college game

This year’s WNBA draft is bigger than ever with two expansion teams joining the league. It’s also a top-heavy draft, with a ton of depth in the first round and no clear first overall pick.

This is also the first year teams will be selecting talent knowing players can be signed to two developmental roster spots per team that don’t count against the salary cap, which might change the way teams use their picks.

The Sparks don’t pick until the mid-second round, but they should have options to help address depth needs. Here’s how the draft is projected to unfold.

First round

1. Dallas Wings: Awa Fam | C | Spain | 6-foot-4

This is one of the first years in recent memory without an obvious No. 1 overall pick. Fam could go anywhere from first to fourth, but the 19-year-old would benefit from an environment where she doesn’t have to dominate right away. The Wings also need size.

2. Minnesota Lynx: Olivia Miles | G | TCU | 5-foot-10

The Texas Christian star nearly averaged a triple-double during the Horned Frogs’ Elite Eight run and she is the best point guard in this draft. Minnesota needs backcourt depth.

UConn guard Azzi Fudd dribbles up the court during Sweet 16 game against North Carolina on March 27 in Fort Worth, Texas.

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

3. Seattle Storm: Azzi Fudd | G | Connecticut | 5-foot-11

Fudd’s stock might have dropped because of an underwhelming NCAA tournament, but she is still a pro-ready offensive threat who will get playing time with a rebuilding Storm squad.

4. Washington Mystics: Flau’jae Johnson | G | LSU | 6-foot

Johnson could join an up-and-coming Washington squad as a three-level scorer who can play defense as a two-way guard. With second-year player Sonia Citron already ahead of her at her position, the Mystics can develop Johnson.

5. Chicago Sky: Kiki Rice | G | UCLA | 5-foot-11

The Sky need a guard who can score and defend, and with Courtney Vandersloot out to start the season, Rice might get some early playing time. She can rebound and scrap for loose balls too, and with Ariel Atkins reportedly being traded, Rice could play a big role.

6. Toronto Tempo: Lauren Betts | C | UCLA | 6-foot-7

Betts could become one of the faces of the new franchise as a starting center. She is a pro-ready post scorer who can continue to develop defensively and play against bigger players.

UCLA guard Kiki Rice drives around South Carolina Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson during the NCAA championship game on April 4.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

7. Portland Fire: Nell Angloma | F | France | 5-foot-11

Angloma needs time to develop, but general manager Vanja Cernivec has seen her plenty. She is a physical guard who has proven she can score against much older players.

8. Golden State Valkyries: Gabriela Jaquez | F | UCLA | 6 feet

Jaquez can score and win rebounds and would fit in well with the Valkyries’ scrappy style. She fits in a clear role and is the type of player coach Natalie Nakase and company prefer to draft. Jaquez could have some electric games off the bench.

9. Washington: Iyana Martín Carrion | G | Spain | 5-foot-9

With three first-round picks, the Mystics could consider a draft-and-stash here, and that might just be Carrion. She’s a good shooter and passer and plays bigger than her size. They can be patient and develop her into a starting point guard in a few years.

10. Indiana Fever: Madina Okot | C | South Carolina | 6-foot-6

Indiana can add the third-best center in the draft early here and get a physical player who can create space on the floor as long as she can assert herself in the post.

11. Washington: Raven Johnson | G | South Carolina | 5-foot-9

Johnson’s defensive ability and facilitating skills make her one of the most WNBA-ready players in the draft. Her shutdown defense on Sarah Strong in the Final Four showed she can handle tough assignments.

12. Connecticut Sun: Cotie McMahon | F | Mississippi | 6-foot

McMahon could get early playing time as a ballhandler for a Sun team in transition that needs versatility. She can make her own shot and slot in wherever Connecticut needs her.

UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez dribble past Carolina Gamecocks forward Joyce Edwards during the NCAA women’s championship on April 4.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

13. Atlanta Dream: Ta’Niya Latson | G | South Carolina | 5-foot-8

There was a time when Latson was the best scorer in the college game, and she could join an Atlanta team building both to win now and for a future run. She wouldn’t be relied on too heavily, which would give her room to develop as a scorer at the pro level.

14. Seattle: Marta Suarez | F | TCU | 6-foot-3

Suarez may have seen her WNBA draft stock rise the most this season, her first at TCU, where she led the Horned Frogs to a Sweet 16 game in which she scored 33 points. She’s an older prospect at 24 but still kind of raw. She could help a Storm team trying to find itself.

15. Connecticut: Gianna Kneepkens | G | UCLA | 5-foot-11

Kneepkens is a shooter who can play decent defense and is likely as WNBA-ready as anyone in this first round. She could jump in off the bench and make some serious shots, developing into a starter pretty quickly.

