We’re slightly below two months into the WNBA season, and the Rookie of the Yr race is way extra aggressive than initially anticipated.
Paige Bueckers has carried out as virtually everybody anticipated, whereas the Nos. 3 (Sonia Citron) and 4 (Kiki Iriafen) picks have led the Washington Mystics to a surprisingly good begin. They are not the one first-year gamers making a mark within the league.
A handful of younger gamers on this electrical rookie class are having sudden breakouts. This group contains current school graduates and gamers signed from abroad. Listed here are ESPN’s rankings for the highest eight rookies thus far — plus a check-in on two extra.
Simply earlier than the WNBA draft, a normal supervisor instructed ESPN that Bueckers may “influence the league instantly” and “be harmful immediately.” Thus far, Bueckers has confirmed them proper.
This 12 months’s No. 1 decide has demonstrated the identical three-level scoring abilities, effectivity, court docket imaginative and prescient and skill to regulate the tempo of a sport she showcased on her method to profitable a nationwide title with UConn in April.
She additionally leads the rookies in scoring (17.7 factors per sport) and assists (5.8) regardless of having missed 4 video games whereas in concussion protocol and due to an sickness. In that interval, Kiki Iriafen overtook her as the favourite to win Rookie of the Yr, although Bueckers has since reclaimed the spot.
That mentioned, Bueckers’ sturdy play hasn’t instantly led to teamwide success. The Wings are off to a 4-12 begin, receiving the worst grade in ESPN’s one-month check-in. It is onerous to place a complete franchise’s success on the shoulders of a 22-year-old rookie, however Bueckers has, thus far, lived as much as the hype.
2. Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics, ahead
The No. 4 decide, Iriafen briefly catapulted to the highest of the Rookie of the Yr race by main the Mystics to a 4-6 begin — sudden for a staff getting into a rebuilding period.
In 15 video games, she’s averaging 13.3 factors on almost 50% capturing — the third-most factors by a rookie and the third-best capturing share by a rookie enjoying a minimum of 12 minutes this season.
Her physicality and rebounding set her aside from the remainder of the rookie class, too: She’s grabbing 8.8 rebounds (finest within the group) and has recorded 5 double-doubles, together with 4 consecutive in Could.
Throughout her single season at USC, Iriafen took a backseat on scoring subsequent to celebrity JuJu Watkins. However within the W, she has displayed a capability to attain in quite a lot of methods — whether or not it is within the midrange, by forcing her manner into the paint or crashing the offensive glass.
However past the statistics, Iriafen has helped set an identification for the Mystics. Washington coach Sydney Johnson mentioned Iriafen has a “veteran mindset” and has stabilized the staff’s frontcourt.
3. Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics, guard
Citron has been proper alongside Iriafen in ushering in Washington’s new period. She has been the right counterpart for Iriafen, averaging 14.2 factors on 47.1% capturing. She’s additionally a dependable multiple-position defender, with the flexibility to change roles each time her staff wants.
Throughout her 4 years at Notre Dame, Citron established herself as a three-level scorer, averaging 14.3 factors, 5.8 rebounds and a couple of.5 assists per sport whereas capturing 37% from deep. Her capturing precision prolonged to the midrange, and she or he had the flexibility to chop to the basket and end on the rim. Thus far, it is translated to the professionals.
That scoring was one thing the Mystics wanted after they received the third decide — and her — after buying and selling Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky. It is lots to count on a rookie to match the manufacturing of a seven-year veteran, however Citron has confirmed she’s as much as the duty thus far.
After going undrafted in 2022 and spending the previous three years enjoying in Australia, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Sweden, Held has emerged as one of many brightest WNBA newcomers. Teammate Satou Sabally even urged Held may make a case for rookie of the 12 months.
Regardless of not beginning a sport for Phoenix (but), Held was essential for the staff whereas Kahleah Copper missed the primary 11 video games of the season with a knee damage. Throughout that span, Held averaged 9.5 factors in 21.5 minutes, making her the staff’s third-leading scorer behind Sabally and Alyssa Thomas. On the season, she has the fourth-best defensive ranking amongst rookies who play a minimum of 12 minutes per sport, at 92.4.
