Caitlin Clark will headline the 2024 WNBA Draft, but she’s far from the only impact point guard coming to the league. As the professional game modernizes, franchises are looking for more perimeter playmakers in an effort to improve the pace and spacing of their offenses. Clark is the most prolific and recognizable guard of this group, and she is joined by a deep class, including several international prospects, of shooters, pure point guards and combo guards who are eager to make their impact at the next level.
The draft is less than three weeks away and will take place on April 15 in Brooklyn, New York, just eight days after the national championship. In anticipation of the event, eight WNBA general managers shared their candid opinions on the next draft class with The Athletic before the NCAA tournament. They were granted anonymity to allow them to speak openly. On Thursday we’ll publish another installment featuring your unvarnished versions of attacking players like Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, and Angel Reese.
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WNBA Mock Draft: Where Will Angel Reese Land? Who will be chosen after Caitlin Clark?
After the tournament, we will release our final mock draft and a GM scout of potential picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
The players are listed in alphabetical order.
18.8 points per game (ppg), 6.8 assists per game (apg), 33.5 3-point field goal percentage (3 points on field goals), 85.9 free throw percentage (ft% )
• “I think most people will be willing to take on Amoore because she has a clear one position. At worst, they may be able to make her a backup, and being able to solidify that position is no small thing in this league. A substitute who can stretch the floor is a good piece to add to your team. “She may be the safest choice of them all (Jacy Sheldon, Jaylyn Sherrod and Hailey Van Lith).”
• “Amoore’s question is size. The question is: can he do some of the same offensive things in college that he would need to do in the pros? Because the length bothers him in some of his pick-and-rolls. I think he knows very well how to lead a team.”
• “She has that skill that I think the highest level point guards have, where they know not only who needs the ball, but also how to manipulate the defense to get them the ball in their best situations to be successful, and at the best time . .”
Fair @georgia_amoore things 👏#MarchMadness x 🎥ESPN 2 / @HokiesWBB pic.twitter.com/4p1yw8K8XY
– NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 22, 2024
Isabel Borlase | 5-11 guard | Adelaide Lightning (WNBL, Australia)
15.6 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game (rpg), 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals per game (spg)
• “Borlase has a suitable game for Australia. “I don’t know if it translates to our game.”
• “I think she does a very good job creating for herself. She can mark points that show that she has what I call international maturity. She shows that she has been playing professional basketball. … From what I’ve seen, I think she could easily be in the first round.”
Caitlin Clark | Guard 6-0 | Iowa
31.8 points per game, 8.8 assists, 7.3 rebounds per game, 37.9% on 3-point shots
• “I think the same as the rest of my teammates: a generational talent that can be the backbone of a franchise. A clear number one choice.”
• “Phenomenal player. Probably one of the most offensively prepared guards in the draft that we’ve seen in quite some time.”
• “I think what will be most beneficial to her team, which we all know what it will be, is her ability to pass, distribute the ball and spread the love to some incredible players on her team. I think she’ll struggle more offensively just because of the strength of the guards that will defend her, and the speed of those guards is something she’s not used to seeing in college. But I think his biggest impact will be his passing ability.”
GO DEEPER
What makes Caitlin Clark the best shooter in college basketball? The physics behind shooting it.
Leila Lacan | 5-11 guard | Angers (France)
11.8 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists, 3.3 assists per game
• “I’m not sure about his speed, quickness and toughness at this level, but I think it’s probably the first round.”
• “I really like Leila’s size. She has a pretty complete package. I think she’s very good in the pick-and-roll. I think her vision is really good, but she can also create on her own. It’s an attractive prospect. “It’s just a little difficulty when you don’t know very well about overseas obligations and the national team and all that kind of stuff.”
