The 2023 WNBA Draft Lottery took place last week, setting the draft order just as the NCAA women’s basketball season gets underway. It’s never too early to start analyzing WNBA teams’ needs and the pro potential of top college prospects.

While the next versions of this could look very different based on changes to the draft order and players’ stock rising and falling, our first-round mock draft will serve as a starting point. So, let’s have some fun with it.

Note: This mock draft is taking into account draft-eligible student-athletes. It is unknown right now who will declare for the 2023 WNBA Draft and who will opt to use their fifth year of NCAA eligibility.

1. Indiana Fever

Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina

Indiana couldn’t have secured the first No. 1 draft pick in franchise history at a better time. The Fever are still in the midst of a full-fledged rebuild, most recently naming longtime WNBA assistant Christie Sides as their next head coach.

Indiana could use franchise talent at any position to build around for the future. Assuming the reigning National and Defensive Player of the Year Aliyah Boston declares for this year’s draft, she is the clear No. 1 pick. The South Carolina forward is a generational talent with her combination of size, offensive and defensive impact and experience.

At 6-foot-5, Boston makes everyone around her better, requiring opponents to game-plan specifically for her night in and night out. She is an elite rebounder, especially on the offensive glass. She is also an efficient shooter even when facing double and triple teams, shooting nearly 77 percent from the field through the first two games this season and 55 percent from the field for her career.

2. Minnesota Lynx

Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech

The Lynx will look to retool this offseason as they turn the page from the Sylvia Fowles era. This is a pivotal moment for Minnesota, who scored big with the No. 2 pick in the lottery. The direction they take with this pick will follow them for years to come, and what they need most is an interior presence in the post, followed by a point guard.

If Elizabeth Kitley declares for the draft, Minnesota would be remiss not to seriously consider the center. Kitley brings versatility and efficiency on offense, length at 6-6 and strong rebounding instincts. She arguably is the most skilled of any post player in this class with her ability to play with her back to the basket, face up and attack off the dribble, and advance the ball in the open court. She can also stretch the floor with an improved 3-point shot. Kitley offers the full package that WNBA teams covet.

3. Atlanta Dream

Haley Jones, G, Stanford

The Dream could certainly afford to add a dominant forward this offseason, but I think they’re better off fulfilling that need in free agency. Their next area of concern is the backcourt after the team finished last in the league in assists per game last season.

Haley Jones is in a category of her own with her combination of size, athleticism, versatility, court vision and basketball IQ. While it is too early in the season to evaluate how much she has improved her perimeter shooting, Jones’ assist numbers have increased every season she’s been at Stanford, with the senior averaging 3.8 through five games this season. She has great instincts and can defend any position on the floor.

4. Washington Mystics

Diamond Miller, G, Maryland

Newly named head coach Eric Thibault said in his introductory press conference that he intends for the Mystics to play with more pace and space on both offense and defense next season. Diamond Miller is exactly the type of two-way player who can thrive in that system.

Miller has the rare blend of length, as a 6-3 guard, and athleticism that can fit into any WNBA offensive scheme. She’s used to playing in a high-paced offense under Brenda Frese at Maryland, averaging 17.3 points, 2.3 assists and two steals while shooting a career-best 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Miller’s future hinges on her consistency after she missed the majority of her junior season with a knee injury. If Miller can stay healthy and continue to showcase her unique skill set, she has the potential to be a home-run for any franchise in this draft class.

5. Chicago Sky

Ashley Joens, G/F, Iowa State

It is difficult to predict what exactly the Sky’s needs are this early in the offseason, but roster change feels imminent. Most of the Sky’s core players are unrestricted free agents, and there is always the possibility that 14-year veteran Allie Quigley retires.

Chicago is going to need scoring, versatility and high IQ to replace the skill they might lose. Ashley Joens fits that mold well as a tough fifth-year guard who brings high-level experience, a nonstop motor, competitiveness and versatile scoring abilities. The 6-1 guard has averaged over 20 points per game and 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc her last four seasons in Ames.

While Joens has been one of the most offensively prolific scorers in the country for years, she impacts the game in a multitude of ways. She is a strong rebounder from the guard spot, she can take advantage of mismatches while playing with her back to the basket, and she has great vision as a passer and an elite understanding of the game. Joens is rarely rattled on the court, and she would be a great addition to a Sky roster that might be in rebuild mode.

6. New York Liberty

Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State

The Liberty were able to piece together their backcourt last season to give Sabrina Ionescu the ability to play off the ball, but now they’re tasked with finding a more permanent solution and depth for the future.

