Chicago’s bold decision to swap the No. 3 pick and future assets for veteran guard Ariel Atkins has become a cautionary tale now that rookie Sonia Citron—selected with that very pick—
has already outshone her on the stat sheet and earned an All-Star berth alongside fellow first-year standout Kiki Iriafen. History says true title teams are built on successive top picks—think Seattle’s Stewart-Loyd core or Las Vegas’ three-year run of No. 1 selections—and the current college crop looks more pro-ready than ever, making the sacrifice of long-term upside for short-term help feel riskier than it once did.
Nowhere is the power of youthful upside clearer than in Dallas, where four rookies joined third-year center Li Yueru in the starting lineup and hung tough against Phoenix’s veteran-laden trio of stars. Paige Bueckers has quickly emerged as the Wings’ undisputed engine, and the newcomers—JJ Quinerly pushing the pace, Aziaha James darting decisively into drives or jumpers, and Luisa Geiselsöder screening and hand-off-ping with perfect timing—seem tailor-made to complement her. Their collective 72-point outburst was the league’s biggest rookie scoring night since 1999, underscoring why Dallas might flip more veterans for assets before the August 7 deadline.
Minnesota, meanwhile, needs its own young spark. With sharpshooter Karlie Samuelson lost for the year, coach Cheryl Reeve must lean into Diamond Miller’s raw athleticism. Miller is thunder in transition, boasts a quicker-than-advertised three-point release, and flashes disruptive defensive tools—though screen navigation and half-court reads remain works in progress. Giving her real minutes now is the only way the Lynx can count on that potential when postseason rotations tighten.
Seattle has reason to smile about Dominique Malonga, the franchise’s highest draft pick since they landed Breanna Stewart in 2016. In limited run against New York, the rookie muscled Stewart off her spot, then calmly sank a fadeaway during an 11-point, seven-rebound surge that blew the game open. Add Indiana’s high-motor bench big Makayla Timpson—currently posting the Fever’s best on-off differential thanks to frenetic defense—and it’s clear the 2025 class is leaving fingerprints all over the league.
Circle Sunday’s Dallas-Indiana clash on ESPN+: Bueckers and Caitlin Clark, the last two No. 1 picks and college-era rivals, should finally share a professional court after injuries and scheduling quirks delayed the matchup. Dallas has won five of seven, Indiana is tightening screws on defense, and the league’s next decade of star power will be on full display—proof that betting on rookies may be the smartest gamble a front office can make.
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