Part of the fun of the NCAA Tournament is imagining how the game’s brightest stars will play at the next level. What would Azzi Fudd be like playing for the Lynx? Could Lauren Betts boost young star power in Washington? Or could an LSU reunion of Flau’jae Johnson, Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith return Chicago to first place in the league? To help you watch the tournament from a WNBA perspective, we’ve created a watch list of stars who could play in the W this summer.
However, this is not a mock draft for several reasons. The WNBA draft will likely feature several international players who aren’t playing in the NCAA tournament, including Spanish players Awa Fam and Iyana Martin. And since no collective bargaining agreement has yet been signed, the start of the WNBA season and the usual schedule it follows are still in flux. The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 13, a week after the NCAA title game. Still, the expansion draft, which will feature two new teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, and free agency are up in the air. Almost all players not on rookie contracts have yet to be signed, and each team’s needs are still uncertain because they don’t know who is on the team or how much they are being paid.
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With all of that in mind, here are the top WNBA prospects to watch as March Madness unfolds.
Azzi Fudd, UConn
The Huskies are defending champions heading into the tournament undefeated, so you’d think they’re playing with the weight of the world on their shoulders, right? No. Largely due to Fudd’s leadership and consistency, UConn is playing great basketball at the right time. She can score, averaging 17.7 points per game, and is a reliable defender. But beyond that, Fudd showed she was ready for the WNBA spotlight and could play well with just about anyone.
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Raven Johnson, South Carolina
In every season of Johnson’s career in Columbia, South Carolina, she made the Final Four, winning two national titles. Johnson is battle tested and conditioned to Dawn Staley’s satisfaction, which is no small feat. In the Gamecocks’ win over LSU in the SEC Tournament semifinals, the Tigers played well early. Johnson continued to play his game and kept his team calm as they came back to win. Although she adds to her team’s offense, putting up 10 points and 5.4 assists per game, it’s on defense where Johnson really shines.
Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
What stands out most about Johnson is his energy. Not only does she show it in the way she balances being an elite basketball player, a musician and a student, but also in the way she spends every minute on the court. Johnson can score from anywhere, but this season at LSU showed how she can facilitate her teammates’ scoring as well. She’s scoring 13.8 points per game, which is down from last season, but it’s more of a testament to her confidence in the players around her.
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Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if someone played basketball as a linebacker? I don’t wonder anymore. McMahon owns the court, is comfortable playing inside and on defense and has consistently improved his ability to score from the outside. His points per game increased significantly this season after transferring from Ohio State, going from 16.5 to 19.9 points per game.
Olivia Miles, TCU
If Miles had entered the WNBA draft after her final season at Notre Dame, as she was eligible to do, she likely would have been a top-five pick. She had already proven her worth. But by staying in college and heading to TCU, Miles showed she could still get better. With the Horned Frogs this season, she is scoring more, with 19.6 points per game, compared to 15.4 last season, and she is dishing out more assists. She even improved her free throw shooting by five percentage points.
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A whole mess of UCLA stars
Is this a cop-out to simply highlight the entire team? Maybe, but the Bruins are that good. There’s a reason why the team hasn’t lost since December and why it made it through the Big Ten tournament. The team is made up of talented leaders who complement each other and will be eligible for the draft this spring, including Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker, but the two biggest stars are Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice.
Paris : Let’s be realistic. Even if Betts hadn’t been the key to the Bruins’ success this year, WNBA coaches and general managers would still be interested in her because of her 6-foot-7 stature. The good news is that she has been a rock for UCLA, scoring 16.4 points per game, grabbing 8.6 rebounds and blocking 1.8 shots per game. Almost any team in the WNBA could use his services.
Rice: Coming into the season, Rice may not have been on this list, but his improvement this year has been impressive. Her ability to score (15.3 points per game), grab rebounds (6 per game), and dish out assists (4.5 per game) makes her the kind of player who could fit in on multiple teams.
