It’s been an eventful couple weeks in the world of women’s basketball. On March 18, the WNBA and its players union reached a verbal agreement on a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that has been lauded as transformational. Days later, the women’s March Madness tournament began.
With the WNBA draft set for Monday April 13, less than three weeks away, I have compiled the top ten college prospects to watch as the tournament continues with the Sweet 16 on Friday, March 27.
With the CBA unresolved for so long, it’s been difficult to build a standard mock draft. Without a two team expansion draft expansion for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire and a free agency period, determining team needs remained unclear.
Many WNBA executives told NBC Sports that one benefit to so much uncertainty was the fact that they could all be laser focused on the prospects in college and across the globe in preparation for the draft.
“I think that some would say that they are more prepared than they’ve ever been for a WNBA draft,” one WNBA executive told NBC Sports.
The 2026 draft class doesn’t feature franchise-altering talents like Caitlin Clark or Paige Bueckers but instead, includes potential starters and All-Stars, similar to the 2019 class. That group highlighted many players that are still active in the league today, including five players from Notre Dame across the three rounds.
UCLA is projected to match that this year. One executive predicted that UCLA could have four picks drafted in the first round alone.
Below is a big board rather than a mock draft that ranks the top ten prospects that are playing in the Sweet 16 in order of pro-readiness rather than draft order.
This list won’t include international prospects although a bunch including Spanish center Awa Fam, French wing Nell Angloma and Spanish guard Iyana Martín are all expected to be drafted.
1. Azzi Fudd | UConn, Guard, Graduate Student
Pro-ready skills:
After years of her college career defined by injury, Fudd is finally healthy and has played the best basketball in her career. This season she’s averaging career bests in points (17.8), three point shooting (45.4%) and overall field goal percentage (49.5%). While multiple talent evaluators praise her as a generational shooter, she’s not viewed as one dimensional. She’s an excellent off-ball cutter who has high level basketball instincts and improved defensive abilities. She’s much more physical defending and has become a player who can comfortably get through screens. “She’s strong, she’s in shape, doesn’t look like she gets tired a lot, and to play defense like that, you have to,” one WNBA talent evaluator said.
Questions the prospect raises:
The questions about Fudd are mostly about what her ceiling can be rather than about if she can play a meaningful role in the WNBA right now. After missing so many games in her first three college seasons due to injury, there is still some concern around the WNBA about her health moving forward. Also, Fudd struggles to create offense on her own. She doesn’t draw many fouls, which is an area of growth she can focus on during her WNBA offseasons. Another concern one GM had with Fudd is more mental. “The only downside for her at times is maybe her confidence level waivers a little bit where it’s like, you would think, ‘all right, if you could shoot that good, shoot it every time,’” one GM told NBC Sports.
Projected draft position: Could be picked No. 1 through No. 3 overall
2. Olivia Miles | TCU, Guard, Graduate Student
Pro-ready skills:
Miles is a generational passer. One WNBA talent evaluator called her a “true point guard that we haven’t seen for a while,” blending the flair of Ticha Penicheiro with the vision of Sue Bird. Other evaluators have compared Miles to Chelsea Gray for her ability to both score and run an offense, though Miles is smaller and less physical. Her confidence also stands out to evaluators. “Some of the shots that she’ll take, you have to be confident to take those,” the evaluator said. “And they’ve kind of become part of her game.”
Miles is believed to have an immediate impact depending on where she lands. Her versatility was on display in the first two rounds of the tournament. She recorded her 12th career triple-double in TCU’s win over UC San Diego, then followed it with an 18-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist performance in an overtime comeback win against Washington.
Questions the prospect raises:
The largest question that Miles poses is her defensive abilities and her willingness to buy into playing defense consistently. “I think for most of us, a conclusion would be that there needs to be a greater focus, a greater interest on that end of the floor for some franchises,” one WNBA talent evaluator told NBC Sports. “And so if that’s something that you value, then you can weigh that out whether that will be worthy of your pick.”