Second round

16. Seattle: Frieda Buhner | G | Spain | 6-foot-2

A big guard, Buhner can shoot the three-ball when she’s at her best, collect rebounds and bang in the post.

17. Portland: Jessica Timmons | G | Alabama | 5-foot-8

Timmons had a breakout year for Alabama as an All-SEC player. She can create her own offense and hit shots.

UCLA forward Angela Dugalic shoots over South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards during the NCAA championship on April 4 in Phoenix.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

18. Connecticut: Angela Dugalic | F | UCLA | 6-foot-4

At 24, Dugalic will be one of the more experienced rookies in the WNBA, which could help mold a Sun team in transition. A tough interior presence who also can shoot from distance, Dugalic was arguably the best bench player in the nation during UCLA’s title run.

19. Washington: Shay Ciezki | G | Indiana | 5-foot-7

After averaging 22.8 points per game, Ciezki proved she can score in a variety of ways. She is undersized but could get time to develop on the young Mystics.

20. Sparks: Charlisse Leger-Walker | G | UCLA | 5-foot-8

The first pick for the Sparks of this draft, they stay close to home and get a much-needed ballhandler who can hang defensively. Leger-Walker went from a flashy three-point scorer at Washington State to a well-rounded player who can add energy to the Sparks’ bench.

21. Chicago: Yarden Garzon | G | Maryland | 6-foot-3

Garzon did not have a great senior campaign with Maryland, but Chicago needs guard depth, and she has size and can shoot from distance.

UCLA guard Charlisse Leger-Walker slips past Minnesota guard Tori McKinney and scores on March 27 in Sacramento.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

22. Toronto: Janiah Barker | F | Tennessee | 6-foot-4

A 6-4 forward who can shoot, Barker has plenty of talent but moved around a lot in her college career. Toronto can be patient with her.

23. Golden State: Serah Williams | C| UConn | 6-foot-4

The Valkyries might need some size with Monique Billings moving on and Temi Fagbenle’s future unclear.

24. Sparks: Teoni Key | F | Kentucky | 6-foot-5

Key would give the Sparks some size off the bench behind Cameron Brink, Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby. Key is more physical than Brink and could give her a bit of a break in the post.

25. Indiana: Ashlon Jackson | G | Duke | 6-foot

Jackson had perhaps the most iconic shot of the NCAA tournament with her game-winner in the Sweet 16 over Louisiana State with 2.5 seconds left.

Michigan State forward Grace VanSlooten dribbles the ball during a game against Washington on Jan. 8.

(Stephen Brashear / Associated Press)

26. Toronto: Grace VanSlooten | G | Michigan State | 6-foot-3

An elite two-point shooter for the Spartans, VanSlooten has a high motor on the offensive side and can play a quick defensive game.

27. Phoenix Mercury: Rori Harmon | G | Texas | 5-foot-6

As an undersized but scrappy guard, underestimate Harmon at your own risk. One of the peskiest point-of-attack defenders in the country, Harmon was named to four all-defense teams during her time at Texas.

28. Atlanta: Dari Littlepage-Buggs | F | Baylor | 6-foot-1

A strong rebounder who can move the ball upcourt, Littlepage-Buggs is worth a pick to see how she might adapt to the WNBA. She is someone whom the developmental slots might help a lot.

29. Las Vegas Aces: Maggie Doogan | F | Richmond | 6-foot-2

The Aces already have a core in place, but Doogan has enough upside to be worth a late-round pick as a reliable bench shooter.

30. Washington: Justine Pissott | F | Vanderbilt | 6-foot-4

Another versatile player, Pissott was a part of a dynamic Vanderbilt offense this season. She can space the floor and add depth to the Mystics.

Third round

31. Dallas: Laila Phelia | F | Syracuse | 6-foot

Phelia is a solid defensive forward who can shoot well for her position.

32. Chicago: Tonie Morgan | G | Kentucky | 5-foot-9

Morgan is a terrific passer who can attack downhill.

Texas center Kyla Oldacre shoots over UCLA center Lauren Betts during a Final Four game on April 3 in Phoenix.

(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)

33. Connecticut: Kyla Oldacre | C | Texas | 6-foot-6

This would be a pure depth pick after the Sun added Brittney Griner.

34. Washington: Kara Dunn | G | USC | 5-foot-11

Dunn has averaged better than 15 points per game during each of her last three seasons (two at Georgia Tech and one at USC) and been efficient in doing so, most recently shooting 57.3% from the field and 37.8% from three-point range.

