March Madness is an exciting time of the year for women's basketball fans, and it's also a crucial time of the year for the athletes who are hoping to do well at the tournament and get drafted into the WNBA shortly thereafter.
The 2025 WNBA Draft will take place in New York on April 14, 2025, and the Golden State Valkyries have three selections: No. 5, No. 17, and No. 30. The list of who the Valkyries should draft at each spot varies often (sometimes daily), but Golden State should definitely be paying extra special attention to these 5 players at March Madness.
No. 5: Kiki Iriafen or Hailey Van Lith
If this feels familiar, it's because we here at the Valkyries Blog have been beating this drum for several months now: Golden State needs to select USC's Kiki Iriafen or TCU's Hailey Van Lith at the number 5 spot.
The idea of Iriafen as a top 5 pick hardly needs an explanation or defense at this point. USC's Big Ten run was a great reminder that she's extremely talented, and honestly, if Seattle doesn't scoop her at No. 2 (someone has to fill Nneka's shoes eventually), she would be a steal for Golden State. She's also known for her high motor and offensive rebounding, as well as her defensive skills. She also spent 3 years playing at Standford, which means she'll have a hometown fanbase who will be thrilled to see her again.
The suggestion that Hailey Van Lith could enter the first round of the draft is controversial in some circles, but it's not really clear why. She has played her heart out at TCU and guided the Horned Toads from the bottom of the pack all the way to champions of the Big 12.
If there is one thing Van Lith has proven this season, it's that she has the perseverance to push ahead even in the face of tremendous doubt from outsiders, a mental strength that will help her if she's part of a brand-new expansion team. Outside of her proven skills on the court, adding that kind of internal strength would only help Golden State in the long run. Do not be surprised if she gets picked up early by someone, and just cross your fingers that it's the Valkyries.
No. 17: Temira Poindexter or Madison Scott
We've written about other potential second-rounders the Valkyries could go with at the No. 17 spot, but it's about time Poindexter's name enters the chat. The shift to Kansas State was a good one to make, and she brings a lot to the table: size, toughness, and the ability to meet the basket with a ball all spring to mind. Her 3-point percentage is 40.7% (and we all know the Valkyries love a 3-point shooter) and she's not afraid to shoot the ball. Poindexter is definitely one to watch.
Madison Scott has somehow gone under the radar pretty much all season and it's about time that changes. Throughout her time at Ole Miss Scott has demonstrated a remarkable ability to take on whatever role is needed at any given time, and the result is that she's maximized every skill and can hang with the best of them at either end of the court. And we haven't even touched on her defense — Scott should be in every conversation about 2025's best defenders. The only real snag with Scott is that someone might get to her before the Valkyries can.
No. 30: Aaliyah Nye
It almost feels criminal to have Aaliyah Nye so low on this list, but there's a real possibility that a) she could still be available at this point in the draft, b) that Golden State has the cap space to both draft her and actually keep her on a roster and c) she could end up being one of the biggest steals of the draft, kind of like Kate Martin in 2024. Nye is averaging 15.1 points and 2.3 rebounds this season for Alabama with a 3-point percentage of 45.5%.