While the WNBA offseason will be dictated by the ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, the college basketball season has arrived and there are plenty of upperclassmen ready to put on a show to help their draft stock.
Here are 10 of the top prospects ahead of the 2025–26 college basketball season.
1. Lauren Betts, UCLA
There’s not much Betts can’t do. Last season she averaged 20.2 points (on 64.8% shooting), 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. The 6' 7" center is a solid rebounder, reliable rim protector and strong finisher on offense. In other words, she is the kind of sure thing around which franchises are built.
2. Azzi Fudd, UConn
Her injury history (including multiple ACL tears) makes her a slight gamble, but the 5' 11" guard’s 43.6% shooting from three and smooth jump shot will be too enticing to pass up.
3. Olivia Miles, TCU
After averaging career highs in points (15.4) and assists (5.8) at Notre Dame last season—coming off an ACL tear—the point guard might have been the No. 2 pick if she had entered the 2025 draft. Instead, she opted to not only skip the draft, but also leave Notre Dame for Mark Campbell’s band of transfers in Fort Worth in hopes of growing her game.
4. Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina
Latson gives the Gamecocks the one thing they don’t have: an elite backcourt threat. The nation’s leading scorer last year at Florida State transferred to a program that will elevate her profile and demonstrate just how the 5' 8" guard fits in on an elite roster.
5. Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
Consistency is the name of her game: The 5' 10" guard has averaged double digits in each of her three seasons with the Tigers— including a career-high 18.6 points last year—and she is a potent rebounder as well.
6. Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
Already a strong paint presence, the 6-foot forward showed newfound three-point range last year (37.4%) at Ohio State. This year in the SEC, her physicality will likely be the focal point of the Rebels’ game plan.
7. Awa Fam, Valencia
The 6' 4" Spaniard is just 19 years old and will likely be something of a project, but her combination of size and athleticism (as evidenced by her 21 points and nine rebounds in Spain's upset win over France in the EuroBasket semifinals) is rare enough that she can still help a team right away.
8. Serah Williams, UConn
One of the top defensive bigs in the country, the 6' 4" forward averaged 19.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game last year for Wisconsin in a tough Big Ten. Now UConn’s most experienced forward, expect Williams’s physicality and shot disruption to be on full display this season.
9. Ashlon Jackson, Duke
As the Blue Devils’ primary perimeter weapon last year, the 6-foot guard tied a school record with 87 threes made while shooting 37.2% from beyond the arc. She can control the pace on offense and has a knack for anticipating her opponents on defense.
10. Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA
The career 43.2% three-point shooter transferred from Utah, where she averaged 19.3 points last season. Her efficiency should entice a W team in need of perimeter help.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as WNBA Big Board: Top 10 Draft Prospects Ahead of 2025–26 College Basketball Season.
