WNBA mock draft: Paige Bueckers goes No. 1 to Dallas and Seattle selects French star Malonga 2nd
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UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks to shoot against UCLA during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)2025-04-07T14:00:30Z NEW YORK (AP) Theres no doubt whos going first in the WNBA draft next Monday with Paige Bueckers the consensus top pick. After that it gets interesting with Olivia Miles decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal instead of the draft. The Washington Mystics, with a new coach and general manager, control the direction of the draft with the third, fourth and sixth pick. Five teams dont have picks in the opening round as New York, Indiana, Phoenix and Atlanta all traded away their picks. Las Vegas forfeited its pick following an investigation by the league in 2023 that found the franchise violated league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and workplace policies.Heres a look at how the first round could look on April 14:1. Dallas Wings: Paige Bueckers, UConnA generational player who averaged 20.0 points and shot 42.4% from behind the 3-point line this season. Bueckers is one of the most efficient players in college basketball and will pair with Arike Ogunbowale in the Wings backcourt. 2. Seattle Storm: Dominique Malonga, FranceThe 6-foot-6 center played for the French Olympic team last year and has a bright future in the WNBA. She averaged 15.0 points and 10.3 rebounds so far this season while playing for Lyon. While Seattle has a solid frontcourt with Ezi Magbegor and Nneka Ogwumike, its hard to pass up on this talented 19-year-old. 3. Washington Mystics: Sonia Citron, Notre Dame She averaged 14.3 points and 5.8 rebounds during her career at Notre Dame and also improved her defense to become one of the top defenders on the team. She would be the first of three first-round picks for a rebuilding Washington team and is in need of a solid wing. Citron has shot over 90% from the free throw line the past two seasons, one of the best percentages in the country.4. Washington Mystics: Kiki Iriafen, Southern California Was a star at Stanford before heading to USC for her last season. Shes risen her game since JuJu Watkins went down with an ACL tear and helped get the team to the Elite Eight. She averaged 18.2 points and 8.3 rebounds this season and will be another nice addition to a rebuilding Mystics team.5. Golden State Valkyries: Aneesah Morrow, LSUMorrow led the nation in double-doubles, averaging 18.7 points and 13.5 rebounds a game. She is second all-time in that category, behind only Oklahoma great Courtney Paris, having more than 100 in her career at LSU and DePaul.The 6-foot-1 Morrow has a toughness and nose for the basketball.6. Washington Mystics: Shyanne Sellers, MarylandThe Mystics will have had a lot of chances to see Sellers play in college with the Terrapins right up the road. She has size at 6-foot-2, but also plays the guard and wing spot. Her versatility makes her an attractive pick for the Mystics. She was the first player in Maryland history to have 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in her career.7. Connecticut Sun: Juste Jocyte, LithuaniaJocyte showcased her scoring skills with a 22-point effort against Belgium in the EuroBasket qualifiers. Shes a versatile player who can play any of the guard positions and is really effective on the pick and roll. Has a toughness about her and is fundamentally sound. Sun coach Rachid Meziane, who has spent time coaching in the French league, is well aware of her talents. 8. Connecticut Sun: Sania Feagin, South CarolinaDawn Staley has produced a plethora of talented post players over the last few years, from Aja Wilson to Aliyah Boston to Kamilla Cardoso. The South Carolina coach believes Feagin could be the next one to have an impact in the WNBA, predicting over the weekend that shell be a lottery pick. At 6-3, Feagin has size and shoots over 60% from the field.9. Los Angeles Sparks: Maddy Westbeld, Notre DameWestbeld missed the first half of this season while recovering from a foot injury, and with Miles and Hannah Hidalgo getting the majority of the shots, it was difficult for the 6-3 forward to get back to the numbers she put up the year before. Westbeld averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 2023-24. 10. Chicago Sky: Georgia Amoore, KentuckyThe Sky could pair Amoore with veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot to help the Australian learn the pro game. She averaged 19.6 points and 6.9 assists for Kentucky this season after transferring from Virginia Tech to play for Kenny Brooks, her former Hokies coach before he took the job in Lexington.11. Minnesota Lynx: Hailey Van Lith, TCUVan Lith became the first player to play on three different teams in the Elite Eight after seeing her college career revitalized at TCU. She averaged 17.7 points and 5.5 assists to help the Horned Frogs reach the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. She also has some pro experience helping the U.S. win a bronze medal in 3-on-3 at last years Paris Olympics. 12. Dallas Wings: Ajsa Sivka, SloveniaSivka is a multi-level scoring forward with efficient shot-making ability. She made over 42% from the 3-point line. At 6-4, she is a difficult matchup to defend.Other players to watch out for who could be taken in the first round or early in the second include: Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina; Sedona Prince, TCU; JJ Quinerly, West Virginia; Sania Rivers, N.C. State; and Makayla Timpson, Florida State.___APs Mock WNBA Draft is an analysis on select players and their pro prospects. For more AP WNBA coverage, click here: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
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