WNBA Draft confidential: GMs anonymously scout Paige Bueckers and extra March Insanity guards

The 2025 WNBA Draft can be headlined by UConn’s Paige Bueckers, who has been penciled in as the highest decide ever since she determined to train her fifth yr of eligibility. However past Bueckers, there’s a deep pool of lead guards, scorers, and wings who’re desirous to make their influence on the subsequent degree.

Bueckers and several other of her fellow draftees, together with the Notre Dame and NC State duos, are nonetheless competing within the NCAA Event. UConn is looking for its first nationwide championship since 2016 and first title for Bueckers. With a lot left to perform, the draft appears distant, however the April 14 date in NY city is quick approaching, simply eight days after the nationwide championship.

Six WNBA normal managers shared their candid opinions in regards to the upcoming draft class with The Athletic earlier than the NCAA Event started. They had been granted anonymity to permit them to talk overtly. On Wednesday, we’ll run one other installment that features their evaluations of frontcourt gamers equivalent to Aneesah Morrow, Kiki Iriafen and Dominique Malonga.

(Gamers are listed in alphabetical order. Statistics present by means of Monday. Asterisks point out a participant has a further yr of school eligibility.)

Georgia Amoore | 5-6 guard | Kentucky

19.6 ppg, 6.9 apg, 36.7 mpg

“Nice school basketball participant. Can she do sufficient to be a rotational WNBA participant who makes it to a second contract?”

“Georgia Amoore’s recreation will translate on account of her capacity to run a crew and put her teammates in straightforward scoring conditions on account of her passing. She is going to excel in pick-and-roll conditions and is a participant with a really excessive basketball IQ.”

“It’s laborious to succeed as a tiny, tiny guard, so measurement is simply the primary factor. If she could be an insane shooter off the dribble and with vary, she has an opportunity.”

“She’s heady, does a ton of the (Steve) Nash stuff. She’s fairly sensible when it comes to understanding her limitations from a measurement perspective.”

“There’s little doubt she’s a scorer, she will shoot, she’s a playmaker. Level guards are at a premium. They’re laborious to search out.”

Georgia Amoore’s school profession was excellent 👏

🏀 First triple-double in VT historical past
🏀 Led Hokies to first ACC title and Closing 4 look
🏀 All-time assists chief for VT (656)
🏀 Tied Kentucky file for many factors in a recreation (43)
🏀 2x First-team All-ACC & 1x… pic.twitter.com/mLxsboWkSH

— espnW (@espnW) March 23, 2025

Paige Bueckers* | 5-11 guard | UConn

18.7 ppg, 4.8 apg, 63.4 TS%

“My solely considerations with Paige are bodily. If she will keep wholesome, I believe she’s an All-Star degree expertise. She will play with or with out the ball which makes her tremendous precious. She scores in any respect three ranges. She’s huge and tall and lengthy sufficient to outlive defensively. I believe her offense is best than her protection, however it’s laborious to search out issues to not like about Paige.”

“Even supposing individuals all the time wish to appear to speak about some potential flaws, (she’s)
nonetheless essentially the most positive factor at present on this draft.”

“The adjustment to the velocity and physicality of the sport will decide her fast influence.”

“Nice chief. She’s extremely poised. She’s ready, pro-ready and so spectacular, on and off the court docket. A franchise foundational participant.”

Sonia Citron | 6-1 wing | Notre Dame

14.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 38.1 3-PT%

“Whole package deal participant. … She’s received three layers to her scoring, she will defend a number of positions, her IQ is off the charts.”

“Onerous to not like her when it comes to what the sport wants, the 3-and-D. “

“Very, very poised. Clearly shoots the ball tremendously effectively. She’s received the entire package deal. The sport appears to have slowed down for her.”

“Large fan, don’t know the ceiling, don’t know the star energy, however when it comes to being a productive participant on a profitable crew and elevating the ground of your crew, fairly huge fan.”

Azzi Fudd* | 5-11 guard | UConn

13.2 ppg, 1.2 spg, 44.8 3-PT%

“She shoots it effectively however the pattern measurement is so small. Unsure how she impacts the sport exterior of the specter of her taking pictures, and I don’t suppose her taking pictures numbers are off the charts both, so I’m a bit nervous about her having a much bigger popularity than the precise influence.”

“Well being is the No. 1 factor for Azzi. She has all of the instruments to be a fantastic professional. It actually comes all the way down to her well being. Nice taking pictures, nice defender.”

“She may very well be a very fascinating complementary rotation participant who can stretch it. Three-and-D potential participant.”

Aziaha James | 5-9 guard | NC State

17.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.7 apg

“Actually dynamic. Nice finisher. Simply will get downhill. Nice defender. I believe she’s going to be a very, actually good guard on this league for a very long time.”

