Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Every WNBA Team's Most Exciting Player Age 25 or Under
It's incredibly difficult to make a WNBA roster. It's even more difficult to become a mainstay in a WNBA rotation. If you're able to snatch a starting job? You deserve to be commended. Showcase some All-Star upside, and the conversation shifts entirely.
That's what brings us to the dance today: We're here to highlight young talent across the league with real staying power. More specifically, we're identifying the most exciting young talent on each team in the league.
For some teams, based on roster construction (hi, Las Vegas), it's an easy choice to make. For others (hi, Washington and Los Angeles), it's a little bit tougher to narrow things down.
Let's dig in, shall we?
Atlanta Dream: Rhyne Howard, Wing, 25
1 of 13
Accomplishments: Rookie of the Year (2022), All-Star (2022, 2023), All-Rookie (2022)
2024 season: 17.3 points (42% on 2s, 32.9% on 3s, 78.4% on FTs), 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks
Rhyne Howard is a loud example of my favorite kind of player: a big wing (listed at 6'2") who can score at all three levels, make plays for others, and toggle multiple defensive roles and assignments.
Big picture, the only thing that Howard's missing is consistency. While she possesses an expansive toolkit, it's not often that she puts it all together at the same time. If—or more likely, when—she does, we'll be looking at a perennial All-WNBA player.
Chicago Sky: Angel Reese, Forward, 23
2 of 13
Accomplishments: All-Star (2024), All-Rookie (2024)
2024 season: 13.6 points (40% on 2s, 18.8% on 3s, 73.6% on FTs), 13.1 rebounds (5.1 OREB), 1.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.5 blocks
It only took Angel Reese a season to establish herself as the league's best rebounder—and one of the best the league has ever seen. As valuable as that was and is, it's encouraging that Reese proved to be more than that.
She was a high-level defender in Year 1, something that carried over into the inaugural Unrivaled season where she won Defensive Player of the Year. It wouldn't shock me if she eventually won DPOY in the W; at minimum, Reese should be a mainstay in All-Defense conversations.
As her offensive game expands—more playmaking usage, better finishing, extended shooting range—there's real potential for Reese to grow into a legitimate two-way star.
Connecticut Sun: Saniya Rivers, Wing, 22
3 of 13
Accomplishments: National Champion (2022), ACC Sixth Player of the Year (2023), ACC All-Defense (2024, 2025), All-ACC 1st Team (2024, 2025), All-ACC Tournament 1st team (2024, 2025)
2024 season (NC State): 11.9 points (46.4% on 2s, 27.2% on 3s, 67.4% on FTs), 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.3 blocks
Saniya Rivers made her WNBA debut on Tuesday night against the Las Vegas Aces, and it didn't take long for her to impress. Her quick-twitch athleticism popped off the screen, particularly on the defensive end where she quickly logged impact plays against Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.
Seriously, it's not easy picking the pockets of the Point Gawd.
If this is the kind of stuff Rivers can do defensively in game one, with effectively no preseason reps to acclimate herself with, it's easy to envision a world where she makes multiple All-Defense teams in her career.
Offensively, Rivers will have to build up enough comfort on the perimeter to complement her driving and playmaking skills. That may take some time, but that's when you remember she's only 22 years old.
Dallas Wings: Paige Bueckers, Guard, 23
4 of 13
Accomplishments: National Champion (2025), We Don't Have Enough Room For All Of This
2024 season (UConn): 19.9 points (58.6% on 2s, 41.9% on 3s, 88.9% on FTs), 4.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.8 blocks
Paige Bueckers is one of the most complete guard prospects we've had hit the league in a while. There isn't much she can't do: pass at a high level, make pull-ups from pretty much anywhere inside of 26 feet, defend on or off the ball, or mix it up on the glass when needed.
We've already seen elements of all of this through her first two games (14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks), and that's with her dealing with the elite defenses of the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm.
Bueckers isn't a perfect prospect—her burst and, zooming out, overall scoring aggression have been called into question—but there's a reason she was the top pick of this year's draft. If she stays healthy, she has "franchise centerpiece" written all over her.
Golden State Valkyries: Justė Jocytė, Guard/Wing, 19
5 of 13
Notable Accomplishments: Silver medal in FIBA’s U16 EuroBasket at age 13, Gold medal in FIBA’s U18 EuroBasket at age 16, FIBA U18 Women's European Championship MVP (2022)
2024-25 season (Lyon): 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.7 steals
We'll likely have to wait until next season to see Justė Jocytė in the WNBA, but this year's fifth overall pick brings plenty of skill and upside to the table. Jocytė has been playing professional basketball since she was 13 years old, wowing fans and scouts alike with her blend of playmaking and shooting ability.
