The first day of the 2023 WNBA season has arrived. Yet of the 36 college stars drafted in April, just 15 appear on opening day rosters.

From No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston to No. 29 pick Kadi Sissoko, here are the draftees who will be suiting up for their teams.

Atlanta Dream

Haley Jones, No. 6 pick

The Stanford product has long been praised for her versatility, as she can play nearly every position on the court. That made Jones an attractive draft pick for the Dream as they build a roster around last year’s No. 1 pick, Rhyne Howard. Jones also brings a high basketball IQ, another important quality for a team looking to establish itself.

Laeticia Amihere, No. 8 pick

Former South Carolina sixth woman Amihere may take a bit longer to develop than some rookies, but her physical skills and high ceiling are worth the wait. Versatility was clearly a priority for the Dream in this draft, as Amihere is another player that does a bit of everything on the court. At 6-4, her length is a major strength that can help the Dream on both ends of the floor.

Indiana Fever

Aliyah Boston, No. 1 pick

Seeing Boston on an opening day roster is no surprise. The No. 1 overall pick is a player to build around, and someone we will likely see in the WNBA for years to come. Boston was pro ready a season ago when South Carolina won the NCAA title, and she will continue to develop as a WNBA player. The 6-5 post has the physical skills – strength and height – as well as impeccable footwork that makes her a tough guard inside.

Grace Berger, No. 7 pick

As the Fever continue to build their identity, the former Hoosier is another player who can contribute right away. Berger is an efficient scorer who excels in the midrange, an offensive style that compliments the rest of the Fever roster. When it comes to guards, Berger is also on the stronger side, so she will likely adjust quickly to the WNBA level.

Victaria Saxton, No. 25 pick

The last Gamecock to be drafted, Saxton will need some time to develop, but again, the Fever are a young team, playing the long game. At 6-2, Saxton is an undersized forward particularly on the defensive end, where she made her mark in college, but she impressed Fever coach Christie Sides in the preseason. Sides cited Saxton’s hustle and attention to detail as two qualities that stood out.

Minnesota Lynx

Diamond Miller, No. 2 pick

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said during the preseason that Miller might be the most athletic player she’s ever coached. That, plus her length and versatility, made Miller an obvious choice for the No. 2 pick. Miller can score in the half court, on the fast break, and from both inside and outside. She’s an all-around player that will likely be on a WNBA roster for years to come.

Dorka Juhász, No. 16 pick

The former UConn player can make an immediate impact for the Lynx as they continue to rebuild. After the retirement of Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota needs help defending in the paint, and at 6-5, Juhasz offers the kind of length they need. She served as a rim protector at UConn, and recorded 1.4 blocks per game as a senior. Juhasz uses polished footwork to score around defenders, and can impact the Lynx offense as well.

back-to-back Diamond buckets to start the half. 💎💎💎 pic.twitter.com/xUItT6hS2b

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) May 13, 2023

Phoenix Mercury

Kadi Sissoko, No. 29 pick

One of two third round draftees to make opening day rosters, Sissoko may end up being a steal for the Mercury. The 6-2 Sissoko is listed as a forward, but she has guard skills that will transfer well to the WNBA. She can run the floor and create shots off the bounce. Being on the court with players like Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner will leave openings that Sissoko can capitalize on.

Los Angeles Sparks

Zia Cooke, No. 10 pick

The former South Carolina guard is in a great position for success with the Sparks. She can learn from two established guards in Jasmine Thomas and Jordin Canada while polishing her game for the WNBA level. At 5-9, Cooke will have to work to score, but body control and angles are her strong suit, something that will help the guard create around bigger defenders.

Seattle Storm

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, No. 21 pick

The former South Florida player is one of three bigs on the Storm roster. Standing at 6-3, Fankam Mendjiadeu gives the Storm a needed post presence on both ends of the floor. Fankam Mendjiadeu finishes well in the paint and is deft at finding seems without the ball. She averaged a double-double during her senior season with 16.5 points and 12.3 rebounds.

Jordan Horston, No. 9 pick

After losing Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird, the Storm are in a rebuild. Horston likely will play big minutes for Seattle this season, and the 6-2 guard is ready for the challenge. A strong finisher who can elevate around the rim, Horston does a little bit of everything, and she is capable of setting up teammates and crashing the boards for rebounds.

