2018 WNBA Mock Draft: Analyzing Elite Prospects and Hidden Gems

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft doesn't appear to be shrouded in mystery.

The Las Vegas Aces are expected to choose South Carolina's A'ja Wilson with the first pick on April 12.

Beneath Wilson on the WNBA draft board is a collection of future WNBA stars hungry to prove themselves on the professional stage, as the 12 teams in the league replenish their respective rosters.

Below is a look at a few top prospects, as well as players you might not have heard of who are going to make an impact on the 2018 WNBA season.

2018 WNBA Mock Draft

1. Las Vegas Aces: A'ja Wilson, C, South Carolina

2. Indiana Fever: Kelsey Mitchell, G, Ohio State

3. Chicago Sky (via Atlanta): Azura Stevens, C, UConn

4. Chicago Sky: Diamond DeShields, G, Tennessee

5. Seattle Storm: Jordin Canada, G, UCLA

6. Dallas Wings: Victoria Vivians, G, Mississippi State

7. Washington Mystics: Gabby Williams, F, UConn

8. Indiana Fever (via Phoenix): Lexie Brown, G, Duke

9. Connecticut Sun: Kia Nurse, G, UConn

10. New York Liberty: Maria Vadeeva, C, Russia

11. Los Angeles Sparks: Ariel Atkins, G, Texas

12. Phoenix Mercury (via Minnesota): Marie Gulich, C, Oregon State

Top Prospects

A'ja Wilson 

Wilson is the complete package, and barring a shocking move by Las Vegas, she will go No. 1 overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft. 

The 6'5" center won a national championship in 2017 with South Carolina and was named the AP and Naismith National Player of the Year for the 2017-18 campaign.

Wilson possesses quick feet around the basket and an uncanny ability to pull down rebounds, which in turn leads to transition opportunities for her teammates.

With so much power down low, Wilson is expected to give the Aces, who relocated from San Antonio, a strong inside-outside combination.

Guards Moriah Jefferson and Kelsey Plum should have the scoring pressure taken off their shoulders when Wilson enters the fray, which gives the Aces an opportunity to play a more balanced style of offense.

Kelsey Mitchell

Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell is the best pure scorer in the draft class, as she comes into the WNBA off a senior season in which she averaged 24.3 points per game.

Mitchell set all sorts of records during her collegiate career, with the NCAA all-time three-point mark being the crown jewel of the collection.

The Ohio native made 497 three-point field goals with the Buckeyes and put together a record streak of 92 consecutive games with a made basket from beyond the arc.

Mitchell could end up going anywhere from second to fourth, with Azura Stevens and Diamond DeShields also receiving attention at those positions.

In addition to bringing a local, Big Ten flavor to the Indiana Fever at No. 2 overall, Mitchell should complement the inside game of Natalie Achonwa to give the Eastern Conference team a solid 1-2 scoring combination.

Hidden Gems

Marie Gulich

Oregon State center Marie Gulich boosted her draft stock throughout the NCAA women's basketball tournament, as she helped the Beavers reach the Elite Eight.

In the second-round upset of Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena, Gulich recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The German-born center thrived even more in the Sweet 16, as she dominated Baylor in a 26-point performance that set up an Elite Eight showdown with Louisville.

Gulich averaged close to a double-double in her senior season, with 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

Thanks to her output this season, Gulich is an intriguing prospect late in the first round for a team like the Phoenix Mercury.

While the pick may not make sense to some given Brittney Griner's presence on the Mercury roster, drafting Gulich gives the Western Conference side two powerful paint presences capable of switching out with one another to wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

Lexie Brown

It's going to be hard to find a point guard as versatile as Duke's Lexie Brown in this year's draft class.

The transfer from Maryland carries the ability to knock down shots from the beyond the arc and play lockdown defense.

Brown was the 2018 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and she earned Third-Team All-American honors for a Blue Devils team that was eliminated by UConn in the NCAA tournament.

In her two seasons at Duke, Brown shot 47.5 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range, while contributing 18.9 points, 277 assists and 218 steals.

Brown's all-around game could push her into the top five if the right fit is there, but if not, she won't slip past the Fever at No. 8, as they look to infuse more youth into an experienced guard depth chart.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from the official team website of each player.