Final week, after ending with 16 factors, 3 assists and three steals in a loss to the Minnesota Lynx, Held scored a career-high 24 factors in a win towards the Golden State Valkyries on 7-of-15 capturing from the sphere and 4-of-9 from deep. She additionally proved her worth in clutch conditions, hitting a go-ahead, step-back 3-pointer to offer Phoenix a one-point lead with simply over a minute left within the sport.
Akoa Makani has grow to be top-of-the-line long-distance shooters within the rookie class, going 44.7% from 3 — good for prime 5 amongst all rookies. She can be capturing 100% from the free throw line on 18 makes an attempt.
Averaging 20.5 minutes a sport, Akoa Makani was first inserted into the Mercury’s beginning lineup as they navigated an injury-plagued begin to the season. Even now with a wholesome roster, she has not given up her spot. Her capturing skill (8.3 PPG) has given Phoenix supplementary scoring, an space of concern heading into the season. She additionally has the staff’s fifth-best plus-minus ranking (plus-4.4).
6. Janelle Salaun, Golden State Valkyries, guard
Salaun has had an abbreviated time in Golden State: She missed coaching camp, the preseason and the primary regular-season sport, and has just lately stepped away to signify France at EuroBasket. However within the eight video games she has performed, she has left her mark.
She’s fourth amongst rookies in scoring (11.8 PPG) behind Bueckers, Iriafen and Citron. Salaun was additionally enjoying the third-most minutes (28.4) and grabbing the second-most rebounds per sport (5.9).
She went undrafted in 2023 however continues to be simply 23 years outdated and carries extra expertise than is conventional for a WNBA rookie. She received a silver medal with France within the Paris Olympics final summer season and likewise led Beretta Famila Schio to the Italian League title — the place she additionally received Finals MVP.
At 29 years outdated, Westbeld is tied for the second-oldest rookie on this 12 months’s class. She spent many of the previous seven years enjoying in Spain, Puerto Rico, Australia, France, Italy and Hungary, with a short six-month stint as an account govt with Whole High quality Logistics in West Chester, Ohio from January to July in 2021. This 12 months, she’s cemented herself within the Mercury’s beginning rotation.
Like her rookie teammates, she was first inserted into the beginning lineup amid Phoenix’s injury-riddled starting. And like Akoa Makani, she hasn’t relinquished her spot, logging the fifth-most minutes on the staff (23.1 per sport).
Paopao was a dependable shooter in school, going 40% from past the arc. Her dip throughout her senior 12 months at South Carolina — the place she averaged a career-low 9.4 factors — could have been a consider dropping her into the second spherical of this 12 months’s draft..
But, the No. 18 decide has been capable of play each on and off of the ball for Atlanta and has additionally been essential for the Dream within the clutch.
Whereas her stats aren’t as eye-catching as these of the names above, Paopao’s influence has been simple. Her plus-16 internet ranking and 112.2 offensive ranking are the most effective amongst rookies who’ve performed a minimum of 5 video games, and she or he leads the category in 3-point capturing at 54.3%. On Sunday towards Chicago, she erupted for 5 3s on six makes an attempt.
Two extra to observe
Malonga was some of the intriguing prospects on this 12 months’s draft class, and her ceiling continues to be projected to be one of many highest among the many group. By way of the primary month and a half of the season, Malonga confirmed a few of that potential, however her expertise continues to be extraordinarily uncooked.
One purpose she hasn’t been capable of refine her sport within the WNBA is likely to be a scarcity of minutes, an issue the opposite rookies on this checklist have not needed to cope with. She’s averaging 8.7 minutes a sport, however she’s additionally enjoying behind top-of-the-line facilities within the league in Nneka Ogwumike.
It’d take a while for Malonga — who has been enjoying worldwide basketball since 2021 and was the youngest member of the French nationwide staff on the 2024 Olympics — to get an opportunity to make an influence on the Storm, however she stays some of the attention-grabbing newcomers to observe.
When Courtney Vandersloot went down with an ACL tear on June 8, Van Lith seemed poised to fill the veteran’s footwear. The No. 11 draft decide continues to be coming off the bench, however her minutes load has steadily elevated over the previous two weeks and she or he even performed three consecutive 20-minute stints towards the Solar, Mystics and Mercury final week. She ought to proceed to develop as she will get extra enjoying alternatives.
