In the lead-up to the 2025 WNBA draft, fans and media seemed more focused on who wasn’t in the draft than who was. Several of the top prospects, most notably Olivia Miles, chose to return to college and lucrative NIL deals rather than enter the draft. Since then, however, several rookies have made huge contributions to their new teams. Most of the teams that have exceeded their preseason expectations did so, at least in part, due to the contributions of their rookies.

The WNBA schedule is longer than ever, and most of these rookies entered the season after having played a full season in college or overseas. There is a decent chance some of these rookies will hit a wall in the coming weeks and months, which makes now the perfect time to check in on how they have performed and on their outlook for the future.

Thanks in part to having an expansion team this year, a whopping 22 rookies are averaging at least 10 minutes per game. It would be impossible to discuss all of them, so instead, I have decided to single out the ones I find most interesting, including a few who have struggled for playing time. Even with so many rookies contributing, some of the most intriguing long-term prospects have played sparingly so far.

Paige Bueckers, Guard, Dallas Wings

Dallas has struggled this season, but it is difficult to place much of the blame at the feet of Bueckers. Her -0.7 net rating is highest on the team among the nine players who have started at least one game for Dallas. Bueckers leads all rookies in minutes, points, assists, and steals per game. Only two players in the entire league have averaged more steals per game than Bueckers this season. I would like to see her take more than 3.4 threes per game, and she probably needs to have the ball in her hands even more than she already does, but the future looks bright in Dallas. Good players are going to want to play with her, which could be crucial in an offseason where nearly everyone will be a free agent.

Sonia Cintron, Guard, Washington Mystics

Remember when the Chicago Sky traded the third overall pick (which became Cintron) and a 2027 pick swap to the Mystics so that they could chase the eighth seen for one year with Ariel Atkins? She is unlikely to let Sky fans forget that anytime soon. Cintron has been a revelation for Washington, carrying the offense along with Most-Improved candidate Brittney Sykes. Cintron is second among rookies in minutes and points per game, while ranking third in rebounds and sixth in assists. Behind the play of Cintron and fellow rookie Kiki Iriafen, the Mystics’ rebuild appears to be ahead of schedule.

Kiki Iriafen, Forward, Washington Mystics

The Mystics arguably have the best young frontcourt in the league with Iriafen and Shakira Austin. Iriafen is fifth in the league in rebounds per game, and she is a big part of why the Mystics are third in the league in rebounding rate. She is shooting just 50 percent from the field, which is pretty low for someone who doesn’t shoot any threes, but I think she’ll get easier shots once the Mystics surround her with more offensive firepower.

Dominique Malonga, Center, Seattle Storm

Even after Seattle traded Yi Yuerli to the Dallas Wings, Malonga has struggled to find consistent playing time despite outplaying Ezi Magbegor. Malonga is averaging nearly twice as many points per 36 minutes as Seattle’s starting center while shooting more than 10 percentage points better from the field. Seattle is a surprising 9-5 and Magbegor is a free agent after this season, so Malonga will likely have to wait until next season for significant playing time. Until then, she needs to try to cut down on her turnovers and fouls. Malonga is averaging 4.0 turnovers and 5.2 fouls per 36 minutes.

Te-Hina Paopao, Guard, Atlanta Dream

LFG readers are probably getting sick of me raving about Paopao, but I had to include her on this list for one important reason: her 77.5 true shooting percentage leads the league among players with at least 21 minutes this season. Kennedy Burke is second at 70.9 percent. Paopap is shooting an absurd 57.1 percent on 6.9 threes per 36 minutes. I would like to see her actually get up more threes, and play more minutes, but like Malonga, Paopao is unlike to play a whole lot more while her team is winning. Paopao is fifth among rookies in fantasy points per 36 minutes, which illustrates her productivity when she is on the court. Like most of the rookies in this class, she has to cut down on her turnovers, but at the very least, the 18th overall pick in the draft has proven she is one of the best backup point guards in the league.

Lexi Held, Guard, Phoenix Mercury

Someday soon, I will take a deep dive into the Mercury and the four rookies averaging more than 20 minutes per game. While their three stars deservedly get most of the credit, this team is third in the standings because all of the unproven role players have exceeded expectations. Held has arguably been the best of the Mercury rookies, averaging 15.2 points per 36 minutes. She picked up the scoring slack at times with Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper out, but the undrafted rookie out of DePaul has settled into a secondary-playmaking role with the stars back in the lineup.

Aneesah Morrow, Forward, Connecticut Sun

I find it concernng that Morrow has played just 11.8 mpg despite playing for one of the worst teams in the league. Tina Charles and Oliva Nelson-Ododa are established vets, but getting Morrow on-court reps should be a priority for this rebuilding team. Morrow has averaged 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per 36 minutes on 40.4 percent shooting from the field. She appears to be living up to her pre-draft billing as a budget Angel Reese.

Hailey Van Lith, Guard, Chicago Sky

Speaking of a budget Angel Reese, Van Lith was Chicago’s second pick in the first round of the draft, just like Reese was last season. Also like Reese, Van Lith has struggled from the field, shooting 37.5 percent. Van Lith’s playing time has been wildly inconsistent despite Courtney Vandersloot’s torn ACL. The Sky needed Van Lith to step in for Vandersloot and run a million pick-and-rolls with Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. Instead, Van Lith has come off the bench in every game this season and is averaging just 11.8 points and 3.6 assists per 36 minutes. Until she starts averaging more assists than turnovers, Van Lith isn’t even guaranteed to make it as a backup in this league. She was much better on the ball than off-ball in college, so my hope is that Chicago will give her the ball more once they are officially eliminated from the playoff race. She currently ranks sixth on the team in usage behind Elizabeth Williams and Maddy Westbeld.