35. Sparks: Jalyn Brown | G | Michigan State | 6-foot-1

An incredibly efficient shooter, Brown has size and is a three-level scorer who has been a top perimeter defender in the Big 12 and Big Ten. She is a true wing and could give the Sparks a developmental player with a high floor.

36. Toronto: Lani White | F | Utah | 6-foot

White started for only one season but showed she can shoot from distance and give the Tempo another forward to build their bench depth.

USC guard Kara Dunn dribbles up the court during a game against Saint Mary’s at the Galen Center on Dec. 2.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

37. Portland: Raegan Beers | C | Oklahoma | 6-foot-4

For a while, Beers was one of the most interesting prospects in the college game. She proved she can be an efficient scorer when she went from Oregon State to Oklahoma. Her offense is far ahead of her defense, though.

38. Golden State: Elle Ladine | G | Washington | 5-foot-11

A San Francisco native, Ladine, when she is on, can be a dynamic three-way scorer.

39. Seattle: Saffron Shiels | G | Australia | 6-foot-2

A big guard who could be a late-round steal because of an ankle injury last season.

40. Indiana: Jordan Harrison | G | West Virginia | 5-foot-6

Harrison is undersized but was a good defender in the Big 12. She can facilitate and cause havoc on the court too.

41. New York Liberty: Hannah Stuelke | F | Iowa | 6-foot-2

This is the Liberty’s only pick, and Stuelke is a tough rebounder who has a high upside.

Notre Dame guard Cassandre Prosper drives to the basket under pressure from UConn guard Azzi Fudd during an Elite Eight game on March 29.

(LM Otero / Associated Press)

42. Phoenix: Cassandre Prosper | C | Notre Dame | 6-foot-3

The Atlantic Coast Conference’s most improved player, Prosper can score and rebound while also being surprisingly quick for her size in the frontcourt.

43. Atlanta: Laura Ziegler | F | Louisville | 6-foot-2

An All-ACC first-team player for an underrated Louisville team, Ziegler can pass and make threes.

44. Las Vegas: Mya Perry | G | Cincinnati | 5-foot-11

A 17.8-point scorer, Perry is a three-point shooter who could earn a developmental slot.

45. Minnesota: Madison St. Rose | G | Princeton | 5-foot-10

St. Rose led Princeton in scoring and could be worth a shot as a developmental player.

Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where, as colleague Chaunte’l Powell pointed out after Saturday’s thrilling win, you’d be forgiven for having already looked ahead to the next women’s college basketball season.

After all, as the USC women stumbled into this NCAA tournament on a four-game losing streak, they hadn’t offered much reason for optimism. When coach Lindsay Gottlieb added another five-star prospect — 6-4 forward Sara Okeke — to the mix for ‘26 last week, it only made it more enticing to close the book on this season and start dreaming of where USC might end up in the next one.

But this team, the one set to face No. 1 South Carolina on Monday night for a spot in the Sweet 16, has been limited from the start without an injured JuJu Watkins.

Through most of three quarters of Saturday’s first-round matchup with Clemson, the same issues that bothered USC through much of the season were bothersome once again. The Trojans had hit just three of 17 from three-point range heading into the fourth quarter. They made six free throws. They were outrebounded. And the bench had contributed all of two points. Gottlieb was frustrated.

But Saturday’s final quarter, plus overtime, would prove to be the defining stretch of this USC women’s basketball season. During those 15 minutes, we saw exactly what Gottlieb meant when she insisted her team had another level to unlock in the tournament.

This was the team Gottlieb had envisioned when building for a JuJu-less roster.

“We’d play with a lot of grit,” Davidson told reporters after the game, “and a lot of heart.”

That came through on the defensive end most, as USC forced six turnovers and scored eight points off of them in the fourth quarter alone. Clemson didn’t manage a single second-chance point in the second half. Kara Dunn, who’d barely been a factor, found herself in the final minutes and blew up for 11 points in a seven-minute stretch. And freshman Jazzy Davidson turned things up another notch as well, scoring 13 over fourth quarter and overtime.

There were others, too. Kennedy Smith hit a tying jumper late, in addition to her relentless defense. Malia Samuels drained a late free throw to put Clemson away. Laura Williams had a late block with the game tied. That sort of alchemy had been rare through this season.

“We were playing for each other,” Dunn said. “We made the changes we needed to make, and we didn’t repeat the same mistakes we had probably in the past. I really felt like we came together.”

Even still, it might have all been for naught, had Clemson’s Mia Moore lifted off a couple milliseconds later for her final buzzer beater. Her successful last-second heave — as well as the whistle on USC — were both called off after a lengthy review so close it required a stop watch.

