ESPN published their latest 2025 WNBA Mock Draft Friday morning, and the sports oracle has USC forward Kiki Iriafen as the 5th overall pick — which would land her in the Bay Area with the Golden State Valkyries.
Kiki Iriafen would give the Valkyries a major boost
Free agency was a bit of a whirlwind for the Golden State Valkyries. The team managed to sway veteran guard Tiffany Hayes from the Aces, which will give them the leadership and shooting ability they need. The Valks also officially signed 6'4" forward Monique Billings, who will likely end up in a mentorship role with Iriafen if she also joins the team.
Iriafen, who was predicted to be the No. 2 overall pick earlier this year and was floated as a potential No. 1 pick over Paige Bueckers during the 2023-24 season, has never fallen below the top 5 picks in most 2025 mock drafts. She's 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.
In an interview with the "Sometimes I Hoop" podcast, Iriafen explained that her decision to transfer to USC was largely because she felt doing so would help her have a "seamless transition" to the WNA.
Iriafen is known for keeping her team focused
While at Stanford, where she played with last year's No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink, Iriafen was often the team's anchor during tense moments. In the WNBA, keeping your head on straight and staying mentally locked in is almost as important as your physical skills, and Iriafen has already demonstrated she is more than capable of meeting that requirement: she just doesn't flinch.
She's inspired by A'ja Wilson
Iriafen has often spoke about how much she looks up to Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson, who is considered the best player in the WNBA. As she told The Player's Tribune last year, "A'ja is kind of my favorite player so I've really been tapped into her. I finally got to see her in person for the first time when the Aces played the Sparks."
"Honestly just... it looks so effortless for her," Iriafen continued, "I know it's not like it's not easy but it just looks very effortless and the way she's able to get to her spots is something that I really noticed."