The WNBA is about to change.
Brad Crawford
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese headline the final WNBA Mock Draft — a blend of several lookaheads via CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, ESPN and others — ahead of Monday night's anticipated event. The duo met earlier in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament when Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes got the better of Reese's LSU Tigers during a rematch of last season's national championship game.
Clark's star power transcended the sport of women's basketball this season, resulting in record-setting viewership for the game, which is expected to carry over into her professional career in the WNBA. That said, there's agrowing list of skeptical women's basketball figures regarding Clark's immediate impact at the next level.
Days after receiving a blunt "reality is coming" warningfrom Diana Taurasi, Clarkrecently caught heat from Kelsey Plum,women's college basketball's second all-time leading scorer behind Clark,who doesn't think the superstar's playing style translates. Clark will have a point to prove in the WNBA.
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Here's a look at the final WNBA Draft mock:
1. Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark, G, Iowa
Mocked at No. 1 overall throughout the offseason, Clark set numerous all-time scoring records with her all-time high 3,951 career pointsat Iowa, showed a passing skillset at a level few players ever have in the women's game and routinely hit 3-pointers from well beyond the arc with a nightly shooting display that transcended the sport. Thirty-six of the Indiana Fever's 40 regular-season games will be featured on national broadcasts given her starpower. However, Clark leaves women's college basketballwithout a national championshipleaving manyquestioning her legacy and ranking among the sport's all-time greats.
2. Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink, F, Stanford
3. Chicago Sky: Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina
The latest center with star power to develop into a dominant big under Dawn Staley, South Carolina'sKamilla Cardosofinished with 15 points and a career-high 17 boards in the Gameco*cks' win over Iowa to cap a perfect season. She helped South Carolina out-rebound the Hawkeyes, 51-29.
"Kamilla Cardoso was not going to let us lose a game in the NCAA tournament," Staley said. "She played through an injury, she played like one of the top picks in the WNBA draft and her teammates did something that no teammates have done for anybody who went to the WNBA in our program. They send her off as a national champion. So this is history for us."
In three years with the Gameco*cks after starting her collegiate career atSyracuse, Cardoso won two National Championships and improved each season in Columbia. In 2023-24, Cardoso averaged 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while also blocking 82 shots. For her performance this season, Cardoso was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was a second team All-American selection by the AP.
"It was amazing," Cardoso said after winning her second National Championship. "I feel like I just wanted to get out there in this tournament and just play really well for my teammates, for my coaches, and to win the championship. So, I think that's what I did."
4. Los Angeles Sparks: Aaliyah Edwards, F, UConn
With two selections inside the top-five picks, the Los Angeles Sparks should substantially improve their roster at the top of the draft and Aaliyah Edwards from UConn would provide an excellent punch in the lineup (17.9 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game). Geno Auriemma and the Huskies relied on her frontcourt dominance throughout the season as she was a reliable option opposite of Paige Bueckers offensively.
5. Dallas Wings: Angel Reese, F, LSU
One of college basketball's highest-earners this season in NIL as the star of Kim Mulkey's Tigers,Reese was terrific in her final game as a collegian after contributing 17 points and 20 rebounds against the Hawkeyes, highlighted by a scoring spurt in the first half capped by a steal and layup in transition.Reese saidshe endured threats and emotional distressfor the last year following theloss toIowa, ending the Tigers' quest at back to back national championships. Fighting back tears in the postgame, Reese poured out her emotions for portrayalas a "villain" within women's basketball.
"I just try to stand strong ... I've been through so much, I've seen so much, I've been attacked so many times," Reese said. "Death threats. I've been sexualized. I've been threatened. I've been so many things and I've stood strong every single time. And I just try to stand strong for my teammates because don't want them to see me down and like, not be there for them. I just want them to always know, I'm still a human. All this has happened since I won the national championship and I said the other day I haven't been happy since then.
"And it sucks, but I still wouldn't change. I wouldn't change anything. I would still here and say I'm unapologetically me. I'm always going to stand on that. Hopefully the little girls that look up to me know ... it's not this hard and all the things that come at you, but keep being who you are, staying motivated, don't back down and just be confident."
6. Washington Mystics: Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee
Per GoVols247,Jackson, a 6-2 forward from Detroit, was a two-time First Team All-SEC honoree and projects to be off the WNBA draft board very quicklythis week. Jackson returned to Tennessee for a second year – and fifth in college – and joked on senior day last moth that she was coming back next season. Unfortunately for Tennessee, Jackson is out of college eligibility and will be a professionalstarter in another lineup later this summer.
7. Minnesota Lynx: Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State
8. Chicago Sky: Carla Leite, G, France
9. Dallas Wings: Nika Muhl, G, UConn
According to UConn's Sports Information,Mühl holds the Huskies' career (686), single-season (384) and single-game (15) assist records. She recorded double-digit assists in 17 games, the most for a Husky. Mühl also compiled 764 points and 453 rebounds at UConn. Mühl is a two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. She was also twice named an AP Honorable Mention All-American and All-BIG EAST Second Team.
10. Connecticut Sun: Nyadiew Puoch, F, Australia
11. New York Liberty:Marquesha Davis, G, Ole Miss
12. Atlanta Dream: Charisma Osborne, G, UCLA
13. Chicago Sky:Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech
14. Seattle Storm:Leilani Correa, G, Florida
15. Indiana Fever:Celeste Taylor, G, Ohio State
16. Las Vegas Aces: Leïla Lacan, G, France
17. New York Liberty:Isobel Borlace, G, Australia
18. Las Vegas Aces:Jaz Shelley, G, Nebraska
19. Connecticut Sun:Alissa Pili, F, Utah
20. Atlanta Dream: Jaylyn Sherrod, G, Colorado
21. Washington Mystics:Dyaisha Fair, G, Syracuse
22. Connecticut Sun:Taiyanna Jackson, C, Kansas
23. New York Liberty:McKenzie Forbes, G, USC
24. Las Vegas Aces: Hannah Jump, G, Stanford
Third Round
25. Phoenix Mercury:Kate Martin, G, Iowa
26. Seattle Storm:Kaylynne Truong, G, Gonzaga
27. Indiana Fever: Kiki Jefferson, G, Louisville
28. Los Angeles Sparks:Quinesha Lockett, G, Toledo
29. Phoenix Mercury: Endyia Rogers, G, Texas A&M
30. Washington Mystics:Abbey Hsu, G, Columbia
31. Minnesota Lynx:Honesty Scott-Grayson, G, Auburn
32. Atlanta Dream:Alicia Flórez, G,Spain
33. Dallas Wings:Mackenzie Holmes, F, Indiana
34. Connecticut Sun:Unique Drake, G, St. John's
35. New York Liberty: Sara Scalia, G, Indiana
36. Las Vegas Aces:Desi-Rae Young, C, UNLV
