Sara Ashlee Barker and a pair of different WNBA prospects drafted increased than anticipated

NEW YORK CITY — Forward of the 2025 WNBA Draft, most anticipated Paige Bueckers, Dominique Malonga, and Sonia Citron to spherical out the highest three picks.

However, after that, mock drafts conflicted. ESPN’s newest mock draft projected that USC ahead Kiki Iriafen, LSU ahead Aneesah Morrow, and Maryland level guard Shyanne Sellers can be chosen fourth, fifth and sixth general. SB Nation’s mock draft additionally had Iriafen going fourth and Sellers going sixth, however had NC State’s Saniya Rivers going fifth.

Mock drafts at all times get some projections unsuitable, and Monday night time’s draft was no exception.

Listed below are three WNBA prospects whose names had been known as far earlier than most predicted.

Juste Jocyte, Golden State Valkyries

Photograph by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Pictures

Juste Joctye wasn’t within the constructing on draft night time, however she turned the Valkyries’ first-ever draft decide when she was chosen fifth general. Jocyte, a Lithuanian combo guard, is simply 19 years previous however has been enjoying skilled basketball in France since 2019.

Jocyte was projected to be picked twenty second in ESPN’s mock draft, so it was stunning to listen to her identify known as so early. Jocyte has a excessive ceiling — scouts have likened her recreation to Luka Doncic’s — nevertheless it’s not sure when she’d come to the U.S. and was predicted by many to fall into the second spherical. And, there are questions round her means to defend and her potential sturdiness.

Georgia Amoore, Washington Mystics

Photograph by Cindy Ord/Getty Pictures

Georgia Amoore was projected to be a first-round decide, however few predicted her ending up a top-six decide. ESPN’s remaining mock draft had her going ninth, whereas The Athletic predicted she’d be picked eleventh.

The Australian level guard, who spent most of her profession at Virginia Tech earlier than a fifth 12 months at Kentucky, was chosen sixth general by the Washington Mystics.

She’s contemporary off a profession 12 months the place she averaged profession highs in factors (19.6), assists (6.9), steals (1.0), and assist-turnover ratio (2.2). And, Amoore is one in all solely three gamers in girls’s Division I historical past with 2,300 PTS & 800 AST.

The others? Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu.

Sarah Ashlee Barker, Los Angeles Sparks

Sarah Ashlee Barker, a two-time All-SEC First Staff choice, averaged 18.2 factors, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and a pair of.0 steals for Alabama this previous season, changing an environment friendly 51.4% from the ground and 37.5 from deep. And, ESPN’s mock draft projected that she can be chosen twenty second general.

Barker ended up being the Los Angeles Spark’s No. 9 draft decide, a transfer that appeared almost unimaginable only a few months in the past however turned a actuality after her 45-point efficiency in opposition to Maryland within the NCAA match.

Barker ended up being picked earlier than loads of different projected first-round gamers, like Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers and South Carolina’s Sania Feagin, who ESPN projected can be picked sixth and tenth, respectively.

Sparks normal supervisor Raegan Pebley gushed concerning the choice in an official assertion.

“Sarah Ashlee is an elite competitor,” Peblery stated. “Her psychological make-up, means to stretch the ground past the arc, dedication to protection, willingness to rebound and passing instincts make her the overall package deal. We’re thrilled so as to add her poise and management.”

It wasn’t completely stunning to listen to Barker’s identify known as as a result of she was one in all simply 16 gamers who had been invited to attend draft night time in particular person. Nonetheless, it made for a particular second together with her household that few might have foreseen earlier than the beginning of the NCAA match.