Young Stars Revolutionize the WNBA
A wave of young talent is transforming the WNBA. Players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who debuted last season, have had an immediate impact, and the 2025 rookies are following in their footsteps. Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen were named All-Stars this summer, while Dominique Malonga, the second draft pick, has set production records in the league as a teenager. This year, there are six All-Stars under 25, the most since 2011. The 2024 (two) and 2025 (three) drafts have produced as many or more All-Stars than the combined total between 2021 and 2023 (Aliyah Boston and Rhyne Howard). Classifying these young players required difficult decisions, especially at the top, where Boston, Bueckers, and Clark have demonstrated MVP potential. They have been ranked according to their maximum expected value rather than their current production, which benefits Malonga, the youngest player in the league at 19, for her potential compared to players with more consistent performances. To be eligible for the Alofoke Deportes list, players must have played in the WNBA. Therefore, draft picks who have not yet debuted are not eligible. Here are the brightest young prospects of the WNBA:1. Caitlin Clark
Base, Indiana Fever, 6 ft. Due to injuries, she has played 13 games this season, averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. However, when healthy, Clark’s impact is enormous: she stretches the floor with her shooting range, pushes the pace, and dismantles defenses with her passing. The 23-year-old brings an unparalleled excitement factor every time she’s on the court, and her confidence extends to the entire team. She is also the biggest draw on the road for any WNBA player, so her effect on the entire league is huge.2. Paige Bueckers
Base, Dallas Wings, 6 ft. Expectations were high for Bueckers entering the league, with a general manager predicting that “she will be a Hall of Famer.” In her first year, she has more than met expectations and is on track to join Clark as the only players to average 19 points and 5 assists in their debut season. Bueckers’ efficiency has been maintained from UConn, with 46.6% field goal shooting, the best among point guards averaging at least 16 points in the league. Her greatest achievement came last week when she became the first player to score more than 40 points with 80% efficiency.3. Aliyah Boston
Center/Power Forward, Indiana Fever, 6-5. The Fever began its reconstruction long before Clark’s arrival in Indianapolis. Boston, the first pick of 2024, is as crucial to the Fever’s success as Clark and has been a major factor in keeping the team afloat this season while navigating injuries. Boston is averaging 15.2 points, the fourth-best mark among players under 25, and is shooting an efficient 54.6% from the field, the third-best mark in the same group. She has a franchise record of 15 double-doubles this season, the fourth-most in the league. Facilitating the game has always been a strength of Boston’s, especially in tandem with Clark. And Boston can still improve. Her first year focused on playing in the post. Last season was about developing the pick-and-roll with Clark. During the offseason, Boston focused on conditioning, and this summer she has become a more important part of the offense. The next step is to take more 3-point shots and become a three-level scoring threat and a player who opens up the court.4. Dominique Malonga
Pivot, Seattle Storm, 6-6.There are no regrets from the Storm for having passed on a couple of All-Star rookies to choose Malonga. Growing throughout her first season in the United States, the second draft pick has flourished in August, averaging 13.5 points and 7.4 rebounds on 60% shooting. Malonga’s athleticism allows her to make plays that no other player her size can make, and she also shows incredible touch as a shooter. Given that Malonga would be entering her second college season if she were American, she has years of development ahead. That gives Malonga, whose three 20-point games are the most for a WNBA teenager, MVP potential.