Jacy Sheldon is a versatile scorer who can play on or off the ball and does a good job of reading what the defense gives her. The 5-10 guard is a career 35 percent 3-point shooter and is an efficient finisher at the rim, an area where the Liberty struggled last season. While Sheldon might take some time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the WNBA game, she is tough enough to compete on the defensive end, currently leading the nation with 8.5 steals per game. Sheldon could be just the complementary piece the Liberty need for Ionescu to take the franchise to the next level.

7. Indiana Fever

Grace Berger, G, Indiana

The Fever’s future is promising with a roster full of young, skilled talent, but they still have holes to fill. Indiana struggled to take care of the basketball, score efficiently and defend last season, making room for a poised combo guard who can help bring all the talent on this roster together.

Fifth-year guard Grace Berger has been a consistent leader and calming presence for the rising Hoosiers, with the ability to process the game three steps ahead. Berger can play on or off the ball as a complementary guard, and she can create for others, averaging a career-high 5.7 assists through three games this season. At 6-1, she has the size, strength and athleticism to make the jump to the pros. Berger is smooth off the dribble and can create space for herself with an elite mid-range pull-up. She’ll need to continue to work on her perimeter shot, but she would be a piece to the puzzle that this Fever roster does not currently have.

8. Atlanta Dream

Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee

I would be surprised if the Dream ended up keeping this pick. It’s more likely that they include it in a trade package for a top free agent, but if they don’t, they could use it for additional depth at the forward position.

If Rickea Jackson fell to No. 8, Atlanta would be hard-pressed to pass on her. Jackson can go get her own shot, averaging 16.2 points per game during her college career and a career-best 7.7 rebounds per game this season. With a quick first step toward the rim, she’s tough to defend off the dribble. As more of a natural wing, she has the size and skill to expose mismatches and play in an up-tempo, pro-style system.

Jackson’s time at Mississippi State was plagued by head coaching changes. The extent to which she buys in and evolves under Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper this season will determine how teams evaluate her. If she can fine-tune certain areas of her game and improve her defense, I see no reason for her not to be one of the top prospects in this class.

9. Seattle Storm

Dyaisha Fair, G, Syracuse

Assuming the Storm don’t use this pick in a trade for a veteran, they could clearly use depth at the point guard position in the wake of Sue Bird’s retirement. While time will tell how well Dyaisha Fair transitions from the MAC to the ACC this season, she has the potential to be the most dynamic guard in the 2023 draft class.

Fair can flat-out score the basketball, tallying over 2,000 points in three seasons at the University at Buffalo and averaging 20-plus points per game since she was a freshman. She is a shifty guard with a high motor who also impacts the game on the other end of the floor as a pesky on-ball defender. She can create for herself and score at all three levels, shooting a career-best 37 percent from the field her junior year. At just 5-5, Fair has also averaged 4.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game for her career.

10. Connecticut Sun

Aijha Blackwell, G/F, Baylor

It’s the end of an era in Connecticut, where the roster could look vastly different next season. Regardless of the changes to come, it seems safe to assume the Sun will need depth at the wing/forward position.

Aijha Blackwell is one of the most elite rebounders in the country with her power and explosiveness to the glass. With a pro-ready frame, she gets to the free-throw line often and can defend anywhere on the court. At 6-0, Blackwell has been a bit of a tweener during her college career, primarily playing forward. Her ability to shift over to the wing permanently will be crucial to her WNBA draft stock, but Blackwell has all the tools to make the change. She can handle the ball in the open court, be aggressive in transition, finish through contact and score at three levels. While her full-time perimeter transition could take time, she’ll be one of the most sought-after prospects in the draft because of her upside.

11. Dallas Wings

Stephanie Soares, F/C, Iowa State

Depending on how free agency shakes out, there is a good chance the Wings add size and depth in the paint. That leads me to my surprise pick in Stephanie Soares.

Players with Soares’ skill set don’t come around very often. At 6-6, she can protect the rim with her size and athleticism while also stretching the floor with a 3-point shot. Through her first three games with the No. 7 Cyclones this season, she is averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.3 assists. Teams will continue to evaluate how the two-time NAIA Player of the Year’s game translates to the physicality of the Big 12, but Soares has the potential to be a hidden gem for first-year head coach Latricia Trammell if the Wings can be patient with her development.

12. Minnesota Lynx

Charisma Osborne, G, UCLA

The Lynx can’t afford to have a bad offseason — the moves they make in the next six months will define their trajectory for years to come. After securing elite size, length and skill in Kitley, Minnesota has a chance to cure their backcourt woes by adding a point guard with this pick.

