Caitlin Clark will headline the 2024 WNBA Draft, but she’s not the only impact guard entering the league. As the professional game modernizes, teams are looking for more playmakers on the outside to increase the speed and spacing of the offense. Clark is the most prolific and well-known guard of the group, and she’s surrounded by a bevy of shooters, pure shooting guards and combo guards, including several international prospects eager to make an impact at the next level. force.
There are less than three weeks until the draft, which will be held on April 15 in Brooklyn, New York, just eight days before the national championship. In preparation for the event, eight WNBA general managers share their candid thoughts on the upcoming draft class. Competitor Before the NCAA Tournament. They were granted anonymity in order to speak publicly. On Thursday, we’ll have another installment featuring their honest thoughts on frontcourt players like Cameron Brinker, Camila Cardoso and Angel Reese.
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WNBA mock draft: Where will Angel Reese land? Who will be drafted after Caitlin Clark?
After the game, we will release the final mock draft as well as GM scouts for potential draft picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Players are listed in alphabetical order.
18.8 points per game (ppg), 6.8 assists per game (apg), 33.5 three-point field goal percentage (3-pt fg%), 85.9 free throw percentage (ft%)
• “I think most people would be willing to take Amore because she has a clear position. Worst case scenario, they might be able to turn her into a backup, and being able to solidify that position is not a thing in this league Little things. A bench player who can space the floor is a nice addition to your team. She’s probably the safest pick out of all of them (Jesse Shelton, Jaelynn Sherrod, and Haley Van Liss). “
• “The issue with Amore is size. The question is can she do some of the same things in college that she needs to do in the pros? Because in some of her pick-and-rolls, the length bothers her. I think she understands that very well. How to run a team.”
• “She has the ability that I think point guards at the highest level have, who not only know who needs the ball, but know how to manipulate the defense to get them the ball in the best situation to be successful, and the best time” .
only @georgia_amoore stuff 👏#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN 2 / @hawkieswbb pic.twitter.com/4p1yw8K8XY
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 22, 2024
Isabel Boras | 5-11 Guard | Adelaide Lightning (WNBL, Australia)
Averaged 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds (rpg), 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals (spg) per game
• “Borlase has a game for Australia. I don’t know if that applies to our game as well.”
• “I think she’s done a really good job of creating for herself. She can score in certain areas, which shows she has what I would call international maturity. You can tell she’s been playing professional basketball. … From what I can tell From what I’ve seen, I think she’s easily in the first round.”
Caitlin Clark | 6-0 Guard | Iowa State
31.8 points, 8.8 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 37.9 three-point shooting percentage
• “I think the same thing as the rest of my colleagues: a generational talent can be the backbone of a franchise. The clear No. 1 pick.”
• “Extraordinary player. Probably one of the most offensively ready guards we’ve seen in a draft in quite some time.”
• “I think what’s most beneficial about her for her team, and we all know that team, is her ability to pass the ball and pass the ball and spread the love to some of the incredible players on the team. . I think she’ll struggle more offensively because of the strength of the guards guarding her, and the speed of those guards is something she wasn’t used to seeing in college. But I think where she can make the biggest impact is with her passing game. Ball ability.”
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What makes Caitlin Clark the best shooter in college basketball?The physics behind her shot
Leila Lacan | 5-11 Guard | Angers (France)
Averaged 11.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.3 assists per game
• “Not sure about her quickness, quickness and toughness at this level, but I think she could be a first-rounder.”
• “I really like Laila’s body. She has a pretty complete package. I think she’s really good in pick-and-rolls. I think she has really good vision, and she can create for herself as well. She’s an attractive The prospect of strength. It’s a little difficult when you don’t know much about overseas obligations and the national team and all those things.”
