Notre Dame star Olivia Miles flipped the 2025 WNBA Draft upside down.
There was always a chance Miles would return to school. WNBA front offices have a cornucopia of information available to them. So, it’s very likely Miles’ seemingly stunning decision to forgo the draft and continue playing college basketball wasn’t as head-turning as it appeared.
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Perhaps it was timing ― the news broke in the middle of a March Madness UConn vs. USC matchup ― that added to the gravity of the decision. Or maybe it was one mind-boggling detail: Miles intends to enter the transfer portal. Either way, her decision sent reverberations through the women’s basketball landscape.
Among the many questions that inevitably arise, is one that more people should consider with the WNBA draft less than two weeks away: Which draft prospects will receive a boost in stock with no Miles in the 2025 class?
Here are nine players whose WNBA draft stock increases without Olivia Miles on the board:
1. LSU Tigers forward Aneesah Morrow
LSU Lady Tigers forward Aneesah Morrow (24) runs the baseline against UCLA Bruins forward Janiah Barker (0) during the second half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena.
LSU forward Aneesah Morrow had a spectacular season with the Tigers. She led the country in rebounds, averaged a double-double and ended her career by rewriting the NCAA history books. Morrow also had standout performances during March Madness, including 30 points and 19 rebounds against NC State, that potentially helped elevate her stock and ability to reset the 2025 WNBA Draft board.
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With Olivia Miles no longer an option and ESPN‘s Kevin Pelton reporting the Seattle Storm are “extremely high” on France’s Dominique Malonga, there is a real possibility that the Mystics could draft Morrow at No. 3. That’s a massive win for the LSU forward, and something to keep an eye on.
2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Sonia Citron
Sonia Citron #11 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish makes a move on Agnes Emma-Nnopu #21 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 29, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Perhaps no other guard in the draft benefits more from Olivia Miles not being an option than Miles’ teammate Sonia Citron. Citron had a criminally underrated season, and without her on-court partner in the mix, Citron’s stock likely goes up on league draft boards.
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While she isn’t a true point guard, she is a reliable wing player who can light up the hardwood on both ends of the floor. Citron has a knack for finding the basketball, cutting lanes and getting deflections, which creates transition points.
3. USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen
USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (44) walks off the court after an Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game against against the UConn Huskies at Spokane Arena.
USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen has been making an excellent case to be drafted within the Top 5 since the Big Ten tournament. Iriafen is a dominant force in the paint and one of the draft’s top rim protectors. As the tournament went on, the production of the senior forward rose, and that momentum carried into March Madness.
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Once teammate JuJu Watkins exited the NCAA tournament with an unfortunate ACL injury, Irifafen stepped up with several dynamic performances, including a 36-points, nine-rebounds outing against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Without Miles on the board, Iriafen’s stock also goes up, and she could be locked in as a Top-5 pick.
4. Five other WNBA draft prospects, including TCU’s Hailey Van Lith
TCU Horned Frogs guard Hailey Van Lith (10) works against Texas Longhorns guard Bryanna Preston (1) during the second half of an Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Legacy Arena.
With one of the top guards in the class of 2025 now off the board, several other players could benefit from the opening. Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers, NC State’s Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James, Te-Hina Paopao of South Carolina, Kansas State guard Serena Sundell and Hailey Van Lith of TCU are names to watch.
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In particular, Van Lith has played very well throughout the season and the Horned Frogs’ NCAA tournament run. It wouldn’t be shocking to see a team like the Los Angeles Sparks or Chicago Sky pick up the TCU star.
2025 WNBA Draft order
Here is the draft board for the first round of the 2025 WNBA draft. See the full draft order here.
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Seattle Storm (from Los Angele Sparks)
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Washington Mystics (from Chicago Sky)
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Washington Mystics (from Atlanta Dream)
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Connecticut Sun (from NY Liberty)
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Connecticut Sun (from Indiana Fever)
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Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle Storm)
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Chicago Sky (from Connecticut Sun)
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Dallas Wings (from NY Liberty)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA prospects with stock growth after Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles exits