Osborne can play on or off the ball, has the size and speed needed for the WNBA and is one of the most efficient guards in the class when attacking off the dribble. She can also make defenses respect her from the perimeter as a career 33-percent 3-point shooter. Osborne seems to be on a mission early in her senior year with UCLA, averaging career-highs in points (20.3) and rebounds (10.7) per game.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

No. 7 LSU survived an offensive shootout​ with No. 13 Oklahoma on Thursday, toppling the Sooners 107-100 in a chippy SEC battle that saw 53 personal fouls, five technical fouls, and two players ejected.

LSU forward Sa'Myah Smith and Oklahoma forward Liz Scott were both tossed in the first quarter following a shoving match in the paint. Just over four minutes into the game, Smith pushed Sooner center Beatrice Culliton to the ground, then Scott retaliated by shoving Smith.

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"Pushing, I guess, is considered fighting," said LSU head coach Kim Mulkey after the game. "[Smith's reaction] was shocking. It hurt our team with her not being a part of tonight, because we're trying to develop her."

"My old mentor Leon Barmore always said you've got to keep a cool head in a hot game," commented Mulkey, who also booked herself a technical later in the matchup alongside Oklahoma head coach Jennie Baranczyk.

LSU, Oklahoma make SEC basketball history

Last night's attacking firepower made SEC women's basketball history, marking the first-ever game where each team scored at least 100 points in regulation.

Sophomore Mikaylah Williams scored a season-high 37 points to lead the Tigers over the finish line after nearly giving up a double-digit lead.

LSU stars Flau'jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow added a respective 25 and 21 points to the Tigers' tally, while Payton Verhulst led the Sooners' scoring with 26 points.

With the loss, Oklahoma falls to 4-4 in SEC play, a record that more accurately showcases the conference's strength rather than the Sooners' weakness.

NCAA teams to honor WNBA stars this weekend

The top-ranked NCAA action continues this weekend, with two WNBA superstars seeing their jerseys retired in ceremonies on Sunday afternoon.

First, No. 2 South Carolina will honor three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson alongside the Gamecocks' game against unranked Auburn, before unranked Iowa will commemorate all-time NCAA leading-scorer Caitlin Clark during a high-profile matchup with No. 4 USC.

Not long after, the Sooners will be back in the weekend's only Top 15 meeting, hosting No. 12 Kentucky late Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats improved to 7-1 in SEC play on Thursday, thanks to a 65-56 win over No. 22 Alabama.

How to watch this weekend's top NCAA basketball games

No. 2 South Carolina and Auburn will tip off Sunday's slate at 12 PM ET, live on ESPN, with Iowa's game against No. 4 USC following at 1:30 PM ET on Fox Sports.

No. 12 Kentucky's visit to No. 13 Oklahoma then begins at 4 PM ET Sunday, with live coverage on SECN.

Tennessee is officially in the running to host the 16th WNBA franchise, as an ownership group including retired basketball icon Candace Parker, NFL legend Peyton Manning, former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam, and country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw announced Nashville's bid on Thursday.

Led by Haslam and his wife, Crissy, the investor group has named the prospective 2028 expansion team the Tennessee Summitt, in honor of the late legendary University of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt.

"We recognize the emergence of professional sports for women across the globe, at the same time observing the void in our state," Haslam said in a statement. "We believe a WNBA team, based in Nashville, could serve as a beacon for girls and women, young and old, across Tennessee."

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Parker's "pinch-me moment"

Three-time WNBA champion Parker, who won two NCAA titles with Tennessee under Summitt, took to social media to mark what she called "a real pinch-me moment."

"If you know me, you know how important and impactful Coach Summitt IS on my life," Parker wrote. "Coach makes me the best version of myself as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, teammate, and person. I'm honored that we are submitting a bid to the @wnba today for a franchise to be named in her honor."

In her 38-year career, Summitt led the Vols to 18 Final Fours, winning eight NCAA championships. She retired in 2012 after a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's, eventually exiting with an all-time 1,098-208 record.

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WNBA ramps up expansion plans

Following years of stasis, the WNBA is shifting into an aggressive expansion mode, with new 2025 team Golden State, plus 2026 debutants Toronto and Portland already earning the league's 13th, 14th, and 15th franchises.

With plans to have 16 teams in play by 2028, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously confirmed that the league had identified 10 to 12 ideal markets.

Bidding remains open for the current expansion round's final team, with Nashville joining Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Cleveland, and others eyeing the 16th spot.