Another concern about Miles is something that most talented rookie guards coming into the WNBA often deal with. One executive remembered when Clark, Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum first came into the league. Those guards had to adjust to how pro-style defenses guarded their games. WNBA defenses will know Miles’ tendencies, so it’s a question as to how effective she will be initially finding her spots.
Projected draft position: No. 2 or No. 3 overall pick
3. Lauren Betts | UCLA, Center, Senior
Pro-ready skills:
When the college season began, Betts was a shoe-in for National Player of the Year and was expected to increase her draft stock. That changed when UConn’s Sarah Strong took a massive jump and opponents focused on slowing Betts, the hub of UCLA’s offense. Instead, her stock stayed the same. WNBA evaluators value not just Betts’ size, but her skill and athleticism at that size. While the WNBA has shifted away from traditional centers, players like Brittney Griner and Kamilla Cardoso will continue to demand size. “We have bigs in the league that teams are going to want to be able to throw somebody at,” one general manager said.
What separates Betts is her mobility and playmaking. She runs the floor faster than most bigs her size and facilitates offense effectively. In a WNBA that prioritizes pace and efficiency, her combination of size, speed and skill remains highly appealing to evaluators.
Questions the prospect raises:
According to women’s basketball writer Lucas Kaplan, Betts exhibits many qualities that make her an imperfect prospect. She’s not a great screener in UCLA head coach Cori Close’s offense. She also rebounds defensively below what might be expected out of a 6’7” center. During her college career, she’s never averaged over six defensive rebounds. That’s something to keep an eye on. But these observations weren’t the first area of growth that came to mind from multiple WNBA talent evaluators. “I think the main area of growth is going to be the physicality,” one evaluator said. “People are going to be super, super physical with her, and I think that’ll take her some time to get used to.” Other areas of growth for Betts include continuing to work on her mid-range jumper and then expanding her shot out to the three-point line.
Projected draft position: Draft lottery to middle of the first round
4. KiKi Rice | UCLA, Guard, Senior
Pro-ready skills:
Out of all the college prospects on this board, Rice might have taken the most meaningful jump in stock. “I think she’s having a hell of a senior year,” one WNBA talent evaluator said, noting she’s built on expectations and improved as a shooter. Season over season, Rice has increased her scoring, overall field goal percentage, three-point percentage and rebounding in addition to cutting turnovers. People around the league view those jumps as a result of her work ethic, something that will serve her well at the pro level. Multiple talent evaluators are impressed by her high basketball instincts which include how she facilitates and then how she defends on the ball. Rice is an excellent driver and has exceptional quickness when defending the point of attack.
Questions the prospect raises:
There isn’t much consensus across the WNBA on whether or not Rice is a point guard or a combo guard. And this lack of agreement doesn’t necessarily come from her skill set, but rather is more a result of how subjective WNBA talent evaluation can be. One reason one talent evaluator doesn’t see her as a point guard is because of some evolving leadership skills. “ I think she’s got to grow into a natural making everybody better facilitating role,” the evaluator said. “And she’s got to get more vocal. She’s very quiet on the floor.” WNBA Draft expert Emily Adler noted that while Rice has shown massive improvement throughout her college career, her offensive potential is a bit limited by the fact that her first step and handle don’t yield to improved creation in the midrange or on pull-up threes.
Projected draft position: Draft lottery to middle of the first round
5. Flau’jae Johnson | LSU, Wing, Senior
Flau’Jae Johnson 4, LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball take on Texas Tech in the 2026 NCAA Div I Women’s Basketball Championship at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Sunday, March 22, 2026.
SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network/SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Pro-ready skills:
The consensus on Johnson is that she combines WNBA-level athleticism and physicality alongside some flare. She thrives putting pressure on the rim, and creating her own shot while getting more comfortable shooting from three — jumping from 33% as a freshman to 40% as a senior. One WNBA talent evaluator wondered if Johnson could become a “baby Kahleah Copper,” given her slashing ability, slightly smaller frame and two-way potential. Multiple WNBA talent evaluators believe that right now Johnson can defend most wings in the league and play multiple positions at the pro level. One talent evaluator acknowledged Johnson has been managing two separate career paths while in college, referring to her music career in addition to basketball. “With everything that she’s got going on, the thing that you would never question is her work ethic and her desire to continue to grow and improve,” one evaluator said.