Those few milliseconds turned out to be the break USC hadn’t gotten all season. They told each other in the sideline huddle that they would take advantage.

“When we heard it was overtime,” Dunn said, “we said we don’t get second chances in life.”

So the Trojans defense turned up yet another notch, while its star freshman went nuclear in overtime. A pair of clutch 3-pointers from Davidson would be the dagger. She would finish with 31 points, six rebounds and five assists in a performance that seemed to announce that this was just the start of her star turn.

She — and everyone else — will have to be special Monday to even have a shot against South Carolina, a team that beat USC by 17 in November. The Gamecocks are the more talented team. Their opponents shot 34.5% on average against them this season, the fifth-best mark in the nation, while they shoot better from 3-point range (36.5%) than all but three teams left in the tournament.

Chances are that’ll prove too much for the Trojans, who enter this game as 22-point underdogs. But even if it does end here, USC found something on the court Friday, something that should in the very least help next season, when its ceiling will be higher than ever before.

Times of Troy poll

Eric Musselman

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Two years into Eric Musselman’s tenure with the Trojans, the USC men have yet to return to the NCAA tournament. This season, they totally unraveled, losing their last eight games to finish 18-14.

I’ve heard varying feelings from fans about the nascent Musselman era. So let’s make the conversation a bit more scientific with a poll:

What’s your confidence level in Eric Musselman as USC’s men’s basketball coach after two seasons? (with 1 being “Let me off the Muss Bus” to 5 being “I’m still riding shotgun on the Muss Bus”

1 — let me off the Muss Bus

2

3

4

5 — Riding shotgun on the Muss Bus

Click here to vote in our survey

Matt Leinart with USC in 2004.

(Los Angeles Times)

—Five-star St. John Bosco forward Christian Collins committed to USC. The No. 9 overall forward, per 247 Sports, Collins is the highest-rated player to join USC under Musselman and the highest-rated player Musselman has signed since 2022. Collins has all the tools to be a force on both ends, if he can put it all together. But he’s not necessarily the type right now to be the center of a team’s offensive attack. Expect him to get off to a slow start when he does arrive this summer.

—USC hoops assistant Todd Lee is finalizing a deal to become Cal State Bakersfield’s coach, a source says. Lee has been one of Musselman’s most trusted assistants since they first worked together with the Rapid City Thrillers of the CBA back in the early 90’s. Musselman hired Lee to join his Arkansas staff, then brought him along to USC. Now he heads to Bakersfield, where he inherits a program that’s been through a lot this last year.

—Matt Leinart won’t unretire his jersey. Good for him. Leinart’s podcast went viral last week, when he noted that USC asked him on multiple occasions if an incoming transfer or freshman could wear his No. 11 jersey. It’s his prerogative if he wants to allow that. But I completely understand why he wouldn’t. Why bother retiring jerseys at all if it doesn’t actually mean anything?

—Mason Edwards’ dominance on the mound continues. The Trojan ace struck out 12 in his most recent start against Washington and gave up just one hit. Through 36 innings, Edwards now has given up just one run and seven hits. His fellow starter, Grant Govel, has been no slouch either. Govel leads the nation in wins (6) and, after a two-run outing, now has an ERA of 0.69 and he hasn’t been the best starting pitcher on his team. Wild.

Olympic sports spotlight

It has been a tough few weeks for USC women’s lacrosse. Through their most difficult stretch of the season, the Trojans have lost four straight, all to ranked teams, by a margin of 67-31. That’s the first time in program history that USC has had a losing streak that long.

That’s a concern when you consider that USC lost five out of seven to finish out last season, too. The Trojans gave up 20 goals in a game for just the first ever against Johns Hopkins last week and were trounced by Maryland in the follow-up.

With one more loss, USC would match its loss total from 2025 … with five games still remaining.

What I’m watching this week

PJ and Anthony in “Jury Duty.”

(Courtesy of Prime)

When it premiered in 2023, “Jury Duty” was one of the most surprising and unique shows I could remember airing on TV. The first season followed Ronald, an unsuspecting, totally normal guy who was called to jury duty. What he didn’t know is that everyone else involved was an actor. Hilarity ensued.

The second follows Anthony, another unsuspecting normal guy on a company retreat for his new temp job.

I figured it was impossible to make a second season, what with everyone’s familiarity with the first go-round. But somehow Amazon has managed to make this work for another season. And that’s a hell of an accomplishment in itself.

In case you missed it

Jazzy Davidson’s huge game delivers USC to thrilling overtime win in NCAA tournament

USC reaches settlement in Mike Bohn racial harassment and discrimination lawsuit

How far will USC’s women’s basketball team make it in the tournament?

Until next time …

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.