Lisa Donovan's 2024 WNBA Mock Draft: Final Mock Draft

Round 1 Picks 1-12

Caitlin Clark was the face of Women's Basketball the last two years. She shouldn't have to wait very long to hear her name called.

Lisa Donovan Last Updated: April 15, 2024.

1. Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark, PG, Iowa
   
   
   The Indiana Fever took Aliyah Boston their first overall pick in 2023 out of South Carolina as a power forward/center. Now the Indiana Fever get another star, and the biggest star in Women's College Basketball in Iowa point guard Caitlin Clark.
   
   
   
   Caitlin Clark does it all. She was a massive ratings draw for the Women's Tournament the past two years. Caitlin Clark should be the catalyst for the Indiana Fever because it feels like the Fever are due to win their first WNBA Finals at some point later this decade. Clark had over 31 points a game as a senior and won the James Naismith Award two years in a row. Clark took Iowa to two consecutive Women's Basketball Championship games where Iowa lost to LSU in 2023 and South Carolina in 2024.
   
   
   
2. Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink, PF, Stanford
   
   
   Los Angeles lost former number one overall WNBA Draft pick Nneka Ogwuike their leading rebounder from Stanford to the Seattle Storm and Stanford power forward Cameron Brink is more versatile than Nneka Oguike was coming out of Stanford than Nneka Oguike making Cameron Brink an ideal second overall pick for a WNBA team that struggled defensively.
   
   
   
   Cameron Brink already announced her decision to declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft. Cameron Brink is the best defender, rebounder, and shot blocker in the 2024 WNBA Draft. This is why Brink is pretty much the favorite to be picked second overall by the Los Angeles Sparks. I feel like the Los Angeles Sparks are in a favorable position even with Caitlin Clark off the board. Also, Brink won a Women's Basketball Championship as a freshman in 2021.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Chicago Sky: Rickea Jackson, SF, Tennessee
   
   
   Chicago acquired some veterans in their trade with the Mercury that got them the third overall pick in this draft, but an impact player at forward is needed at both small forward and power forward. Chicago can either take Tennessew small forward Rickea Jackson or Connecticut power forward Aaliyah Edwards. Aaliyah Edwards is younger, but Rickea Jackson was more durable this season as far as staying healthy goes which is why I'm leaning towards Jackson over Edwards at 3.
   
   
   
   Rickea Jackson was a three year starter at Mississippi State. She transferred to Tennessee for her final two seasons. Rickea Jackson gives the Chicago Sky a star at small forward.
   
   
   
   Rickea Jackson led Mississippi State in points in all three seasons at Mississippi State and she did the same thing in hear two seasons at Tennessee. Rickea Jackson managed to start 105 games over the past five years for two SEC Women's Basketball Teams averaging 14 points per game in all five seasons. Rickea Jackson can make shots from short range, medium range, and long range. Rickea Jackson is great at intercepting passes that come her way. Rickea Jackson has the kind of consistency you cannot teach.
   
   
   
4. Los Angeles Sparks: Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina
   
   
   A few years ago, I remember having a conversation with our Syracuse alumnus at Draft Utopia Tanya Holmes, who I recruited to Draft Utopia by the way as well. Tanya told me to keep an eye on a freshman center at Syracuse named Kamilla Cardoso. A year after that, Cardoso transferred to South Carolina. Two years later, Cardoso wins her second Women's Championship under Dawn Staley with Cardoso winning her first Women's Championship as a starter.
   
   
   
   Kamilla Cardoso left Brazil at the age of 15 to move to Chattanooga, Tennessee to pursue her dream to play professional basketball. She started for Syracuse as a freshman before transferring to South Carolina as a sophomore. Cardoso learned under last years number one overall pick Aliyah Boston for two years before becomming the full-time starting center on the South Carolina Women's Basketball Team this past season. Kamilla Cardoso became the third underclassmen to declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft.
   
   
   
   A front court with Cameron Brink at power forward and Kamilla Cardoso at center allows you to move Azua Stevens back to her natural positon at small forward. You would also have the two best defenders, rebounders, and shot blockers in this years 2024 WNBA Draft on the same front court.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Dallas Wings: Angel Reese, SG, LSU
   
   
   Dallas is the first wild card in the 2024 WNBA Draft. You can make a case for Jacy Sheldon, Charisma Osborne, Angel Reese, or Aaliyah Edwards. After initially mocking Aaliyah Edwards, now I'm pivoting towards Angel Reese since shes's the last player in tonights 2024 WNBA Draft outside of the top 4 going to the Empire State Building to light up the tower Monday Morning on Good Morning America.
   
   
   
   Angel Reese is a plug-and-play player that you can put anywhere into your starting lineup. Angel Reese played at Maryland for two seasons prior and led Maryland to the Sweet 16 in 2021-2022 before transferring to LSU in the transfer portal prior to her junior season.
   
   
   
   Angel Reese was the leader and best player on Kim Mulkey's basketball team the last two years on the LSU Women's Basketball team. LSU is loaded and should remain one of the better teams in Women's basketball as long as Mulkey is there. Angel Reese is the fifth underclassmen in my top 6.
   