Questions the prospect raises:
After averaging 18.6 points per game during her junior year, Johnson was expected to make a giant jump, propelling her to be a lottery pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Johnson herself even had her sights set on going No. 1, but her play this season hasn’t equated to a major jump. “How confident can you be that Johnson is going to show up as her best self every night?,” WNBA Draft analyst Emily Adler wrote on March 15 for The IX Sports. A WNBA talent evaluator agreed that there was an expectation that Johnson would be “more dynamic” and be a player to take over games. “When you look at some of her games, where you just feel like she should just be like overpowering opponents and players, she doesn’t do that,” the evaluator said.
Projected draft position: Draft lottery to middle of the first round
6. Raven Johnson | South Carolina, Guard, Redshirt Senior
Pro-ready skills:
WNBA talent evaluators are often impressed by college players that show progression, and Johnson fits that mold. She has improved her field goal and three-point percentages by around 10 percentage points season over season. Like Miles, Johnson is considered a true point guard capable of running a team as natural point guards are at a premium in the WNBA. One executive noticed how Johnson thrives in transition, important in today’s faster-paced WNBA. “Her ability to pass ahead in transition and willingness to do that,” the evaluator said. “A lot of point guards like to pound the ball, and she does a really good job of pushing ahead.” Johnson’s defensive tools have always stood out. She uses her long, strong muscular arms to be able guard taller players and pester lead guards, initiating offense at the point of attack.
Questions the prospect raises:
While some of Johnson’s offensive metrics have improved — including becoming a more willing shooter after Clark famously waived her off during the 2023 Final Four — WNBA talent evaluators would now like to see her become a more confident shooter. Although Johnson’s scoring averages are above double-digits for the first time in her collegiate career, scouts still notice that she does defer quite a bit. “Everyone wants to see her develop her offense more,” one talent evaluator said. And another believes that with her superior strength, she could develop a post-up game so that she can pose a matchup problem for whoever is guarding her. Gray and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton both often use their strength to their advantage to post up smaller guards, which creates either a scoring opportunity or leads opposing defenses to overhelp.
Projected draft position: Middle to late first round
7. Gabriela Jaquez | UCLA, Wing, Senior
Pro-ready skills:
Jaquez’s appeal lies in the intangibles she possesses. There is consensus amongst WNBA talent evaluators that her motor will serve her well at the pro level. She’s a do-it-all wing. She’s a player who can drive, shoot, pass, defend, rebound and move well off the ball. Teams are often looking for a glue player like Jaquez who prides herself on diving on the floor for loose balls and boxing out. One WNBA talent evaluator made a direct comparison to the Indiana Fever’s Lexie Hull, another hard-nosed wing that can plug a lot of holes. Like Hull, Jaquez is a player who models positive team culture and does what her coaches ask of her. One WNBA talent evaluator praised her cutting ability. “Her off-ball cutting is elite for a college player,” that person said. “There’s not a lot of college players who naturally cut off the ball.”
Questions the prospect raises:
It’s clear that Jaquez worked on her three-point shooting consistency in between her junior and senior seasons. Her three-point shooting average increased from 34.8% last season to over 40% this season. While that’s impressive, it’s worth taking a look at the competition she shot better and then significantly worse against. Jaquez hit 54% of her three-point shots against UCLA’s less challenging non-conference schedule. But once better Big Ten defenses adjusted during conference play, her three-point shooting splits dipped to right around 30%. While the jury is still out on exactly how proficient Jaquez’s shooting is, what is certain is that she’s not a great shot creator like Ta’NiyaLatson or Flau’jae Johnson. While Jaquez is known to be a solid defender, she’s better off-ball rather than on. She excels more as a help-side defender while using her knowledge of angles and positioning to her advantage.
