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Updated 2027 WNBA Mock Draft Sees Chase for JuJu Watkins Intensify
The JuJu Watkins sweepstakes are in full effect.
Connecticut currently holds the top odds for the No. 1 pick, with Washington just one game back. Seattle, Los Angeles and Toronto are also on losing streaks entering the second half of the season.
As for the prospects, a lot will likely change between now and April 2027. Teams will make trades, players will rise and fall and some currently viewed as top prospects may not even enter the draft, considering the NCAA's new age-based, five-year eligibility rule.
At this point, players such as Talaysia Cooper, Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins are expected to be eligible for next year's draft. For now, though, we're operating under the assumption that everyone is in the draft.
The draft order is also based on the current lottery odds.
With that said, let's get into it.
1. Houston Comets: JuJu Watkins, USC
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Position: SG/SF, Size: 6'1", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Maya Moore
The last time Houston entered the WNBA, they won the inaugural draft lottery to select Tina Thompson. If the Comets get that lucky again after relocating from Connecticut and land the No. 1 pick, Watkins is the obvious choice here.
She is everything teams look for in a modern wing. Watkins is an elite athlete in every direction with the handle, shot creation and rim pressure ability to generate offense from anywhere on the floor, while also being one of the best off-ball roaming defensive prospects ever.
Even coming off a torn ACL, it's hard to imagine anyone else going No. 1 overall if Watkins declares in 2027. She's one of the greatest WNBA draft prospects of all time, with the profile of a perennial MVP candidate and an All-Defensive candidate.
In Houston, a young core of Leïla Lacan, Saniya Rivers, Nell Angloma and Watkins would have the potential to become a dominant perimeter defense. There's real shooting questions with that group, but the upside would be enormous.
2. Washington Mystics: Madison Booker, Texas
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Position: SF, Size: 6'1", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Seimone Augustus
Washington is on track to make the playoffs in 2026, but thanks to a first-round pick swap with Chicago, they are currently just one game back from holding the best lottery odds.
If the Mystics don't land the top pick, the decision likely comes down to Madison Booker or Hannah Hidalgo. We give Booker the edge because of her size and scoring upside.
Washington currently ranks last in effective field goal percentage on pull-up jumpers this season (33.4 percent), generating just 0.68 points per possession—the worst mark by any WNBA team over the last three seasons, per Synergy Sports.
Last season, Booker knocked down more pull-up mid-range jumpers than any prospect in the last 15 years outside of Paige Bueckers. She hit 47.4 percent of her pull-ups and 53.1 percent off screens.
Booker has her own shooting questions, but it's fair to wonder how much of that stems from Texas' offensive system. If she can extend her elite mid-range shot creation to beyond the arc, her ceiling becomes incredibly high.
Imagine a 2027 Mystics rotation featuring [veteran point guard], Sonia Citron, Madison Booker, Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin, with Lauren Betts and Michaela Onyenwere coming off the bench. The size, length and athleticism there is just absurd.
3. Toronto Tempo: Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
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Position: PG/SG, Size: 5'6", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Jordin Canada with a scoring mentality
Toronto may already have a crowded backcourt after selecting Kiki Rice at No. 6 last year and with Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, and Julie Allemand all under contract through 2027. But the Tempo aren't in a position to draft for need, and Hannah Hidalgo would be an excellent long-term backcourt partner for Rice.
Even from a fit perspective, the overlap shouldn't matter. Toronto is the second-worst defensive team in the league and desperately needs more athleticism and disruption on that end. Hidalgo is one of the best guard defensive prospects we've evaluated. She can blow up any action at the point of attack and is even more dangerous as an off-ball defender.
Offensively, there are more projection questions. She averaged 25.3 points per game last season, but much of that production came in transition. Her shooting consistency—both off the catch and off the dribble—remains a question, as does her ability to finish at the rim against WNBA size.
4. Seattle Storm: S'Mya Nichols, Kansas
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Position: PG/SG, Size: 6'0", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Taller, Pace-Based Carla Leite
Seattle's future is incredibly bright with Dominique Malonga and Awa Fam just 20 years old and Flau'jae Johnson only 22. That young core has crazy athleticism, defensive upside and some shooting. But what they're missing is a true pick-and-roll engine, and that might be S'Mya Nichols.
Last season, Nichols generated 14.8 points per game out of ball screens (No. 4 nationally) while averaging 1.09 points per possession, tying Olivia Miles for the best mark in the country, according to Synergy Sports.
Nichols is relentless attacking downhill and nearly impossible to keep out of the paint. She has a good first step, but her superpower is her change of pace. She constantly keeps defenders off balance and draws fouls at a historic rate because of it.
