10 Draft Prospects to Follow in March Madness

Chicago has three top-thirteen picks in April's draft and the NCAA Tournament is their last chance to see this year's prospects in action.

This year’s draft is a unique one because the abundance of talent means there’s little consensus on what range different players belong in. Depending on whose article you read, some of this year’s prospects can be mocked as high as third overall or as low as the third round. With that in mind, the below are ten of the players I strongly expect to be chosen within the first round-and-a-half of April’s draft. The Sky, holders of three selections (3, 8 and 13) in that range, will likely have close eyes on each—knowing that as much as a quarter of next year’s roster could be composed of rookies.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Stanford’s Cameron Brink are not included because neither is expected to be left on the board when the Sky make their first selection at #3. Given this doubles as a preview for the NCAA Tournament, other names that may go early in the draft like Australian Nyadiew Puoch (international) and Washington State’s Charlisse Leger-Walker (out for season) are also not included.

Aaliyah Edwards - UConn

It might be quicker to assess Edwards’ talent by listing all the things she can’t do given she’s such a multi-faceted player. Currently, that list pretty much begins and ends with her non-existent three-point shooting (3/9 in 4 years). Otherwise, Edwards is a fantastic athlete, high-IQ player, efficient scorer (59.4% FG), solid rebounder and versatile defender who averages both a steal and a block for every thirty-two minutes that she’s on the court. Her package of post moves is impressive for a player who’s just 21, and her passing is good enough for an offense to reliably play inside-out with her as their center piece. Edwards would be a valuable asset for a team that wants to contend this season because her game is balanced enough to slot in alongside almost any other style of player, but I’d love to see her drafted to a team in transition like Chicago because I see plenty in her game to suggest she can be a team’s 1A star sooner rather than later. If the Sky took Edwards at 3, I think it’s feasible that she slides into the team’s opening day line-up at the 4 and quickly establishes herself as the team’s foundational piece long-term.

Kamilla Cardoso - South Carolina

For Cardoso, the awkwardness that often comes along with her size (6’7”) is not an issue in the slightest—with her fluid movement standing out from her tape. Because of that athleticism, she runs the floor well and gets to high percentage areas by exploiting the mismatches she finds as the opposing defense gets organized. Even when the opponent is set in the half court, Cardoso is fantastic at sealing her defender—with her unique combination of physical tools making it extremely challenging for the defender to contest once sealed. Given so many of her shots come so close to the rim, WNBA teams will probably want to see a slight uptick in her efficiency (and range) long-term, but her offensive game is always improving (this is just her first season starting at Carolina). On defense, it probably won’t come as a great surprise that—with her physical tools—Cardoso is a great shot-blocker. With more minutes this year, she has taken a big step forward as a defender—showing the potential to excel in space and not just at the rim. Whoever drafts Cardoso needs to ensure they provide her with the minutes she needs to continue making those types of strides at both ends.

Angel Reese - LSU

As a rebounder, I struggle to think of too many in recent memory who came into the W at Reese’s level. The disparity between her and others obviously won’t be so big at the professional level, but her athleticism alone should be enough to land her amongst the league leaders in rebounding even after making the jump up. Thus, Reese’s progression as an offensive player will likely wind up the difference between her being a high-level starter and an All-WNBA franchise cornerstone. Based on what Reese has shown in college, I trust her to figure it out. Because of her rebounding ability, her teams will get plenty of chances for early offense in transition—with her ball handling and outlet passing likely to further contribute to lots of easy looks for her team. Likewise, her explosive first step and solid free throw shooting (73.6%) means she’s got a go to move in the half court that even a veteran defender can’t easily contain. Chicago should think about her at 3 and would be silly not to grab Reese if she makes it to 8. If she lands with a team that can properly develop her talent, I think there’s a chance she ends up one of the best players from this loaded class.

Elizabeth Kitley & Georgia Amoore - Virginia Tech

Kitley and Amoore come as a package deal here, but they’ll each have plenty of individual cachet at the next level. Kitley is as reliable of a mid-range scorer as you’ll find in a player of her size (6’6”), and that makes her a dynamic option in pick-and-roll sets as she can roll or fade for a set shot. On the block, she’s just as dominant with a fadeaway shot that (again because of size) registers as nearly unblockable—even when taken over a double team. What I like most about her offensive game is that she’s capable of a quick release but also goes through her offensive process well to find a different, usually better, shot when necessary. After trading Li Yueru to Los Angeles for the 8th pick, I wouldn’t be stunned if Chicago replaced her in the front court with Kitley (if she falls that far).

Kitley’s floor general Amoore is, for me, the surest of sure things besides Clark in this year’s draft. She can score (18.7 PPG) and is already a decent shooter (34.9% 3PT), but it’s everything else that makes her such a strong prospect. Her smaller frame (5’6”) lends itself to incredible balance and she packages that with elite speed to become a nimble, fleeting force for opposing defenders to keep track of. Add in strong defense at the point of attack, elite passing ability and an expert knack for reading the defense and you’ve got everything you’d ask for in a floor general. Thus, I see Amoore as a plug-and-play starter at the W level who will thrive as a team’s starting point guard for the next decade. Wherever Kitley and Amoore end up, both would benefit from having a strong pick-and-roll partner in the W like they currently have in one another.

Note: Kitley left Virginia Tech’s loss to Virginia on Sunday with a lower leg injury. Her status for Friday’s ACC Tournament Quarterfinal is TBD.