Projected draft position: Middle to late first round
8. Ta’Niya Latson | South Carolina, Guard, Senior
Pro-ready skills:
Latson might be the most dynamic scorer out of anyone on this list. She can score and create a shot at almost anywhere on the floor. She has pro-level athleticism and like Flau’je Johnson andRice, is excellent at putting pressure on the rim. Her ability to slash and draw a ton of contact is tailor-made for pro-level spacing. While I will address the flaws in her game that her transfer to South Carolina exposed below, what one WNBA talent evaluator noted about playing for the Gamecocks is that her role there has prepared her for how she might be deployed at the WNBA level. Most likely an entire offense won’t be built around her, which was the case during her first three seasons at Florida State.
Questions the prospect raises:
Some of Latson’s growth points include getting used to size and length that are commonplace amongst WNBA defenses and her own defensive skills. Most WNBA offenses will attack Latson’s inexperience and smaller frame defensively. This is par for the course with most rookies. “I think defensively, she’ll have to have a little bit of grip,” one WNBA talent evaluator told NBC Sports. “I think she can be a very good defender, and she does at times, but I think that’s going to be another area of growth of hers.” But besides her defense, there have been some concerns for Latson on offense. According to WNBA Draft analyst Hunter Cruse, having a reduced role at South Carolina has exposed some of her decision-making in the half-court. What has also caused concern has been her drop in efficiency scoring the basketball especially against some of the better teams in the country.
Projected draft position: Middle to late first round
9. Gianna Kneepkens | UCLA, Guard, Graduate Student
Pro-ready skills:
While versatility is often a key indicator of pro-readiness, WNBA prospects are also valued for having a clear specialty. Kneepkens falls more into this category. She’s a clear shooting specialist who has averaged shooting over 40% from three in four of her five seasons playing college ball. “There’s always a need for someone who can put the ball in the hole, who can shoot it, and stretch the floor,” one WNBA talent evaluator said. Like her UCLA teammate Jaquez, Kneepkens too moves well off the ball and has an excellent awareness of when to space and cut off the ball.
Questions the prospect raises:
The main concerns about Kneepkens are about her athleticism and defense, and the two are connected. There is consensus amongst WNBA talent evaluators that she struggles with her lateral movement, something that is integral when it comes to being able to stay in front of opponents when defending. Kneepkens will most likely struggle defending the wings (shooting guards and small forwards) in the WNBA simply because those are typically the most athletic positions in the league. These limitations have prevented her from being able to get any separation on her own shot. While there’s no doubt that Kneepkens can shoot the basketball, there isn’t much variety when it comes to how she can shoot.
“Right now she’s mostly catch and shoot in my mind,” one WNBA talent evaluator said.
Projected draft position: Late first round
10. Madina Okot | South Carolina, Center, Senior
Okot has a high upside. She’s a 6’6” center who’s athletic, long, strong, has great hands, can put the ball on the floor, protects the rim and has been averaging a 13.5 point and 10.9 rebound double-double in her second NCAA season. So how is she only in her second NCAA season if she’s a senior? Okot played two seasons at Zetech University in Ruiru, Kenya. She also has been flexing a mid-range jumper in addition to the three-point shot that she’s made at a 46.2% clip, albeit on limited attempts. But, pro talent evaluators are drawn to someone with that size who can stretch the floor.
“There’s not many 6’6” post players that are doing what she’s doing at the level that she is,” one WNBA talent evaluator said about Okot.
Questions the prospect raises:
Okot didn’t start playing basketball until she was around 15 or 16 years old, and there are moments when that inexperience shows.
“She struggles reading the floor on both ends and rarely uses her left hand around the rim,” Draft analyst Hunter Cruse wrote for Bleacher Report. While Dawn Staleywas very clear about trying to make sure that Okot had the option to return to South Carolina for another year of eligibility if she wanted it, the 21-year-old could decide to opt into the WNBA draft, especially following the new 2026 CBA. Okot could find more value in the WNBA now that rostered player salaries will begin at six figures and rosters will now include two developmental players in addition to the 12 on roster. Okot might be raw, but she’s got WNBA-level tools.
Projected draft position: Late first round to early second round