She drew free throws on 79.9 of every 100 shot attempts, the highest mark by any high-usage creator in the last 15 years. She's also a solid passer, consistently creating advantages and making the right read out of ball screens.
The biggest questions come off the ball. How much value does Nichols provide when she's not the primary initiator? Her jump shot has been solid but remains on low volume with a slow release, and there's not much there defensively, either.
5. Portland Fire: Mikaylah Williams, LSU
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Position: SG/SF, Size: 6'0", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Wing Marina Mabrey
Mikaylah Williams is a near-perfect fit in Portland's offensive system and complements Carla Leite well as the most versatile shotmaker in the class.
Last season, she shot 48.2 percent on pull-up twos, 45.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes, and 36.4 percent on pull-up threes.
Portland runs more pick-and-rolls than any team in WNBA history, and Williams' quick processing and high degree of difficulty passing fit seamlessly into that scheme. Few wings can consistently make the cross-court skip passes the way she does.
Though, there are legitimate questions on the defensive end, both on and off the ball, and her average burst can make it difficult for her to consistently get downhill and draw fouls.
There's also some consideration for South Carolina's Ashlyn Watkins, Kentucky's Clara Strack, and France's Sarah Cisse. For us, No. 5 is a bit early for those bigs at this point in the process, but there are options if they went for more defense in the frontcourt.
6. Los Angeles Sparks: MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
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Position: SG, Size: 5'10", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Brittney Sykes
Los Angeles is in arguably the toughest long-term position in the league. Dearica Hamby and Ariel Atkins are under guaranteed contracts through 2028, while Nneka Ogwumike and Kelsey Plum are free agents after next season and the Sparks don't have many young building blocks.
The Sparks will have a new general manager after parting ways with Raegan Pebley earlier this month, so it's impossible to know exactly what direction they'll take. But if MiLaysia Fulwiley is still on the board, she's the type of high-upside bet they need to take to change their trajectory.
Right now, Fulwiley's game is very much boom-or-bust. Her athleticism and creativity with the ball are one of one. Fulwiley's a magician in the open floor, and her defensive playmaking is almost unfathomable for a player her size. Yet, she doesn't know how to play with pace, rarely uses her left hand, is a streaky shooter and plays very undisciplined defensively.
If Fulwiley figures out those things, there's outcomes where she's the second-best player from this draft class. But it's also possible things just don't ever fully come together on a consistent basis.
7. Phoenix Mercury: Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
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Position: SG, Size: 6'0", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Azzi Fudd without the defensive playmaking
With Azzi Fudd and Gianna Kneepkens out of eligibility, Tessa Johnson is the best off-ball shooter in college basketball. She would give Phoenix the same type of movement shooting and floor spacing they got from Jovana Nogić this season, but with much closer to neutral defense.
Johnson knocked down 50 percent of her spot-up threes on 187 attempts across her first three seasons. Defenses have to respect her at all times, and she punishes that by attacking hard closeouts to flow into her mid-range game.
There are limitations to what she can do as a pull-up 3-point shooter and overall ball-handler, but the work she does without the ball is elite.
8. Chicago Sky: Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina
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Position: C, Size: 6'3", Age: 22
Pro Comp: Natasha Mack
The Chicago Sky are in a difficult spot after trading away their first-round picks in each of the next two drafts, signing multiple veterans and still looking far away from playoff contention. Because of that, this pick should be all about upside, regardless of position. With the way this board fell, that's Ashlyn Watkins.
Watkins is the best rim protector in the class and a 99th percentile athlete with a rare combination of length, speed, and vertical athleticism. The offensive upside is the swing skill. She's never been a shooter, but her jumper looks a lot cleaner in offseason workout videos. It's too early to draw conclusions before seeing it in games, but any development there will be crucial for her prospects.
9. New York Liberty: Chloe Kitts, South Carolina
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Position: PF, Size: 6'2", Age: 21
Pro Comp: Naz Hillmon
New York is firmly in a win-now window, making Chloe Kitts the best bet to step into a rotation role as a rookie. She doesn't have anywhere near the highest ceiling in the class, but she projects as a solid piece on both ends thanks to her team defense, rebounding, passing and play finishing.
Kitts has attempted just 27 threes in her college career, but there's reason to have some optimism about her shooting projection. Her free-throw percentage jumped 10.9 percent from her sophomore to junior season, and she became much more aggressive hunting her shot in the mid-range.
10. Chicago Sky: Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
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Position: SG/SF, Size: 6'0", Age: 22
Pro Comp: Shenise Johnson
The outlines of a WNBA player are there with Talaysia Cooper. She's tall, long and athletic and continues to improve every year. But how high you are on Cooper's game likely depends on how you feel about her offense plays up at the WNBA level.