Rickea Jackson - Tennessee

Jackson may not be an elite long-range shooter (33%), but her overall offensive game still makes her a three-level scoring threat with a package of shot creation skills that is second to none in this class. From Jackson’s deep bag, it’s probably her ability to score off the dribble which will be most exciting for WNBA teams given the rarity of such a skill at her size (6’2”). Depending on who you ask, you’ll hear some wildly different stances on how good (or bad) of a defender Jackson is, but I think her versatility, athleticism and improved rebounding are enough to convince a W team that they can turn her into a serviceable defender long term. For the Sky, pairing Jackson with two other ball-dominant scorers (Evans and Mabrey) could be a bit redundant—especially since neither of Evans nor Jackson are established as strong off-ball players. Yet, Jackson’s skills could elevate the Sky’s overall offensive potential while a pairing with Elizabeth Williams in the front court could alleviate some of the defensive concerns. She’ll likely be an option for the Sky at three but don’t expect to see her on the board at eight because GMs traditionally can’t help themselves when such a scorer is available.

Alissa Pili - Utah

Pili is probably the prospect I feel least certain about going into this year’s draft process because I find it difficult to project how the jump to the WNBA level will impact her ability to do the things that make her so successful for the Utes. On one hand, I worry that—without the offense running through her—we don’t get to see the full package that Pili brings to the table. She can score off the dribble with either hand, post up down low or even shoot spot up threes (40%), but a marginalized role in a team’s offense might clip her wings to the point where she’s inadvertently less effective across the board. To the contrary, a less “front and center” role in the offense should also mean Pili is fresher (from less battling in the post), less well-scouted and doubled less often. It’s hard to say which one of these changes will weigh heavier on her level of success in the W, but Pili has all the skill needed to be a one-of-a-kind bench scorer off the rip if she’s drafted by a team with a coach that understands how to maximize her abilities in a smaller (at least at first) role.

Charisma Osborne - UCLA

Osborne is one of the more intriguing options for contenders in this year’s draft because her game is so multi-faceted. She offers useful contributions in each of the major stats besides blocks, has solid shooting splits (42/34/89), handles well enough to play either guard spot and has had success defending the 1-3 (though at 5’9” many W 3’s will be a handful). Her athleticism also make her a fantastic help defender with her explosiveness allowing her to jump into passing lanes and act as a disruptive force. A unique combination of strength and shiftiness has also helped her put up impressive rebounding totals for her size—both via establishing good box-out position and slipping into the mix when crashing from the perimeter. Chicago might not get as much value out of Osborne’s well-balanced game in year 1 as a contender would, but the Sky could offer Osborne space to spread her wings and find her niche as a professional early on.

Ayoka Lee - Kansas State

There’s a certain nonchalance to the way Lee blocks shots at times and, while things are inevitably going to be tougher, I think her timing and reach will still make guards think twice about driving at the professional level. Her perfect W front court partner will probably be a four that’s comfortable roaming as a helper and cutting out plays—leaving Lee to lurk around the basket as a premier rim protector. With that framework in place on the defensive end, Lee will be freed up to do what she does best on the other side—dominate down low. She likely won’t be the focal point she is for K-State at the next level, but her post game is strong enough to be relied on as the secondary or tertiary scorer in a W bench group—with a chance to grow into a similar role as a starter long term. Lee might not be drafted in the first round but she should be amongst the most reliable options left on the board when the second round starts with the Sky’s #13 pick.

Deja Kelly - North Carolina

With the ball in hand, Kelly often looks like a 10-year WNBA veteran because of her ability to control the tempo of the offense at the point guard position. A big part of this comes from the way she uses screens: effectively regulating and varying her tempo dribbling into and off of a ball screen to put both defenders in the action on the back foot. She’s also very shifty when navigating between defenders—giving her a lot of gravity with the ball as one defender is often not enough to keep tabs on her. The outcome: Kelly collapses defenses regularly and her patience in possession and solid court vision allow her to find the open shooters that penetration creates. At the opposite end, Kelly is a good on-ball defender and her work as a helper (especially when dropping down from the perimeter to double a big on the catch) should be valuable at the next level. Her shooting (35/28/72 splits) will be heavily focused on during the lead up to the draft, but she shoots with plenty of confidence and I suspect a more robust supporting cast at the WNBA level will result in more careful shot selection and (in the long run) improved efficiency.

Jaylyn Sherrod - Colorado

I haven’t seen too much hype for Sherrod in most major publications’ early mock drafts, but I’m not sure draft position will matter much for her long-term WNBA success. Reason being? Sherrod is a gamer. She is not a statistical marvel (solid not stunning averages of 12.8 points and 4.7 assists) nor is she likely to be a floor spacer (23.7% 3PT). Yet, a Colorado team who have been incredibly successful this season often look a bit out of sorts when their point guard sits. A lot of the value Sherrod provides on offense comes from her ability to effectively organize those around her but she’s taken a key step forward with her efficiency as well (up from 35.8% FG in ‘22 to 44.3% this year). On defense, Sherrod is tenacious and physically impressive. Her speed and footwork make her difficult to shake at the point of attack, and she’s strong enough to battle through screens as well. Lastly, Sherrod is a leader. Regardless of where she’s drafted, I expect she’ll wind up as the head of a W second unit (or even a starting group) within a few years.