Welcome to March Madness, where many WNBA draft prospects will be in the national spotlight.
The 2025 women’s NCAA tournament should showcase some of the best players in college basketball ahead of the 2025 WNBA Draft. This year’s class is loaded with talent, led by UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers. Bueckers is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick and start her pro career with the Dallas Wings.
MARCH MADNESS ODDS: Final Four and national championship odds for all 68 women’s NCAA tournament teams
Still, after Bueckers is drafted, the board could get a little wild. Several trades in recent weeks, like the Washington Mystics sending guard Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky, have changed the order of the first round and created a ton of speculation about where top players could land. With this in mind, let’s look at which WNBA prospects could help (or hurt) their draft stock as teams push to get higher in the selection order.
Here are five WNBA draft prospects to watch once March Madness starts:
1. Olivia Miles – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles is easily the top guard in the 2025 draft. That’s undeniable. However, where she is drafted remains in flux. Notre Dame’s recent woes have not helped outside perceptions, and unfortunately, Miles has been in a slump, too.
She’s had four games in the last five matchups where she shot under 40 percent from the field, including an abysmal 28.6 percent against Cal. Additionally, Miles has not looked great on the defensive end, seemingly out of position from moment to moment. If the senior guard can get back to scoring at least 15 points per matchup with 45 percent shooting or higher during March Madness, she’ll solidify her status as a top-three pick.
2. Kiki Iriafen – USC Trojans
USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen has been playing so well lately, and I’m here to push the agenda. The big questions about Iriafen’s game have been: Can she score from different areas of the court? Is she efficient with her shots? The answer to both of those questions is YES. Over the last seven games, she’s had four games with 50 percent shooting or better, including 17 points and nine rebounds on 61.5 percent shooting against the UCLA Bruins on March 1.
The same production during the NCAA tournament could help Iriafen sneak into the top-five picks, potentially landing with the Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics or Golden State Valkyries. However, if her shooting looks anywhere close to the teamwide fourth quarter meltdown displayed during the Big Ten Championship, Iriafen could slide down the board.
3. Azzi Fudd – UConn Huskies
It’s unclear if UConn guard Azzi Fudd will declare for the WNBA. Fudd still has yet to make an announcement, but should she decide that turning pro is the right decision, she has a very good case to be drafted. Fudd’s played 28 games this season, the most since her first year at UConn, and she’s been relatively healthy. Fudd has career highs in points per game, field goal percentage and 3-point shooting.
In her best game of the season, an 87-58 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks, Fudd scored 28 points and five rebounds. She also shot 50 percent from the field and nailed SIX (!) 3-point buckets. If Fudd plays anywhere close to that day, she’ll likely sneak into the back half of the first round. A team like the Connecticut Sun or Minnesota Lynx would be an ideal landing spot.
4. Rori Harmon – Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns guard Rori Harmon hasn’t indicated that she’ll go to the WNBA, but if she does, the NCAA tournament is the perfect showcase to raise her stock. Harmon missed much of the 2023-2024 season with an ACL injury. It was unfortunate because, before her early exit, she was COOKING. Harmon had career highs in several categories, averaging 14 points and nearly eight assists a game.
She’s not near those numbers this season, but she is still productive. During the SEC tournament, the Longhorns had shaky offensive outings against the LSU Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks. Harmon and teammate Madison Booker helped push the offense. If she can continue being productive or rekindle her 2023 magic during March Madness, I would not be shocked to see her sneak into the bottom half of the first round or the top of the second. The Dallas Wings could use some extra guard depth.
5. Hailey Van Lith – TCU Horned Frogs
TCU Horned Frogs guard Hailey Van Lith has spent five years playing college basketball, but it’s been worth it. Before transferring to TCU, Van Lith spent part of her summer at the Paris Olympics, playing on the Team USA women’s 3×3 team. That extra work ahead of this season has paid dividends. Van Lith has found her stride amid her redemption tour with the Horned Frogs.
March Madness is the perfect time for Van Lith to continue elevating her stock. If TCU has a deep NCAA tournament run and Van Lith plays well, she will likely sneak into the top 10 picks during the 2025 WNBA Draft. A team like the Chicago Sky could take a chance, or even the Los Angeles Sparks, who could use her 3-point shooting and facilitation abilities.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: March Madness WNBA prospects who could help or hurt their draft stock
