With Iowa falling to South Carolina in the NCAA Championship game, we now shift our focus to the 2024 WNBA Draft where it's expected that Caitlin Clark would be selected No.1 overall by the Indiana Fever.
There are several other big names in Women's Basketball, like LSU's Angel Reese, who will likely get their names called on April 15th in the 2024 WNBA Draft. These talented college athletes have shown their skills throughout the NCAA Women's Tournament and overseas.
Here is the SportsWorldNews Mock Draft of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Draft.
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No.1 Indiana Fever: PG Caitlin Clark
College: Iowa
Position: Point Guard
Height: 6 foot 0
This one feels like a given, but the Indiana Fever are projected to take Caitlin Clark with the No.1 overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft.
Clark is fresh off one of the best seasons in the history of Women's College Basketball, one where she took the Hawkeyes to the National Championship game and broke several records on her way to her NCAA greatness.
The Fever have been down this route before. Last season they took Aliyah Boston with the No.1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, and this year Indiana will look to add another franchise cornerstone in Caitlin Clark.
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No.2 Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink
College: Stanford
Position: Center
Height: 6 foot 4
The Los Angeles Sparks could select an impact player at No.2 here in Cameron Brink, as the Stanford center is coming off a big year.
Cameron Brink has racked up a Pac-12 Player of the Year and a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year throughout her NCAA career. She led her division in blocked shots this year; also Brink has shown that she is just as talented offensively as she is defensively with numerous big-time scoring performances.
No.3 Chicago Sky: Kamilla Cardoso
College: South Carolina
Position: Center
Height: 6 foot 7
Since last addressing the 2024 WNBA Draft we have changed our thoughts on the use of the No.3 pick by the Chicago Sky. Originally, we had Aaliyah Edwards going to the Sky, but we've since changed our minds and feel Kamilla Cardoso would better suit Chicago.
There are few players that have size and speed quite like Kamilla Cardoso. Cardoso is fresh off a monster undefeated season with the South Carolina Gamecocks, which saw the team win a National Championship. She has been very impactful on this run, shooting 58.5 from the field throughout the NCAA Women's Tournament.
In Chicago, under Teresa Weatherspoon, Cardoso could be the focal point of a Sky team, who would be without Kahleah Copper.
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No.4 Los Angeles Sparks (Via Seattle): Rickea Jackson
College: Tennessee
Position: Guard
Height: 6 foot 2
Similarly to our last pick, our new draft order has Rickea Jackson going to the Los Angeles Sparks at No.4 instead of Kamilla Cardoso.
Despite the disappointing finish to Tennessee's season, Rickea Jackson has boosted her stock with a strong performance in the NCAA Women's Tournament. She averaged 29.5 points and 9.5 rebounds on 63.9% shooting, and has displayed impressive shot-making ability.
Jackson could be an essential piece for the LA Sparks alongside Cameron Brink moving forward this summer.
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No.5 Dallas Wings (Via Chicago): Jacy Sheldon
College: Ohio State
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 5 foot 10
The Dallas Wings pick is one of the more interesting ones entering the 2024 WNBA Draft. The Wings could be taking either Jacy Sheldon or even Aaliyah Edwards.
Fit-wise, the Dallas Wings should take Jacy Sheldon at No.5. Sheldon had a great past year, helping Ohio State to the Big Ten Regular-Season Championship. Along with Satou Sabally, she could give the Wings a big scoring boost.
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No.6 Washington Mystics: Aaliyah Edwards
College: UConn
Position: Power Forward
Height: 6 foot 3
The Washington Mystics could be landing one of the most versatile bigs in Women's College Basketball if Aaliyah Edwards is still on the board.
Aaliyah Edwards had a great season, helping UConn make the Final Four in this year's NCAA Women's Tournament. She has the tools to be a great player for whichever team she may land on. Edwards is highly versatile and could help the Washington Mystics upfront with Elena Delle Donne and Shakira Austin.
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No.7 Minnesota Lynx: Angel Reese
College: LSU
Position: Center
Height: 6 foot 3
Angel Reese, one of the biggest stars in college basketball, made a significant impact during her time with the LSU Tigers. Her achievements on the court are awe-inspiring.
Reese's game does need some fine-tuning, which is why she could still fall outside of the top six picks. Angel Reese is a walking double-double, averaging 21.0 points and 14.4 rebounds per game during her time with LSU. She could immediately come in and fill the gap at center for the Minnesota Lynx.
RELATED ARTICLE: NCAA Women's Tournament: Hawkeyes Caitlin Clark and Tigers Angel Reese in a Dual of Fate
No.8 Chicago Sky: Nyadiew Puoch
League: Australia
Position: Forward
Height: 6 foot 3
The Chicago Sky could use their second pick in the first round to grab a talent from overseas in Nyadiew Puoch.
Puoch, dubbed the Block Doctor, is only 19 but has showcased immense defensive potential with her athletics and versatility. She would still be a project and has a long way to go in reaching her ceiling.
Nyadiew Puoch can be molded into a defensive cornerstone for the Chicago Sky for years to come with the proper development and care.
No.9 Dallas Wings: Isobel Borlase
League: Australia
Position: Guard
Height: 5 foot 11
The Dallas Wings need stronger wing play and can gamble on another overseas prospect, Isobel Borlase.
Borlase showcased immense potential last season in the WNBL in Australia, winning the Breakout Player of the Year and the Sixth Woman of the Year award in the same season.
She could possibly be a big piece for the Dallas Wings moving forward if she makes the jump to the WNBA.
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No.10 Connecticut Sun: Alissa Pili
College: Utah
Position: Forward
Height: 6 foot 2
The Connecticut Sun's lack of floor spacing was a primary concern last season, as they ranked ninth in the league in 3-point attempts.
The Sun also lost three of their five players who shot 3-pointers consistently last season.
Alissa Pili could help remedy some of their shooting woes. Pili came up big-time when shooting the ball, hitting over 40% from 3-point territory.
No.11 New York Liberty: Charisma Osborne
Position: Point Guard
College: UCLA
Height: 5 foot 9
The New York Liberty fell short of their goal of a WNBA Championship last season, losing to the Las Vegas Aces.
The Liberty would be making a solid depth addition to their roster by taking Charisma Osborne with this pick, possibly helping them back to a WNBA Finals and ideally winning it all this time around.
Charisma Osborne could be a solid backup point guard for the New York Liberty. She has displayed the ability to shoot and score at a high level at UCLA, which could provide a big boost for Liberty offensively.
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No.12 Atlanta Dream: Nika Muhl
College: UConn
Position: Point Guard
Height: 5 foot 10
The Atlanta Dream will round out the first round, potentially taking UConn Nika Muhl. The Dream don't need much by way of an upgrade at any particular position. However, they could benefit greatly from a boost in their backcourt.
Still, Muhl could be impactful for the Atlanta Dream if taken with this pick. Last season for UConn, she played a pivotal role in helping the team make a trip to the NCAA Women's Final Four.
Nika Muhl has shown she is a great ball handler who can be another scoring option or playmaker in a pinch, making her a fantastic addition to the Atlanta Dream.
READ MORE: WNBA Draft Profile: Caitlin Clark Moving on From Her Illustrious NCAA Career
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