She's especially adept at running ball screens—this is a good video for examples—comfortably reading coverages and making quick reads. You take that kind of poise any day from a young ball-handler; you especially take that if she's 6'2", able to see (or shoot) over the top of defenses.
Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark, Guard, 23
6 of 13
Accomplishments: All-WNBA 1st Team (2024), Rookie of the Year (2024), All-Rookie (2024), All-Star (2024)
2024 season: 19.2 points (53.3% on 2s, 34.4% on 3s, 90.6% on FTs), 5.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks
This isn't just the most exciting young player on the Fever, with appropriate respect to two-time All-Star Aliyah Boston; this is the most exciting young player in the league, someone who's already, conservatively, forced themselves into top-five-in-the-league discussions.
Caitlin Clark may not be the first player to take deep pull-ups or make how-did-you-see-that passes, but she's comfortably the first one to do so with this range, this kind of volume, this kind of efficiency (her 58.3 true shooting percentage was 4.7 points above league average) and with her level of audacity.
As wild as it sounds on the surface, All-WNBA-caliber play is Clark's floor now. This is someone who will be a mainstay in MVP conversations, barring injury; and she'll likely win multiple throughout her career.
Las Vegas Aces: Aaliyah Nye, Forward, 22
7 of 13
Accomplishments: All-SEC (2024)
2024 season (Alabama): 15.2 points (45.3% on 2s, 45.5% on 3s, 83% on FTs), 2.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.3 blocks
Aaliyah Nye was a bit of a surprise as the opening draft selection of the second round, but it's easy to see why the Aces, of all teams, would appreciate her profile.
Listed at 6'0", Nye can play either forward position, and her ability to shoot the ball stands out. Not only is she a lethal set shooter, but she's also comfortable coming off movement or relocating herself to maximize spacing for herself and others.
Early preseason returns saw the Aces use her in plenty of movement sets while giving her the freedom to break away and cut if she sensed an opening. Her ancillary skills—notably on-ball defense and rebounding—will likely determine her ceiling more than her shooting.
Los Angeles Sparks: Rickea Jackson, Forward, 24
8 of 13
Accomplishments: All-Rookie (2024)
2024 season: 13.4 points (49.8% on 2s, 34.7% on 3s, 80.7% on FTs), 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.4 blocks
Whew, buddy, was I torn between Rickea Jackson and her teammate Cameron Brink, a big who projects to challenge for many Defensive Player of the Year awards. I gave the slight nod to Jackson since we're waiting on Brink to recover from last season's torn ACL, but I'm fine accepting criticism in the future if Brink returns and immediately sets the world on fire.
As for Jackson, it's a similar feeling that I have with Rhyne Howard: players her size (listed at 6'2") aren't supposed to be as fluid and skilled as she is. Jackson is already one of the more versatile bucket-getters in the league. She can score from all over the floor, but her proficiency in the mid-range is both impressive and refreshing.
It helps her long-term projection that Jackson has good positional size defensively. While she certainly wasn't perfect on that end as a rookie, it was encouraging to see her grow both on and off the ball as the season went on. That progression also carried over into the Unrivaled season where she oscillated between switching out onto smaller players and having to deal with legitimate centers on occasion.
Minnesota Lynx: Diamond Miller, Wing, 24
9 of 13
Accomplishments: All-Rookie (2023)
2024 season: 2.9 points (37.2% on 2s, 19.2% on 3s, 58.3% on FTs), 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.3 steals in 10.1 minutes (21 games)
Last season was an injury-riddled campaign that ultimately saw Diamond Miller fall out of the rotation. The year before, Miller was clearly Rookie No. 2 (behind Aliyah Boston) with solid-across-the-board averages (12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals) for a feisty Lynx squad.
The hope is that Miller can return to that Year 1 form, if not that production, for the Lynx's second unit. She remains a fearless driver who can overwhelm defenders with her blend of size, speed and power. She's a willing mover off the ball, another area where her size and athleticism can pop, and has the tools to be a multi-positional defender if she cleans up some of her habits.
