Eric MoodyMar 17, 2025, 11:30 AM ET
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- Eric Moody is a author for delusion soccer, males’s and girls’s basketball, and sports activities making a bet at ESPN. Eric joined ESPN in 2021 after running as a senior delusion analyst at Professional Soccer Community. Previous to that, he spent a lot of his profession as a supervisor at a Fortune 100 monetary services and products corporate.
March is after all right here and girls’s school basketball is heating up. Because the NCAA Event approaches, there are a variety of can’t-miss stars which are poised for a brilliant long run within the WNBA. Myth managers could be smart to concentrate on those avid gamers all through the insanity and get started getting ready for the delusion girls’s basketball season.
From Paige Bueckers’ ultimate run with the UConn Huskies to a deadly Notre Dame Combating Irish crew with Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron contributing. Let’s dive in.
Paige Bueckers, G, UConn
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Bueckers is the most efficient participant in girls’s school basketball at this time and the highest prospect within the 2025 WNBA Draft. She will be able to rating from any place and has averaged 18.8 PPG whilst taking pictures 54% from the sphere and 40% from deep. She’s an elite three-level scorer and a dynamic playmaker who flourishes without or with the ball. Her skill to raise her teammates makes her a franchise-changing skill, just like Caitlin Clark did for the Fever ultimate season. Bueckers has the ability to develop into a crew and emerge as an early-round delusion draft pick out. Many mock drafts challenge Bueckers to move No. 1 total to the Dallas Wings and she or he could be a really perfect supplement to Arike Ogunbowale within the backcourt.
Olivia Miles, G, Notre Dame
Miles neglected all the 2023-24 season because of a knee damage however has been exceptional this season. She is only one of 4 avid gamers within the nation averaging 16.2 PPG , 6.0 RPG and 5.8 APG. What is much more spectacular is her development as a three-point shooter, hitting 40.9% of her photographs from past the arc. Miles’ skill to facilitate Notre Dame’s offense is valuable, and it is transparent from the movie that she elevates her teammates’ play in some way few others on this elegance can fit. It is no wonder that Miles is a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, honoring the country’s most sensible level guard. Previous winners like Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum, Courtney Vandersloot and Skylar Diggins-Smith have all completed good fortune on the skilled point. Many mock drafts had Miles being drafted by means of the Seattle Typhoon when they obtained the No. 2 pick out within the business that despatched Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks and Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces. Because the roster is so guard-heavy, I would not be stunned to peer Miles land with the Washington Mystics.
Sonia Citron, G, Notre Dame
Citron is likely one of the maximum whole avid gamers within the nation, averaging 13.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.9 SPG, and 1.0 BPG in just about 34 MPG. She’s a real “3-and-D” prospect — who knocks down 3-pointers at a 36.7% clip, whilst locking down the opposing crew’s best possible wing. Her elite protection, versatility, and environment friendly 49% taking pictures make her a coveted participant on this draft elegance, with many mock drafts projecting her to the Washington Mystics, who’ve the No.3 and No. 4 choices.
Te-Hina Paopao, G, South Carolina
Paopao brings precious revel in to the Gamecocks as a fifth-year participant. Her consistent with recreation numbers (10.0 PPG , 2.7 RPG , and three.1 APG in 25.1 mins) do not bounce off the web page, however stats do not inform the entire tale. South Carolina has a powerful monitor file of creating WNBA-ready skill, and Paopao suits that mould. She’s a dynamic playmaker with deep taking pictures differ, in a position to stretching the protection and developing for teammates. Her skill to play on or off the ball makes her a great have compatibility for a crew with high-usage stars, including steadiness to any backcourt.
Kiki Iriafen, F, USC
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Iriafen has thrived as USC’s No. 2 choice along JuJu Watkins, averaging 18.5 PPG and eight.4 RPG. She’s a high-level scorer with the bodily gear to make a right away have an effect on within the professionals. Her athleticism and talent to keep watch over the paint set her aside as she makes use of her period to dominate at the glass. Iriafen has a competent mid-range recreation and is flexible defensively as a rim protector who too can guard at the perimeter. Iriafen has been projected to move No. 2 to the Golden State Valkyries forward of the NCAA event.
Aneesah Morrow, F, LSU
Morrow is in the course of an impressive senior season, incomes First-Crew All-SEC and All-SEC Defensive Crew honors whilst additionally being a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Participant of the 12 months. She’s a dominant presence at the glass, averaging 13.6 RPG and a pair of.6 SPG, and contributes offensively with 18.5 PPG, scoring most commonly within the paint. Morrow re-aggravated a mid-foot sprain within the SEC Event semifinal towards Texas, however the excellent news is she’s anticipated to be waiting by means of the beginning of the event. Morrow could be a really perfect have compatibility for the Wings enjoying along Ogunbowale — particularly in the event that they choose Bueckers at No. 1.