Carla Leite | 5-9 guard | Tarbes (France)
15.9 ppg, 5.8 assists, 1.4 spg, 87.4 ft%
• “He is only 19 years old but demonstrates knowledge of the court to become an elite professional point guard. Tremendous ability to get to the rim, great change of pace, great ability with the ball in his hands, he sees the floor exceptionally well. Decent size, he gets to the line a lot for a PG and makes a high percentage of free throws. He needs to continue improving his three-point shot.”
14.1 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists, 89.2 ft%
• “She’s a combined guard. I think she’s more two-one than one-two. She has shown that she is good at many things. Can she shoot the 3, mid range? She can get to the edge. Physical defender. But I would say that of those three, I would probably give the slight advantage to Amoore, and then (Jacy) Sheldon right behind her.”
• “Charisma is just a great, steady leader with a high basketball IQ, willing to do whatever it takes to make the team successful. … I think his mid-range game is one of the best in the league. Great for doing mid-range pull-ups. He needs to shoot threes constantly, but he is a great defender.”
• “Charisma has worked very hard on his shot and there was a lot of growth in that in the first two-thirds of the season. She struggled in this back third. She will need to find some consistency. I think she will have to take Jackie Young’s growth step at her opportunity. She has a good pull-up, a very good pull-up, like a second layer that feeds off a ball screen action. In fact, she can elevate and time the launch of her for a contest very well. That 3-point ability has to become really consistent the same way Jackie developed his.”
Jacy Sheldon | 5-10 guard | Ohio State
17.8 points per game, 3.8 assists, 1.9 assists, 37.3% on 3-point shots
• “The ceiling may be higher than Amoore’s, but there’s also a chance that the physicality of our league is too much for her.”
• “Tremendous athlete. My concern for her is the physical aspect of the game. Ohio State is a very physical team, but when you look at their body structure, I’m a little concerned about their ability to handle physicality. But great vision, passing, shooting.”
• “Could I develop an Allie Quigley-type game? It has a quick release. She plays very well in a fast-paced system. I think she shows great IQ in the midfield, off the ball and with the ball. I consider her to be an elite communicator. Her ability to swing from one to three positions so smoothly is special.”
• “You have great discretion when selecting your shots and can then involve your entire team. And I think they go as she goes. Obviously, one of the most impactful parts of her game is defensive end. She is super athletic and she has a great recognition of when she should take risks, especially in the press of her, but she is a very disciplined defender and I think that will be her biggest impact at the next level, at least in the immediately “.
What a way to get your 2000th point! Congratulations @JacySheldon ! pic.twitter.com/prWeRXtTt5
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) March 22, 2024
Jaylyn Sherrod | 5-7 guard | Colorado
12.9 points per game, 4.9 assists per game, 2.2 assists per game, 49.8% on 2-point shots
• “Tremendous defender. She catches my attention every time she looks at them with the toughness of her defense, the ability of her to intimidate whoever she is defending. Play hard. She appears to be very intelligent and of course has added some offensive skills to her game. “I like the toughness of her.”
• “She’s just not a professional shooter right now. She may be one of those that needs to go overseas and work on her offensive game and get a consistent jump shot, because nowadays you can’t be a shooting guard in our league and not be a good shooter. She can attack the basket and do all that, but people learn to trick you if you don’t know how to shoot.”
Hailey Van Lith | 5-7 guard | L.S.U.
11.8 points per game, 3.6 assists per game, 35.5% from 3 points from the field, 82.7% from feet
• “Good outside shooter, decent at getting to the rim, but mid-range game is an issue. Plays hard: feisty, competitive, loves fire. Reminds me a little of Dana Evans. He’s probably a more natural two than one, but his size will require him to play primarily one. Still, there are doubts about whether she can be as effective as one.”
• “She hasn’t thrown the ball like people thought she would. I don’t know if it’s good or bad for her that she went to LSU and was forced to play point guard. But she had to work on ball handling and some passing skills because of what her team needed.”
(Photos of Charisma Osborne, Caitlin Clark and Hailey Van Lith: G Fiume, Harry How and Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