Karalet | 5-9 Guard | Tarbes (France)
Averaged 15.9 points per game, 5.8 assists, 1.4 field goals, and 87.4% shooting percentage
• “Although only 19 years old, he has shown the court awareness to become an elite professional point guard. Excellent ability to drive to the basket, excellent change of rhythm, excellent ball-handling ability, and excellent insight into the court. Good size , when the point guard often goes to the free throw line, the free throw percentage is very high. Need to continue to improve the three-point shooting percentage.”
Averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 89.2 ft.% per game
• “She’s a combo guard. I think she’s more of a two-one than a one-two. She’s proven she’s good at a lot of things. Can shoot the mid-range 3? She can get to the rim. Physical defender.” But I would say out of those three, I’d probably give Armor a slight edge and then (Jesse) Shelton right behind him.”
• “Charisma is a stable, great leader, high basketball IQ, willing to do whatever it takes for the team’s success. … I think her mid-range game is one of the best in the league. Good at mid-range pull-ups . Needs to keep shooting threes, but is also a good defender.”
• “Charm has worked really hard on her shot and made a lot of progress in the first two-thirds of the season. She struggled in the last third. She needs to find some consistency. I think she has to Take Jackie Young’s growth steps in her shot. Her pull-ups are really nice, really nice, like a second level shot in a ball screen move. In fact, she can work on her release really well and Good timing in the game. That three-point ability has to become very consistent as Jackie has grown.”
Jesse Shelton | 5-10 Guard | Ohio State
Averaged 17.8 points per game, 3.8 assists, 1.9 field goals, and 37.3% three-point shooting percentage.
• “The upper limit may be higher than Amor, but the physical strength of our league may be too much for her to bear.”
• “Great athlete. My concern with her is the physicality of the game. Ohio State is a very physical team, but when you look at her frame, I’m a little worried about how well she handles it. Ability. But the vision, the passer, the shooter are all great.”
• “Can she develop some Allie Quigley-type game? She has a quick release. She plays very well in a fast-paced system. I think she plays in the half court without the ball or with the ball Both displayed a high IQ. I did find her to be an elite communicator. Her ability to switch from position one to position three so smoothly was special.”
• “She has great judgment in selecting shots, and then she can really get the whole team involved. I think they’re going to go with her. Obviously, one of the most impactful parts of her game is on the defensive end. She’s super athletic and she’s very aware of when she should do something dangerous in front of the media, but she’s a very disciplined defender and I think that’s going to be her biggest impact at the next level, at least immediately .”
What a great way to get her 2000th point!Congratulations @jessieshelton ! pic.twitter.com/prWeRXtTt5
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) March 22, 2024
Jaylin Sherrod | 5-7 Guard | Colorado State
Averaged 12.9 points, 4.9 assists, 2.2 field goals, 49.8% 2-point shooting per game
• “Great defender. Every time I watch them play, she grabs my attention with her tough defense and ability to intimidate the guy she’s guarding. Plays hard. She looks really smart.” , of course, she adds some offensive skills to her game. I like her toughness.”
• “She’s not a pro shooter right now. She’s probably one of those guys who needs to go overseas and work on improving her offense and getting a consistent jump shot, because right now you can’t be a defender in our league and not be a good shooter. She can attack rim and do all those things, but if you can’t shoot, people are going to learn to trick you.”
Haley Van Lis | 5-7 Guard | LSU
Averaged 11.8 points, 3.6 assists, 35.5% three-point field goal percentage, and 82.7% field goal percentage.
• “Excellent outside shooter, good at the basket, but mid-range shooting is a problem. Plays hard – scrappy, competitive, loves the flames. Reminds me of Dana Evans. Maybe No. 2 is better than No. 1 Naturally, but her size requires her to play primarily No. 1. Still, there are questions about whether she can be as effective as one.”
• “She doesn’t shoot the ball like people think she does. I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing for her to go to LSU and be forced to play point guard. But she’s got to improve some point guard because of the needs of the team. Ball and passing skills.”
(Photos of Charisma Osbourne, Kaitlyn Clark and Haley Van Liss: G Fiume, Harry How and Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