Last season at Tennessee, Cooper struggled to score in the half-court against Top 25 teams, shooting under 50 percent at the rim, 28.6 percent on pull-up jumpers and 33.3 percent on spot-up threes. She also never draws fouls, either, despite being pretty explosive and playing in transition as much as she does.
Still, at 6'0" with her athleticism, defensive playmaking and willingness to shoot threes, there's something to work with.
11. Indiana Fever: Clara Strack, Kentucky
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Position: C, Size: 6'5", Age: 20
Pro Comp: Ruth Riley
Clara Strack could go in the top five or fall into the second round, largely depending on how her senior season plays out. Right now, we're leaning closer to the latter.
At 6'5", Strack is an excellent defender with an unblockable post fadeaway. Though, she doesn't play with much physicality, and outside of taking jumpers, she doesn't provide much as a pick-and-roll player.
Over the last two seasons, Strack has shot 24.4 percent on 172 catch-and-shoot threes. If that number improves, she goes higher than this. If it doesn't, teams might have more questions about the translatability of her offensive skill set and ability to create efficient offense at her size, similar to Elizabeth Kitley.
For Indiana, Strack would give the Fever a bigger backup center who can protect the rim and take up 10-15 minutes a night, with the ability to play more if Aliyah Boston gets into foul trouble. If the outside shot becomes a real weapon, she would also fit well next to Makayla Timpson in backup units.
12. Dallas Wings: Oluchi Okananwa, Maryland
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Position: SG, Size: 5'10", Age: 22
Pro Comp: DiJonai Carrington
You might be thinking, "Another guard for Dallas?" but Oluchi Okananwa is exactly the archetype this backcourt is missing.
She would immediately become the Wings' best point-of-attack defender by a wide margin. Okananwa is an elite lateral athlete who picks up full court, swiftly navigates screens and consistently blows up actions. She plays with zero fear defensively and is willing to guard anyone in front of her.
Offensively, the shooting and decision-making aren't always ideal, but Okananwa fills gaps in plenty of other ways. She makes stuff happen in transition, is constantly cutting and moving without the ball and crashes the offensive glass better than any guard in college basketball.
13. Dallas Wings: Sarah Cisse, France
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Position: PF, Size: 6'2", Age: 19
Pro Comp: Monique Billings
Dallas could use another versatile defender in the frontcourt. Sarah Cisse, the best international prospect in the class, fits that mold. She just won MVP at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket, averaging 15.4 points and 10.0 rebounds over seven games for France.
Cisse is still a raw prospect and is likely a draft-and-stash candidate, but there's a lot of fun flashes. She can defend in multiple coverages, moves exceptionally well laterally for her size and runs the floor hard in transition. There's also encouraging shooting development: she shot 4-of-8 from three at U20s and shot 76.5 percent from the free-throw line on 142 attempts over the past year.
Cisse's already played nearly 500 minutes in France's first division, but the offensive game remains a work in progress. She's not a great finisher right now and her handle is really loose when she puts the ball on the floor.
14. Golden State Valkyries: Ainhoa Risacher, France
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Position: SF, Size: 6'2", Age: 19
Pro Comp: Stephanie Talbot
Another French prospect, Ainhoa Risacher, the younger sister of 2024 No. 1 NBA draft pick Zaccharie Risacher, has been on WNBA radars for several years.
She put up 20 points and eight rebounds against Team USA at the 2024 U17 World Cup, then made her EuroLeague debut with ASVEL just a few months later at 17 years old.
At 6'2" with an enormous wingspan, Risacher has the physical tools teams look for on the wing. She's a smart team defender who uses her length to make plays in passing lanes, and she's a really good passer who reads things quickly on offense.
The concern is that Risacher's scoring hasn't really improved a lot since she made her professional debut. She isn't very explosive, has very stiff hips and can't shoot right now. She has a slow and low release point at her chin, while her elbows flare out.
Last season, she shot just 25.5 percent from three and 54.2 percent from the free-throw line.
15. Minnesota Lynx: Kymora Johnson, Virginia
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Position: PG, Size: 5'7", Age: 20
Pro Comp: Te-Hina Paopao
Minnesota's roster is almost as complete as you can get, but when Olivia Miles has missed time this season, the point guard play hasn't looked so great. If the Lynx look to get more depth there in next year's draft, Kymora Johnson could be a lot of fun.
She's at her best in ball screens, with a strong feel for pacing, angles and setting up rollers as a passer. Johnson's also a versatile shooter, knocking down 35.5 percent of her pull-up threes over the last two seasons, and was even better off the catch.
But the weaknesses are what they are. At 5'7", she's undersized, projects as a negative defender at the WNBA level and lacks top-end explosiveness. But as a backup point guard who brings some scoring and passing juice, she could carve out a role.
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