In November we looked at 5 NCAA stars the Valkyries should target with their number 5 draft pick ahead of this season. Now that we are several months into the 2024-25 collegiate season (and inching ever closer to the draft in May), it's time to take a second dive into prospects the team should consider drafting in the first round.
If the Valkyries don't trade the option to make the fifth overall selection for a seasoned vet (like Kelsey Plum or Kelsey Mitchell), there are five players the team should absolutely have their eye on instead.
Dominique Malonga
It's not a question of whether or not Malonga will be drafted in 2025 but by which team — and the Golden State Valkyries need to do everything they can to make sure it's them. The 6'6" center is one of the most formidable forces in French basketball and would fit right in with the Valkyries' international draftees — and would give the newbie team the boost they need in terms of size and shooting.
The only potential snag when it comes to Malonga is she might be drafted before the Valkyries have a shot at selecting her.
Elena Bosgana
Bosgana, who was born and raised in Greece, brings a lot of international experience to the table — and she's been crushing it with Standford this season. At 6'2" she's a formidable force on the court, and the team could use another guard or two to help flesh out the season (and she might even help fill a María Conde-shaped hole that's newly in the team's roster).
Bosgana has also grown in ways that go beyond stats. Though she was a major part of last year's Cardinals team (and was also on the 2022 squad that made it to the Final Four), this year she's demonstrated a much stronger capacity to run the floor and lead in a way that her younger teammates have largely benefitted from.
Aneesah Morrow
Morrow has dominated college basketball since her DePaul days, and the 6'1" forward has flourished at LSU under Kim Mulkey's guidance. Morrow's skills were prodigious during her high school days, when she averaged 28.4 points, 14.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists and helped her team win a state championship.
Morrow is also one of the hardest workers on the college court right now. She's leading the nation in double-doubles and this month became the 8th player in the country to record 2,500 career points and 1,500 rebounds.
Te-Hina Paopao
Paopao has easily been a first round contender in nearly every mock draft that's been put together since last year, so getting drafted isn't a question. But she could bring key skills that the Valkyries appear to have prioritized with their Expansion Draft options, chiefly the ability to fire the ball into the hole.
If there is one area where Paopao is ahead of much of the pack, it's three-point shooting — which Coach Nakase has repeatedly emphasized is a big priority for the Valkyries. Her 3-Pt% under Coach Staley was 46.8% last year, and so far she's averaging 46.2% this season, which puts her on track for another incredible season.
Hailey Van Lith
Van Lith has enjoyed a tremendous season at TCU so far coming off of the 2024 Olympic Games, where she helped Team USA win the bronze. She's been an intriguing pick for the Valkyries in the second or third round since the beginning of the season, and at this point, it's not entirely out of question that she could be drafted in the first round.
The Valkyries would benefit from Van Lith's built-in audience, particularly in terms of merch and ticket sales, and her unique experience as an Olympics veteran, something that sets her apart from most of the upcoming draft class (and shows that both her game and her mindset can translate successfully to professional basketball).