New York Liberty: Leonie Fiebich, Wing, 25
10 of 13
Accomplishments: WNBA Champion (2024), All-Rookie (2024)
2024 season: 6.7 points (55.3% on 2s, 43.3% on 3s, 72% on FTs), 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.2 blocks
Leonie Fiebich sneakily remains on the list having turned 25 back in January. I'm glad she still qualifies, because she deserves recognition as one of the league's best role players already.
At 6'4", Fiebich is both a lethal shooter and terrifying defender. Do not be surprised if she challenged for an All-Defense selection as soon as this season.
She's a good enough creator and passer to slightly outperform the traditional 3-and-D moniker, but the loudest parts of her value come from those areas. Fiebich's arrival to the Liberty's rotation, and eventually their starting lineup, helped take the Liberty from bona fide title contender to how-do-we-match-up-with-this front-runners.
Phoenix Mercury: Monique Akoa-Makani, Guard, 24
11 of 13
2024 season (Charnay): 14.9 points (44.8% on 2s, 41.8% on 3s, 87.8% on FTs), 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 3.1 steals, 0.5 blocks
Monique Akoa-Makani is one of three Mercury players on the roster who are 25 or younger, and it's currently unclear where they'll land in the rotation when the team is at full health.
The nod is given here because, frankly, I'm a huge fan of pesky point-of-attack defense. Akoa-Makani provides that in bunches, mixing in aggressive ball pressure and nimble screen navigation. If you have some free time, I'd encourage you to revisit the Mercury's blowout win over the Storm on Saturday and check out the work she did while defending Skylar Diggins.
Seattle Storm: Dominique Malonga, Forward/Big, 19
12 of 13
2024 season (Lyon): 15.5 points (54% on 2s, 25% on 3s, 75.3% on FTs), 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.3 blocks
Despite Paige Bueckers being the consensus (and eventual) No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, it was Dominique Malonga who earned the majority vote from WNBA GMs as the player who'd be better in five years.
(She also, somehow, tied for first in the "Biggest Draft Steal" category and that feels incredibly difficult to do as the second overall pick. I promise I'm not mad!)
Malonga's upside is tantalizing, though. She's an absurdly fluid mover for someone listed at 6'6". She can beat most wings down the floor when changing ends; bigs simply don't stand a chance keeping up with her. Her comfort in ball screens, both as a screener partner and occasional initiator, seems advanced for her age and experience.
Oh, and she can dunk with ease. That's always a good time.
There's natural room to grow—both into her body, and in areas like shooting, spatial awareness and off-ball defense. But if and when she puts it together, she'll be the prototype for what a modern WNBA big is supposed to look like.
Washington Mystics: Sonia Citron, Guard, 21
13 of 13
Accomplishments: All-ACC 1st Team (2023, 2025), All-ACC 2nd Team (2024), ACC All-Defense (2025), ACC Rookie of the Year (2022), All-ACC Tournament 1st Team (2024), All-ACC Tournament 2nd Team (2023)
2024 season (Notre Dame): 14.1 points (55.8% on 2s, 37.2% on 3s, 89% on FTs), 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.9 blocks.
I once again had trouble deciding between young talents. Sonia Citron's rookie classmate Kiki Iriafen has looked tremendous to start the season (15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds) while dealing with All-Star bigs (Brittney Griner, Bri Jones, Tina Charles) in her matchups.
We haven't gotten to see 2024 All-Rookie team selection Aaliyah Edwards yet, won't see first-round selection Georgia Amoore due to an ACL injury, and Shakira Austin is full of two-way upside if she gets and remains healthy.
Still, I landed on Citron. Her defense pops immediately; she doesn't mind pressuring the ball, full-court or otherwise. She's an active (sometimes too active) help defender who ultimately enjoys mucking up actions. Much like Iriafen has had to deal with tough matchups, Citron has had her hands full; Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray and Marina Mabrey isn't a fun opening stretch, but she's more than held her own.
Also: Citron is averaging 17.0 points on insane shooting splits (75% on 2s, 40% on 3s, 83.3% on 6.0 free-throw attempts) through the first two games of her career. I don't think this kind of scoring production holds, but it's encouraging that she's gotten to these numbers in a way that isn't unsustainable. It's not like she'll suddenly forget how to cut and how to space away from the ball, and I'd be surprised if the Mystics cut down her handoff or pindown usage to get her attacking on the move.
Citron being able to read the floor as well as she does, shoot in multiple contexts while also being a strong defender gives her an incredibly high baseline. Any kind of leap in self-creation would put her in future All-Star conversations. How can you not be excited about that?
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