The 2024 WNBA season is just under one month away, and the league year kicks off Monday night with this year’s WNBA Draft.
Caitlin Clark, the former Iowa Hawkeyes superstar and two-time national player of the year, is all but a total lock to be the first overall pick in this year’s draft. Other stars, like LSU’s Angel Reese, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso and UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards, are sure to be top-10 picks as well. Landing spots for all three of these top players are not as cemented as Clark’s going into Monday night’s draft.
Here’s where some of women’s basketball’s top stars are slated to begin their pro careers according to mock drafts from around the web.
2024 WNBA mock draft:Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink at top of draft boards
Angel Reese, LSU
Scooby Axson, USA TODAY: Chicago Sky – No. 7 overall (from Minnesota)
Axson writes, “[Reese] is a guaranteed double-double, has the ability to score from mid-range, and is an immediate upgrade for an average rebounding team. Chicago needs help at every position, especially anyone who can help with defense, as the Sky allowed opponents to shoot 45 percent from the field last season.”
Lehman writes, “You might be thinking: ‘What?!? How is Reese so low — she put up monster stats, was the best player on a title team and is one of the faces of the sport!’ Well, there are also pressing questions about how Reese’s game will translate: Can she continue her signature offensive rebounding rate (6.0 per game over two LSU seasons) against pros?”
Meghan McKeown, NBC Sports: Chicago Sky – No. 7 overall (from Minnesota)
McKeown writes, “Between her rebounding, paint scoring ability, and defense, Angel Reese is the perfect get for a Sky team that needs depth everywhere. It’d also be big for Chicago to have one of the biggest names in the draft.”
Jack Maloney, CBS Sports: Chicago Sky – No. 7 overall (from Minnesota)
Maloney writes, “The Sky gave up Sika Kone and a first-round pick swap in 2026 to move up one spot. There’s a good chance they paid that price to ensure they were able to get Reese, who does not seem likely to fall past No. 7… What you cannot teach is Reese’s athleticism, motor and instincts as a rebounder and defender.”
Michael Voepel, ESPN: Chicago Sky – No. 7 overall (from Minnesota)
Voepel writes, “The fact the Sky traded with Minnesota to swap first-round draft positions gives us a good indication that Chicago has a specific player in mind — someone the Sky hope will still be available. It could be Reese, who was a dominant rebounder in college; she had 20 in her final game for LSU. A lot has been made of Reese needing growth on the offensive end. But Weatherspoon was a defensive specialist as a player and could really value Reese’s potential.”
2024 WNBA Draft order:Indiana Fever picks first in star-studded WNBA draft with Caitlin Clark
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Scooby Axson, USA TODAY: Los Angeles Sparks – No. 4 overall (from Seattle)
Axson writes, “There is nothing wrong with having twin towers playing in the post at the same time, and if the Sparks are going that route, especially if they take Brink with the No. 2 pick, they can’t go wrong with Cardoso, who upped her value in South Carolina’s championship run being named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.”
Jonathan Lehman, NY Post: Los Angeles Sparks – No. 4 overall (from Seattle)
Lehman writes, “The two-time national champion and one of the co-stars of the forthcoming Omaha Productions documentary heads to Hollywood, where she’ll get plenty of reps to develop her offensive game.”
Meghan McKeown, NBC Sports: Los Angeles Sparks – No. 4 overall (from Seattle)
McKeown writes, “At 6’7″, Cardoso is unstoppable on the boards. Her ability to score down low in addition to her rebounding would be a huge add as the Sparks continue to develop their front court in the post-Nneka Ogwumike era.”
Jack Maloney, CBS Sports: Los Angeles Sparks – No. 4 overall (from Seattle)
Maloney writes, “Even at the professional level, there won’t be many players with the size to match the 6-foot-7 Brazilian, which will help her make the leap to the WNBA.”
Michael Voepel, ESPN: Chicago Sky – No. 3 overall (from Phoenix)
Voepel writes, “Cardoso is hard to stop once she gets the ball in scoring position, and she can control the boards, plus be a major impediment to opponents’ driving ability. Almost everything will be new with the Sky this season, so Cardoso or whomever Chicago picks will have a fresh slate and a chance to play a lot.”
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
Scooby Axson, USA TODAY: Washington Mystics – No. 6 overall
Axson writes, “Edwards has been WNBA-ready for a while, especially the way she maneuvers in the post, either setting herself up for scores or passing to teammates. With Elena Delle Donne electing not to play this season, the scoring has to be made up somewhere, and the Mystics would be wise to select Edwards.”
Jonathan Lehman, NY Post: Washington Mystics – No. 6 overall
Lehman writes, “Last seen committing the controversial offensive foul that sent Iowa past UConn into the title game, Edwards (17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds) is a high-motor, high-IQ player with the Geno Auriemma imprint (Huskies have a way of succeeding in the WNBA) and room to grow on offense.”
Meghan McKeown, NBC Sports: Washington Mystics – No. 6 overall
McKeown writes, “Aaliyah Edwards nearly averaged a double-double her senior year at UConn (17.6ppg / 9.2rpg) and at 6’3″, she has a pro-ready body. She is fundamentally sound and would likely be best available at this point in the draft.”
Jack Maloney, CBS Sports: Washington Mystics – No. 6 overall
Maloney writes, “Edwards was terrific in the tournament, including a 17-point, eight-rebound, five-steal effort in UConn’s Final Four loss to Iowa. You can quibble with the lack of range on her jumper, but there’s really nothing Edwards does poorly. She’s versatile, efficient, athletic and works hard.”
Michael Voepel, ESPN: Dallas Wings – No. 5 overall (from Chicago)
Voepel writes, “There’s a chance Edwards goes higher, depending on whether a team is looking for a more traditional power forward who can dependably do everything well. The track record of former UConn players in the pros is excellent, so that helps her draft stock, too.”
How to watch the 2024 WNBA Draft:
Date: Monday, April 15, 2024
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+, Fubo TV
How to watch:Stream the WNBA Draft with a subscription to ESPN+
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