A 6'2" forward from @LadyVol_Hoops...

⛈ JORDAN HORSTON ⛈#TakeCover pic.twitter.com/G7qf65pkH3

— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) May 18, 2023

Connecticut Sun

Leigha Brown, No. 15 pick

The Michigan product was drafted by the Dream before being traded to the Sun just days before final rosters were announced. Brown brings toughness, defensive ability and a versatile offensive skill set to the Sun. The 6-1 guard can lead a fast break and create for herself or others. Brown averaged 17.5 points, 5.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds during her senior season.

Dallas Wings

Maddy Siegrist, No. 3 pick

The Wings needed to get more scoring in the 2023 draft, and they certainly secured that in Siegrist, who led the NCAA with 29.2 points per game as a senior. The 6-2 Siegrist is listed as a forward but plays more like a guard. The Villanova star can use her strength and ability to shoot from any angle to score in the WNBA.

Lou Lopez Sénéchal, No. 5 pick

Former UConn standout Lopez Sénéchal will start the season on the injured list, as she is set to undergo knee surgery that will cause her to miss six to eight weeks. When healthy, Lopez Sénéchal provides outside shooting that the Wings will need now that Marina Mabrey is playing for the Sky. She shot 44% from beyond the arc in her final collegiate season.

Ashley Joens, No. 19 pick

Joens played five years at Iowa State and was the focal point of the Cyclone offense every season. Joens is a strong guard who can score over defenders in the paint or shoot from outside. Another player who can bring needed scoring to the Wings, Joes averaged 21.6 points per game as a fifth-year senior.

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Welcome to another episode of Sports Are Fun! presented by TurboTax.

Every week on Sports Are Fun!, co-hosts soccer legend Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and JWS intern BJ serve up their hottest takes on the biggest women's sports headlines.

This week, Sports Are Fun! talks all things NWSL with Gotham FC goalkeeper — and O'Hara's fellow Stanford alum — Ryan Campbell.

"We're five games in at this point and now I feel like things are starting to take shape — we can talk about them," O'Hara opens, referencing the start to the 2025 NWSL season. "I'm excited... the settling's happened, now we can get into season."

"So we're going to talk about what happened this weekend," she continues. "First on the list: Gotham FC. Thankfully we have our very own Gotham FC player in the house."

"I feel like what you're saying is like totally correct — the first three games, I think we scored not very much — a bit of a drought," says Campbell. "But, I mean, I practice with these girls every day. I know Ella Stevens can hit it upper-90, I know Esther's chipping me at practice. I know we have scoring power."

"We all had the sentiment and didn't really get discouraged and I don't think the staff was discouraged at all," she adds. "The resounding sentiment was, 'The rain's going to fall, like it's going to drop for us.' And I think you saw that against Angel City."

In addition to this weekend's NWSL action, Sports Are Fun! also tackles the WNBA Draft's viewership, the NCAA Gymnastics Championship, and so much more.

'Sports Are Fun!' reflects on former USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski

Then, Sports Are Fun turned to coaching. The headline? Angel City bringing on new manager Alexander Straus from Germany's Bayern Munich.

What makes a good coach? What do players look for in a coach? O'Hara knows one thing — playing under USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski wasn't exactly a learning experience.

"Hollywood's got a new hitman you guys," Campbell quips about Straus. "He has piercing blue eyes. They rival Leo DiCaprio."

"But can he coach a soccer team to a championship?" asks O'Hara.

"I've always wondered this," says BJ. "You played at the college level. You play now professionally, you played for the national team — how are you listening to a coach?"

"I think a good coach is going to go in and take a player as experienced as Christen Press, Sydney Leroux, and say, 'This is what I see. This is what I think you can bring to the team. This is how I'm going to utilize you in the system that I want to play,'" O'Hara answers.

"What is funny is — this is going to sound bad. I feel like I shouldn't say this. I don't feel like I learned anything new from Vlatko," she says, subsequently referencing the former USWNT coach. "And, actually, post-having him as a coach, I was like, 'Wow, is that on me? Did I stop learning or did he not coach me?"

