The WNBA Draft is making players’ dreams come true from their homes. The virtual event got underway with the first round Thursday night on ESPN.

As teams make their selections, we’ll be delivering instant analysis.

1. Dallas Wings – Charli Collier, C/F, Texas

The Wings didn’t surprise with their first pick, selecting the 6-foot-5 forward who declared for the draft after her junior season at Texas. Collier will need to work on the finer points of her paint game to contend with veteran WNBA players, but she has the type of upside Dallas is looking for in building out its frontcourt behind Satou Sabally.

“My heart is racing because I worked so hard for this moment,” Collier told Holly Rowe on air. “Hate me or love me, you still gotta respect me either way.”

2. Dallas Wings – Awak Kuier, PF, Finland

The Wings have the youngest roster in the WNBA and the highest ceiling. They added another athletic big with the No. 2 pick, taking the 19-year-old out of Finland. Kuier is 6-5 and has played for the Finnish national team since she was 16, preparing her for the elevated skill in the WNBA.

3. Atlanta Dream – Aari McDonald, G, Arizona

Aari McDonald’s draft stock rose as she led her Arizona team to the NCAA championship game, but No. 3 is even higher than some might’ve predicted. McDonald showed off her speed and offensive repertoire in San Antonio, averaging 24.8 points through the tournament, and will give Atlanta a dangerous 1-2 punch at guard with Chennedy Carter.

4. Indiana Fever – Kysre Gondrezick, G, West Virginia

The first big surprise of the draft came very early. Most pundits didn’t even have Kysre Gondrezick going in the first round, but the 5-9 guard was coming off her best season as a redshirt senior at West Virginia. She led the Mountaineers with 19.5 points per game and became a more efficient shooter at all levels.

5. Dallas Wings – Chelsea Dungee, SG, Arkansas

The Wings beefed up their frontcourt with their first two picks, so it only made sense for them to find a shooter, and Chelsea Dungee has one of the purest strokes in this draft class. The third-team All-American averaged 22.3 points per game for Arkansas, 14th in the NCAA, and shot 38.7 percent from 3-point range.

6. New York Liberty – Michaela Onyenwere, SF, UCLA

The Liberty added some needed veteran starters in free agency between Natasha Howard and Betnijah Laney, and Michaela Onyenwere gives them a versatile option with a lot of upside to add to the mix. The athletic forward can rack up points in a hurry and goes hard on the glass.

7. Los Angeles Sparks – Jasmine Walker, F, Alabama

The Sparks took one step toward filling Candace Parker’s shoes with their seventh pick. Jasmine Walker is one of the most intriguing forward prospects in the draft because of her 3-point shooting ability. She averaged nearly a double-double as a senior (19.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game) while also shooting 39.8 percent from range.

8. Chicago Sky – Shyla Heal, PG, Australia

It made sense for the Sky to take a point guard with this pick and give her a season to develop under veteran Courtney Vandersloot. The surprise came in the player they selected, but the 19-year-old Shyla Heal has potential and the skills they can mold into their point guard of the future.

9. Minnesota Lynx – Rennia Davis, SF, Tennessee

The Lynx have made a habit of finding gems in the draft, evidenced by two of their most recent picks (Napheesa Collier and Crystal Dangerfield) being named Rookie of the Year. Based on Rennia Davis’ college resume, they might’ve done it again. Davis is an efficient scorer who can do a little bit of everything on offense and defense, just the type of player Cheryl Reeve likes.

10. Los Angeles Sparks – Stephanie Watts, G, UNC

The surprises continued in the first round, with the Sparks taking a guard many had targeted for later in the draft. Los Angeles’ frontcourt is formidable and pretty much set between Amanda Zahui B., Nneka Ogwumike and Chiney Ogwumike (and Jasmine Walker joining the mix), so it made sense for Derek Fisher to add guard depth. Watts is someone they have the ability to develop in the background this season.

11. Seattle Storm – Aaliyah Wilson, G, Texas A&M (traded to Indiana)

Aaliyah Wilson was an underrated playmaker on one of the best college teams in the country this season. The Fever boosted their backcourt even more by trading for Wilson on Thursday night, giving point guard Julie Allemand another shooting option. Wilson made a huge leap from beyond the arc as a senior, shooting 12.5 percent better than the year before.

12. Las Vegas Aces – Iliana Rupert, C, France

It would have made sense for the Aces to target a player who can contribute right away, given the 2020 WNBA finalists have the talent to contend for a championship season. So it came as a surprise they went with a player who might be more of a project. That said, there’s no better center for the 19-year-old Iliana Rupert to learn from than Liz Cambage, and the French national team player has the tools to shine in a few years.

The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.

Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.

"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:

• No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.

• No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.

• No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.

• No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.

Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.

The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.

No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

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DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.

"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."

"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."

Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.

The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.

"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.

NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.

Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.

Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.

For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.

With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire the No. 13 jersey of NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan on September 7th.

Still topping the team's all-time scoring leaderboard with 23 goals in just over two seasons with San Diego, the retired club captain will be the first-ever Wave player to receive the prestigious honor.

Morgan also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield as well as postseason appearances in the 2022 expansion club's first two seasons.

"Alex's legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women's soccer is today," said Wave FC governor Lauren Leichtman in the team's Tuesday announcement.

"She made this city her home, inspired our fans and community, and helped define who we are," Leichtman continued. "Her impact will be felt for generations, and it's only fitting that her number becomes a permanent part of Wave FC history." 

Morgan joined the Southern California squad's ownership group just last month, saying "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career."

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How to attend the San Diego jersey retirement of Alex Morgan

San Diego will officially retire Morgan's No. 13 jersey during their home match against the Houston Dash at 8 PM ET on September 7th.

Tickets to the game will go on sale to the general public online at 6 PM ET on Tuesday.