March 16, 2024
Locked On Women’s Basketball: Prospects to know for the 2025-27 WNBA Drafts
By The Next
Our WNBA Draft experts talk about their favorite non-senior prospects in college basketball.
There is still so much basketball left to play in the 2023-24 college season, but it’s worth remembering that we’re now officially less than one month away from the 2024 WNBA Draft.
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But while we already know some of the top stars heading to the WNBA next year, what about in the years ahead? Which players should fans with their eyes on the 2025, 2026 and 2027 drafts be watching during March Madness?
On today’s episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, our draft experts Em Adler and Lincoln Shafer looked beyond the Clark-Brink draft into the future, discussing some of the top prospects to know in future seasons.
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One of them is Stanford forward Kiki Iriafen, who Shafer said made a “massive leap” from last season to now, where she’s averaging 18.6 points and 11.0 rebounds per game as a junior. Adler agreed and particularly marveled at Iriafen’s offensive ability.
“It’s hard to watch her and not just see the athleticism really popping off the page,” Adler said. “The way that she is able to go at some of the best post defenders in the country and just … the burst, the first the first step for someone who you know can — and probably should — play the center is unbelievable.”
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They also discussed South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins, with Adler and Shafer heaping praise at her defensive ability.
“She might be a generational defensive prospect,” Shafer said. “We love defense and we love blocking shots and we love people who are incredible lateral athletes and probably the most explosive vertical athletes since, like, Brittney Griner. This is just an absolute monster of a defensive prospect who is so fun to watch.”
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For more on these two players and others that Adler and Shafer discussed, tune in here:
And make sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast to keep learning about the WNBA, women’s college basketball and basketball history.
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Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