"I had conversations with other other players about it. They were like, 'No, no, no, that was on him.' Because I feel like I was always open. I was like, 'I want to be coached, tell me how I can.' Because as a player, yes, you become the type of player you are, but you're never perfect."

About 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara

'Sports Are Fun!' is a show that’ll remind you why you fell in love with women's sports in the first place.

Join World Cup champ, Olympic gold medalist, and aspiring barista Kelley O'Hara as she sits down with sports journalist Greydy Diaz and a revolving cast of co-hosts and friends. Together, they're talking the biggest, funnest, and most need-to-know stories in the world of women’s sports.

From on-court drama to off-field shenanigans, to candid (and silly) chats with the most important personalities in the space, this show screams "Sports Are Fun!"

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) announced a plan to launch a Division II pro arm in 2026, providing a domestic stepping stone for players aspiring to top-flight leagues like the NWSL and USL Super League.

The same Cleveland ownership group that recently fell short of securing an NWSL expansion team is backing the venture, making good on their promise to bring professional women's soccer to Northeast Ohio.

The league will launch with a shortened season following the 2026 men's World Cup, before beginning its first full-fledged campaign in April 2027.

With 15 teams already confirmed, WPSL Pro intends to field clubs in an initial 16 to 20 markets.

Along with Cleveland, the inaugural WPSL Pro season will include teams in Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Fargo, Houston, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls, Wichita, and the Bay Area, among others. Each franchise will pay a $1 million fee to enter the league.

The WPSL has a history of fostering high-level amateur competition, currently housing over 100 clubs and boasting a roster of former players that includes USWNT icons Brandi Chastain, Alex Morgan, and Rose Lavelle. WPSL Pro, however, will become the US soccer pyramid's first-ever second-tier league.

"WPSL Pro is the bridge that's been missing — not just for players, but for the communities, investors, and brands ready to be part of the next chapter in women's sports," league co-founder Sean Jones said in a statement.

The No. 22 kit of Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark weighed in as last fall's second best-selling basketball jersey in the US according to sports outfitter Fanatics, with the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year trailing only NBA superstar Steph Curry on the top sales list.

Clark's merch dominance is nothing new, however. Her Indiana jersey sold out less than an hour after the Fever drafted her as the overall No. 1 pick in April 2024, making Clark the top seller of any draft night pick in the company's history.

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Even more, Clark's merchandise led last season's record-shattering WNBA sales, with Fanatics reporting that 2024 sales of player-specific gear earned a jaw-dropping 1,000% year-over-year increase by last summer's All-Star break — in large part thanks to the 2024 WNBA rookie class.

Fellow 2024 WNBA debutants Chicago Sky standout Angel Reese and then-Las Vegas Aces guard Kate Martin — Clark's NCAA teammate at Iowa — trailed the Fever star with the league's second- and fourth-most merchandise sales, respectively.

This year, a new WNBA rookie could give Clark a run for her money, as the No. 5 Dallas Wings jersey for 2025's No. 1 draft pick, Paige Bueckers, is already doing numbers at retailers across the country.

Already a brand mogul in her own right, Bueckers topped the 2024 NIL list as college basketball’s biggest earner via endorsement deals and merchandise sales prior to going pro.

Kenyan runner Sharon Lokedi shattered the women’s course record at the 2025 Boston Marathon on Monday, finishing the 129th edition of the race in 2:17:22 — more than two and a half minutes faster than the previous record set by Ethiopia's Buzunesh Deba in 2014.

The victory marked the 31-year-old runner's second major marathon championship following her 2022 New York City Marathon win.

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After finishing second in the 2024 Boston Marathon behind fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri, Lokedi avenged her runner-up status by overtaking the back-to-back defending champion in the final kilometer of Monday’s race.

"I'm always second to her and today I was like, 'There’s no way,'" Lokedi said of her rivalry with Obiri. "I just have to put it out there and fight 'til the end and see how it goes. I'm so glad I ran that fast and she was right behind me. We all fought and wanted this so bad."

All of this year’s top three finishers broke through the course record pace, with Obiri and Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw joining Lokedi both at the finish line and in the Boston Marathon's record book.

Along with her $150,000 winner's check, Lokedi will pocket an additional $50,000 for claiming the fastest women's time in Boston Marathon history.