“I might see her turning out to have an eight-year profession. I might see her tapering off and it simply not working. I see her as a microwave scorer off the bench and people are vital.”

“Her capacity to adapt to defensive recreation plans towards her when she will get to this subsequent degree will determine if she makes it or not.”

“A great combo guard, however would possibly have to turn into extra bodily and stronger to have the ability to compete evening in and evening out within the WNBA.”

Olivia Miles* | 5-10 guard | Notre Dame

15.5 ppg, 5.9 apg, 40.1 3-PT%

“The second most secure decide after Paige.”

“She’s undoubtedly an distinctive passer. Her court docket imaginative and prescient in small areas in addition to full court docket is basically, actually particular.”

“Large fan, particularly if the taking pictures can proceed to be the place it’s at. I really like the wiggle she has in her recreation. She’s received nice really feel, she’s received nice change of tempo. I really like the mix of dribble, go, shoot. I really like her measurement at level guard. I believe she will additionally in all probability play on and off the ball.”

“Extremely dynamic. Probably the greatest scorers I’ve seen in a few years. At occasions, she’s taken out of the tip of video games defensively, however I believe the defensive finish is the place she nonetheless has room to develop. Offensively, an absolute dynamo.”

Te-Hina Paopao | 5-9 guard | South Carolina

9.7 ppg, 2.9 apg, 37.1 3-PT %

“Stable school participant. Clear 3-point shooter. Does she have sufficient to get by individuals and create on the subsequent degree?”

“Paopao has the power to hit from lengthy vary. She has sturdy management qualities and is one other excessive IQ participant who can distribute the basketball.”

“Paopao is environment friendly offensively. Defends rather well. Daybreak (Staley)’s youngsters are going to come back in and play their position, no matter they’re requested to do, regardless of how huge or how little. She actually impacts the sport on each ends of the ground.”

Saniya Rivers | 6-1 guard/wing | NC State

11.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.6 apg

“The excellent news for her is she could be a level guard. And in case you can’t shoot, you higher be enjoying level guard trigger then you’ve got the ball in your palms and you’ll survive a bit bit extra. Rather a lot to love and quite a bit to query, however superb instruments to work with.”

“Probably the most athletic guard-wing within the draft, however is there a spot for a non-3-point shooter guard-wing within the WNBA?”

“The athleticism is mesmerizing. At occasions she will get a bit bit uncontrolled, so it’s simply harnessing that and persevering with to get higher at simply selecting her pictures, selecting when she’s gonna drive, when she’s gonna shoot the three.”

“Nice size from the wing place and the potential of being an elite defender along with her size and athleticism.”

🚨: NC State advances to the SWEET SIXTEEN for the sixth time in seven seasons‼️

No. 2 NC State defeated No. 7 Michigan State, 83-49.

Saniya Rivers turned the primary participant in NC State program historical past to publish a point-assist double-double in an NCAA event recreation, whereas Aziaha… pic.twitter.com/EYB86AsF8I

— Posther Hoops (@postherhoops) March 24, 2025

Shyanne Sellers | 6-2 wing | Maryland

14.2 ppg, 4.2 apg, 41.8 3-pt%

“I really like her measurement, I really like her athleticism. She’s received all of the instruments, she simply type of at occasions, comes out and in. Any child that’s enjoying for Brenda Freese for 4 years you understand is disciplined on each ends of the ground.”

“She’s a scorer, she will play in all probability the 2 and the three and (stretch) 4. Availability is usually one of the best capacity, and she or he’s had a bit little bit of a rocky yr with a number of the accidents that she’s had. However she’s additionally proven a very nice resiliency in having the ability to bounce again.”

“Is she dependable or reliable along with her scoring capacity on the subsequent degree? Questions on her present well being could have her drop within the draft, and in the end, what’s her greatest place on the W degree?”

Hailey Van Lith | 5-7 guard | TCU

17.7 ppg, 5.5 apg, 1.2 spg

“A tricky child with a excessive basketball IQ. She will rating from all three ranges and is a participant who, in clutch moments, you may get her the basketball and she will make one thing occur.”

“Hailey had success being a high-usage participant. What is going to her position appear to be when she will get small home windows within the W? How efficient can she be in restricted minutes early in her profession, when she doesn’t have the ball?”

“A lot grit. I really like the fireplace that she brings when she steps onto the court docket. what you’re gonna get from her each single evening. The query mark continues to be on the defensive finish. She’s going to must proceed to get higher. She’s by no means going to be one of the best athlete or the quickest, so she’s received to determine decide her spots and be strategic in a approach when she’s guarding gamers that could be a bit bit greater and quicker than her.”

“She’s helped herself this yr. She’s exhibiting she will influence the sport in numerous areas.”

(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Images of Hailey Van Lith, Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles: Ron Jenkins, Michael Reaves, Joe Buglewicz / Getty Pictures)