5. Angel Reese
Power forward, Chicago Sky, 6-3. After breaking rebounding records as a rookie, the biggest question surrounding Reese was how she could evolve and grow in her second year. She spent a large part of the Unrivaled season working on her shot, and it shows: her scoring and efficiency have improved this season in the W. But Reese’s biggest offensive leap has come in her playmaking. She is averaging 3.7 assists per game, among the top 5 among all wings and the most among WNBA players under 25. She excels at post passes, recognizing her chemistry with Kamilla Cardoso, and better understands how her presence in the paint opens up more for her teammates. In defense, her rebounds are as good as ever. She leads the league with 12.2 rebounds per game, and in just 25 games she has already equaled her rookie record as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 rebounds in a single season.6. Sonia Citron
Base/Wing-pivot, Washington Mystics, 6-1. The third pick of this year’s draft has exceeded expectations for her rookie season, emerging as Washington’s leading scorer after the Brittney Sykes trade, as well as a legitimate perimeter defender. More of a role player alongside Notre Dame’s point guard duo, Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, Citron is averaging more points (15.2) in the W than as a college senior (14.1), but has maintained her efficiency, with 42% on three-pointers and 88% from the free throw line. Citron’s .608 effective field goal percentage ranks among the top 10 in the WNBA. And at 21 years old, she is younger than the typical college product.7. Kamilla Cardoso
Center, Chicago Sky, 6-7. The third pick of the 2024 draft, Cardoso has improved her stats compared to her rookie season in all areas, averaging 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. The Sky, with a record of 9-28, has struggled and will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year. But at 24 years old, Cardoso has shown the kind of progress a young post player needs, which bodes well for a long career.8. Rickea Jackson
Power forward, Los Angeles Sparks, 6-2. Observers said Jackson was ready to turn pro since her days at Tennessee, and since arriving as the fourth draft pick in 2024, she’s shown why. She can be a nightmare for opposing defenders and, at her best, is a prolific scorer and stellar shot creator, boasting eight 20-plus-point games for the Sparks since mid-June. The more efficient and consistent she can be offensively, and if she can remain steady on defense, the more Jackson will establish herself as one of the best young talents in the game.9. Cameron Brink
Power forward, Los Angeles Sparks, 6-4. Brink was one of the most difficult players to evaluate for our panel, given that she has only played 26 games in two years and is still regaining her physical form after a torn ACL in June 2024. But it was easy to see why she was No. 2 in the 2024 draft, particularly shining on the defensive side as an elite rim protector. While she is still regaining her rhythm after returning to the court in late July, her 3-point shot (20 of 44, 45.5%) has been excellent, a good sign for her offensive development.10. Kiki Iriafen
Power forward, Washington Mystics, 6-3. The fourth draft pick in April, Iriafen turned 22 this week. She was an All-Star after demonstrating how quickly she adapted to the professional game, especially her ability to rebound at an elite level. She is averaging 12.9 points and 8.7 rebounds and has started in every Washington game. She and her rookie teammate Sonia Citron appear to be the key factors in the Mystics’ rebuild.11. Leila Lacan
Base, Connecticut Sun, 5-11. Lacan was the first pick of the first round of the Sun in 2024, although she didn’t debut in the WNBA until this July. But in 20 games, she has been worth the wait. The 21-year-old Frenchwoman boasts an astonishing net rating of +20.3 for the Sun, and her impact on both sides of the court has revitalized a team that had only two wins before her arrival. (The Sun has won seven games since then). Her defensive prowess has translated immediately: her 2.4 steals per game are tied for the most in the league, and she is an outstanding facilitator, having recorded a game of 14 assists and 0 turnovers earlier this month.12. Saniya Rivers
Base, Connecticut Sun, 6-1. The Sun has had a difficult year, but it’s easy to see the promise of its young core, including this 2025 first-round pick. The former NC State standout and eighth pick has established herself as a stellar defender (1.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG) with the potential to be a perennial All-Defensive team selection. Her offensive game (8.3 PPG, 41.4% FG, 32.3 3FG%) has room for growth, but she has shown bright spots with her facilitation (including a handful of games with six or more assists) and scoring that the Sun can leverage.13. Monique Akoa Makani
Base, Phoenix Mercury, 5-11. Akoa Makani moved from Cameroon to France as a child and has played professionally there for several years. At 24 years old, she debuted in the WNBA this season and started in 32 games as a key part of the new Mercury. Most WNBA fans didn’t know much about Akoa Makani, but they have seen how well she has adapted to the league. She is averaging 8.4 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.2 rebounds.14. Jordan Horston
Power forward, Seattle Storm, 6-2. When we last saw Horston in the WNBA, she tore her ACL during an Athletes Unlimited game in April, which sidelined her this season. She had received votes for both Most Improved Player and Sixth Player in 2024. After playing a lot at power forward as a rookie in 2023, the versatile Horston moved to the wing and shot 57% on her 2-point shots. Seattle’s bench has missed that punch, as well as Horston’s ability to accumulate steals and blocks. If she can improve her career 25% 3-point shooting, it will define Horston’s potential.
