WNBA Draft takeaways: A new Paige in the book of the league

French basketball continues its rise

After back-to-back seasons with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft coming from France, the No. 2 pick in the WNBA is from France as well.

Dominique Malonga was selected by the Seattle Storm, and she looks to continue France's ascension in basketball. 

Adja Kane from France was also selected in the draft at No. 38 overall by the New York Liberty.

Mystics instantly become playoff contenders

After a 14-26 season in 2024, the Washington Mystics selected three Day 1 starters in Monday's draft, and they are now well within reach of the playoffs.

Sonia Citron (SG), Kiki Iriafen (PF) and Georgia Amoore (PG) will be starters on a team that struggled last year and will put the Mystics back in position to reach the postseason for the third time in the last four seasons.

Good day for Chicago

After selecting Angel Reese in the first round of the 2024 draft, the Chicago Sky got another playmaker in the first round in the form of TCU point guard Hailey Van Lith.

Van Lith led TCU to its most successful season in recent memory, and she will now reunite with her former LSU teammate, Reese, in Chicago.

South Carolina continues to develop players

The South Carolina Gamecocks have produced some of the WNBA's best current players like Aliyah Boston and A'ja Wilson.

The Gamecocks had three more players selected on Monday (Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall and Sania Feagin) who were all selected in the second round of the draft. 

Next season, the Gamecocks will have at least two more players selected in Ta'Niya Latson and Raven Johnson. The Gamecocks continue to compete with the likes of UConn and LSU in producing excellent WNBA players.

Guard play rules

Of the 38 players selected, 21 of those are either point guards or shooting guards.

In a game that has become more about isolation ball and shooting three-pointers, it is no surprise to see guard play become the focal point of the draft.

International stars are coming

France wasn't the only country represented in the draft on Monday, as three other countries saw players taken.

Juste Jocyte (Lithuania), Ajsa Sivka (Slovenia) and Anastasiia Kosu (Russia) were all selected in the draft. Much like the NBA, the amount of talent coming from overseas to the WNBA is a very welcome sight.

SEC talent is back on display

After just six players from the SEC were selected in the 2024 WNBA Draft, that number was almost doubled in this year's draft.

Ten players from five different schools were represented and selected in Monday's draft, once again proving that, much like men's college basketball, the SEC is the dominant conference in women's college basketball.