Should their bid be successful, the Tennessee Summitt ownership group is planning to sweeten the deal by building a dedicated training facility that would also "serve as a hub for youth basketball" in the area. Additionally, Bridgestone Arena, the current home of the NHL's Nashville Predators, will host the proposed team's games.

Arsenal confirmed USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger as their newest signing on Thursday, with the ex-Gotham FC midfielder becoming a symbolic center-point for the recent exodus of NWSL stars heading overseas.

The 2023 NWSL champion is just the latest in a number of Gotham FC's offseason departures, as the NY/NJ club's superteam experiment resulted in a roster that's bursting at the seams.

At 24 years old, Nighswonger also finds herself among a group of NWSL players currently moving away from the US league. She follows USWNT teammate Naomi Girma — who last week signed with Chelsea for a record fee — 2023 NWSL MVP Kerolin, and other standouts to England's top-flight Women's Super League (WSL).

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These moves have reignited longstanding discussions surrounding parity and superiority within international women's leagues. And with so many moving parts, it's easy for a single player to get caught up in a worldwide debate that far eclipses their career. But as Nighswonger tells it, the decision to sign with Arsenal comes from a simpler, more personal place.

"Playing in England is just something that I've always wanted to do," she told Just Women’s Sports this week in the lead-up to Arsenal's announcement. "So sometimes when an opportunity presents itself, even if you're happy at a club, you just have to take a leap of faith."

Of course, Nighswonger is less interested in comparing the NWSL to the WSL, preferring instead to detail her own footballing journey. "I have nothing but positive things to say about Gotham and the NWSL," she continued. "I think [transferring] is just a fun opportunity to play in another country, and learn about a new culture."

The opportunity to join Arsenal came about quickly. Though Nighswonger noted that any offseason comes with the possibility of player movement.

"My agent just called me and I was through the moon, just so excited," she said.

A fitting positional pick-up for Nighswonger

Beyond the headlines, the transfer is clearly a good positional fit for Nighswonger's continued development. Despite originally launching her professional career as an attacking midfielder, she moved to left-back after winning 2023's NWSL Rookie of the Year award in the role.

"I'm so grateful for [Gotham]," she said. "Because when they picked me up out of college, I was an attacking mid, and they saw the vision and had confidence in me to be a left-back."

The 24-year-old's successful conversion piqued the attention of the USWNT senior team. Going from a position of depth to one that centers on consistency was especially appealing for the national team. Subsequently, Nighswonger featured as an option off the bench for the US during last summer's Olympic gold medal run. However, she has yet to unseat 32-year-old Crystal Dunn to claim a starting spot in any major competition.

Dunn herself is just one example of an attacking-minded player making the move to outside-back at the international level. As such, Nighswonger trusts that the more appearances she has on the flank, the more comfortable she will become.

"When I first changed to left-back, I was kind of like, 'What am I doing?'" she recalled. "I had a little bit of a moment — I thought I was the No. 10, that's what I've been for a while. Then switching to left-back, I started to love it more and more."

"I might not have the experience that all these other left-backs have," she added. "But I have talents coming from other positions that are useful as well."

Becoming a two-way player with Gotham

As she shifts through thirds on the pitch, Nighswonger is certainly attacking-focused. But she increasingly feels drawn to becoming a true two-way player at the highest level. The NWSL has a reputation for fast-paced play and a high level of transition. However, thanks in part to to Spanish head coach Juan Carlos Amorós's overseas experience, Gotham wasn't a stranger to favoring the possession-based style more often encountered in Europe.

Throughout the 2024 regular season, Gotham played a very fluid defensive formation that utilized Nighswonger's instincts as an attacker. The team would defend in a back four, but their offense saw the outside-backs pushing into the attacking third. Therefore, it wouldn't be uncommon to see Nighswonger alongside the center-backs on opposing goal kicks. But the moment Gotham won possession back, she'd be sprinting forward ready for service.

"The more I play this position and the more games I hopefully get on the national team or with Arsenal, challenges are gonna happen," she acknowledged. "It's just trying to work through those and accept that adversity is what's going to make you better in the long run."

Nighswonger talks overcoming adversity

While she downplays any talk of strife between her and her former NWSL club, some of the adversity she mentioned did show on the pitch. Nighswonger didn't start in Gotham's final regular season game — nor their two postseason matches — with the club instead featuring WSL product Jess Carter and longtime veteran Mandy Freeman. 

