As expected, Caitlin Clark went first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but the Iowa guard wasn’t the only exciting selection of the night. But some teams, of course, did better than others. Here are five franchises who stood out, for better or for worse:
Winners
The Fever are winners not just because they drafted a generational talent Monday, but because they’ve done it two years in a row. They drafted South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston first overall in 2023, and now Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. Boston and Clark are a duo that will instantly lift the franchise, with Boston’s inside presence and Clark’s ability to create. Clark’s impact as a scorer and facilitator will be felt right away, and the partnership between her and Boston is one that we will be hearing about for years to come.
Celeste Taylor was also a solid second-round pick, as she can already defend at a WNBA-level.
Los Angeles Sparks
The top of this draft was stacked, and L.A. did well to trade for the No. 4 pick back in January. The Sparks selected Stanford’s Cameron Brink at No. 2 and Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson at No. 4, two players who have the potential to be mainstays in the league for the next decade. Brink is already a polished shot-blocker and rebounder, and has plenty of moves to score around the rim. Her potential as a 3-point shooting threat makes the 6-foot-4 Brink even more appealing. Brink has good form and shot 30.4% on limited attempts this season. If she develops that part of her game, it will be nearly impossible to defend the Stanford graduate. Then there’s Jackson, a three-level scorer who can create her own shot. She’s also ready to defend at the WNBA-level with a long, 6-2 frame that can guard multiple positions.
The Sparks also got a steal in the third round, where they selected McKenzie Forbes out of USC. Forbes is a high-IQ guard who has a chance to make the roster and contribute right away as the Sparks begin their rebuild.
Las Vegas Aces: After winning back-to-back titles, the Aces look at the draft much differently than teams like Indiana and L.A. Rather than picking the best available players, Las Vegas is looking for fit while thinking about the future. And despite not having a first-round pick, the Aces had a solid draft. Lots of teams were likely scared of Dyaisha Fair because she’s undersized at 5-5, but if there’s a coach who isn’t afraid to pick a small guard, it’s Becky Hammon, who had a successful WNBA career as a 5-6 guard. Fair is an elite scorer – she’s third on the all-time women’s NCAA Division I scoring list behind fellow Aces guard Kelsey Plum – and has the potential to develop under Hammon and alongside Chelsea Gray.
The Aces also picked up 6-6 center Elizabeth Kitley in the second round. Kitley wouldn’t have fallen so far if she hadn’t torn her ACL late in the college calendar. But it’s a perfect fit because the Aces don’t need Kitley this season. Instead, she can get healthy and then learn from the likes of A’ja Wilson and Candace Parker.
Losers
The Liberty are in the same boat as Las Vegas in that they don’t need a lot. But they do need something, and that’s a backup point guard. Courtney Vandersloot will be in the starting spot once again, but the Liberty need someone to get backup minutes. No. 11 overall pick Marquesha Davis is a guard who can handle the ball and defend. She also has a high ceiling and has been compared to Kahleah Copper. But it would have been nice to see the Liberty select another guard after Davis because they are so thin there. New York has depth at the post and forward position, so drafting players like Jessika Carter and Kaitlyn Davis doesn’t make much sense as they have little chance to make the roster.
The Dream drafted three international players, which in itself isn’t a bad thing. Women’s basketball is growing globally, and there is talent to be had all over the world. The problem with this draft class is that Nyadiew Puoch (Australia), Isobel Borlase (Australia) and Matilde Villa (Italy) are all expected to stay overseas this season. That means with plenty of talent on the table, Atlanta opted for three draft-and-stash picks. The Dream currently have 12 players on their roster, which means every spot is pretty much spoken for. Why not draft someone with potential and let her compete for a spot during training camp and preseason? The Dream made great offseason moves by signing Tina Charles and Aerial Powers, but the team’s draft picks didn’t follow suit.