   
   
   Angel Reese feels like a boom or bust prospect. I didn't like how Angel Reese played the victim after Iowa defeated LSU, but I applaud her for congratulating Dawn Staley after South Carolina won the Women's Title. I think the maturity concerns with Angel Reese are being overblown and expect Reese to go in the top half of the 2024 WNBA Draft. Washington seems like an ideal fit for Angel Reese at 6.
   
   
   
   Aaliyah Edwards, not Angel Reese is the youngest player on the board. I'm fairly certain the Dallas Wings will draft either Aaliyah Edwards or Angel Reese at 5 with those two generating a ton of traction and those two being the only two 21-year-old women's basketball players left on the board here at 5.
   
   
   
   Aaliyah Edwards showed she could be a number one scorer when Paige Buekers was injured at Connecticut last year. The Dallas Wings have a star guard in Arik Ogunbowale who averaged 21.2 points per game and led the Dallas Wings in assists per game in 2023. Aalliyah Edwards gives the Dallas Wings depth at power forward which will allow their starters on the front court to play more aggressively. Aaliyah Edwards is the fourth underclassmen in my top 5.
   
   
   Previous Pick: Aaliyah Edwards, PF, Connecticut
   
   
6. Washington Mystics: Charisma Osborne, PG, UCLA
   
   
   The Washington Mystics have quality starters at every position in their starting five except point guard heading into 2024. UCLA point guard Charisma Osborne would .
   
   
   
   Charisma Moore is a combo guard on UCLA that played both point guard and shooting guard over five seasons at UCLA. Charisma Osborne is the fifth underclassmen in my top six to declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft.
   
   
   Previous Pick: Angel Reese, SG, LSU
   
   
   
   
7. Chicago Sky: Aaliyah Edwards, PF, Connecticut
   
   
   Chicago has moved up a spot from 8 to 7. Chicago can get Aaliyah Edwards the sixth and final underclassmen projected to go in the top seven. Drafting Aaliyah Edwards to pair with Rickea Jackson allows Chicago to reload at both forward spots.
   
   
   Previous Pick: Charisma Osborne, PG, UCLA
   
   
8. Minnesota Lynx: Dyaisha Fair, PG, Syracuse
   
   
   The Minnesota Lynx need a point guard to complete this starting lineup. Syracuse point guard Dyasiha Fair is a player Tanya Holmes, our Syracuse alumnus that I recruited to Draft Utopia told me about last minute.
   
   
   
   Dyaisha Fair began at Buffalo before transferring to Syracuse. Dyaisha Fair is third all time in points in Women's Basketball trailing only Kelsey Plum the first overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft and Caitlin Clark whose a shoe in to go first overall tonight.
   
   
   Previous Pick: Alissa Pili, PF, Utah
   
   
   
   
9. Dallas Wings: Alissa Pili, PF, Utah
   
   
   The Dallas Wings have a tough call to make at 9. Alissa Pili is more well rounded offensively than Aaliyah Edwards, but she's not as stout defensively. She's a top 10 prospect though, and certaintly a sleeper in the 2024 WNBA Draft to keep an eye on.
   
   
   Previous Pick: Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech
   
   
10. Connecticut Sun: Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech
    
    
    The Connecticut Sun have four good starters at point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and power forward. Getting a center is the last thing the Connecticut Sun need to do before they become a challenger to the New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference.
    
    
    
    Elizabeth Kitley would complete the starting lineup for the Connecticut Sun. She is one of the younger players in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Taiyanna Jackson, C, Kansas
    
    
    
    
11. New York Liberty: Jacy Sheldon, SG, Ohio State
    
    
    The New York Liberty have a good starting five. The only team with their starting five returning that had all five starters average over 10 points per game in 2023 was the New York Liberty. Drafting the right player at 11 could be the difference between repeating as Eastern Conference Champions and dethroning the two time defending Champion Las Vegas Aces versus getting the wrong player and being dethroned by either the Connecticut Sun or Indiana Fever.
    
    
    
    Chris Ransom has Jacy Sheldon in his top 5 despite the fact that she's one of the older players in this draft. Jacy Sheldon can be a really good bench player since she checks off nearly every box despite being 23. Chris called Jacy Sheldon a blue chip player and Ohio State did defeat Iowa in Women's Basketball during the regular season which says a lot about Jacy Sheldon and her game as a whole.
    
    
    
12. Atlanta Dream: Taiyanna Jackson, C, Kansas
    
    
    The Las Vegas Aces originally traded this pick to the Los Angeles Sparks. Los Angeles traded their starting point guard to Atlanta for the eighth pick in this draft before trading that pick to the Chicago Sky and Atlanta ended up getting the twelfth pick and final first round pick that the Aces owned from the Sparks.
    
    
    
    Atlanta has the guards and forwards to compete. Getting a center to round out the starting five is the final objective for the Atlanta Dream.
    
    
    
    Taiyanna Jackson would complete the starting five for Atlanta as she had double digit points per game and double digit rebounds per game. She fills a need at center and could help the Atlanta Dream compete this year.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Ayoka Lee, C, Kansas State