With Gotham players Carter, Freeman, and Brazilian defender Bruninha all under contract through 2025, Nighswonger's position had become a little crowded. She also had her work cut out for her on the USWNT, struggling against the Netherlands alongside her teammates before coming off at halftime in 2024's hard-fought final friendly.

But none of those factors spell disaster for a young player. Instead, they might simply signal a need for a change. And Nighswonger won't be without Arsenal allies to get her through it. Soon, she'll be suiting up beside fellow USWNT star Emily Fox, who has excelled since joining the Gunners in early 2024.

It's 'full steam ahead' with Arsenal

Nighswonger named Fox as an important point of contact during her transfer decision. She also mentioned her excitement to learn as much as possible from Katie McCabe, with the Ireland captain having run Arsenal's left flank for years. And off the pitch, she's ready for every new challenge.

She's eager for Fox to show her around London. Additionally, she can't wait for her first match at the Emirates, the women's side's primary home this season. She's already heard good things about player housing. And when touring the facilities for her medical checkup, she was awestruck by the English club's rich history.

"I've wanted to come here since I was seven because I watched the Premier League," she said. "It's always been a dream of mine."

Nighswonger is now laser-focused on getting up to speed, integrating herself into the locker room culture Arsenal has already established. From there, it's all about competing for trophies against the other ambitious European sides. With Chelsea catapulting ahead in the WSL standings and a slew of top squads vying for this year's UEFA Champions League title, Arsenal's success will surely be a team effort.

"We're going after trophies," Nighswonger told JWS. "I'm here to help the team win, and I know they want to win, too. So full steam ahead."

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark officially turned the NBA down on Wednesday, declining to participate in the 2025 Starry 3-Point Contest at next month's NBA All-Star Weekend. 

"Caitlin will not be at NBA All-Star," Clark's reps at Excel Sports Management told The Athletic. "She wants her first 3-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star in Indianapolis this summer."

The men's league tapped the WNBA's reigning Rookie of the Year after last year's three-point contest between Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu and Golden State's Steph Curry proved a success. That WNBA vs. NBA event, in which Curry edged Ionescu 29-26, arguably outshone the NBA's regular three-point competition.

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Though Clark played in her first WNBA All-Star Game last summer, she did not take part in the three-point contest. However, with Indianapolis hosting this year's edition, the sharpshooter seems set on making her three-point debut on the Fever's home court.

Consequently, Ionescu could step in for a surprise rematch in Clark's absence. Though she hasn't confirmed any participation in the NBA's upcoming All-Star festivities in San Francisco, the Unrivaled player did recently mention that she'll miss some of her 3x3 games due to prior obligations — and that she'll be in her Bay Area home for the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend.

Clark to accept Iowa honor

Though Clark passed on the NBA, she will be in attendance at Iowa's home game against No. 4 USC on Sunday, when her alma mater will honor the star by raising her No. 22 jersey into the rafters of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The undisputed greatest player in program history, Clark led Iowa to back-to-back national championship games en route to twice being named the consensus National Player of the Year. Her 3,951 college points make Clark the Division I men’s and women’s all-time leading scorer, and she tops the NCAA women’s career three-point list with 548 shots made beyond the arc. 

Sunday's ceremony will make Clark the third player in program history to see her number retired, joining fellow Iowa standouts Megan Gustafson (10) and Michelle Edwards (30).

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Not to be outdone, Clark's foundation awarded four $22,000 grants to Iowa-based charities on Wednesday, giving back to the community who supported her historic collegiate run prior to Sunday's celebration.

Accordingly, the four organizations Clark chose to receive the grants are the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, the Coralville Community Food Pantry, the Boys and Girls Club of the Corridor, and the Iowa-East Central branch of the Special Olympics.

"I'm forever proud to be a Hawkeye," Clark said in the school’s December announcement. "It means the world to me to receive this honor and to celebrate it with my family, friends and alumni."

More Clark logo threes coming in May

Proving she can't stay away from campus for long, Clark has already scheduled a return trip — and she's bringing the entire Indiana Fever in tow.

According to a Thursday announcement, the WNBA team will take on the Brazilian national team in a preseason exhibition game under Clark's newly raised jersey on May 4th.

"We couldn’t be more excited to play at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and we know Iowa fans will deliver an unforgettable homecoming for Caitlin," Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement. "Countless Hawkeye fans have become Fever fans, and we consider them family."

How to watch Caitlin Clark's jersey retirement at No. 4 USC vs. Iowa

Clark's jersey retirement will occur during Sunday's 1:30 PM ET game between No. 4 USC and Iowa. Live coverage will air on Fox.