA teams believe that the C-USA Player of the Year can hang physically, the rest of her offensive skillset would make her a solid addition to any training camp roster.

WNBA Draft 2024: Time, TV stream, and how to watch

Date: Monday, April 15

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Stream: Watch ESPN

Location: Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : SBNation – https://www.sbnation.com/wnba/2024/4/12/24122137/wnba-mock-draft-2024-caitlin-clark-angel-reese-kamilla-cardoso-rickea-jackson-cameron-brink-sheldon