Former UCLA shooting guard Charisma Osborne was selected by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 25 pick in the third round of the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Osborne played her entire college career with UCLA, playing five seasons and utilized her free COVID year to put up another great season in 2024. In 34 games this winter, Osborne averaged 13.9 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, four assists, shot 41% from the floor and 32.3% from three-point range.
After falling to LSU in the Sweet 16 in this year’s NCAA Tournament, Osborne turned her attention to the draft and becoming a pro.
Osborne, among others, was a part of the huge growth in women’s basketball this past season.
“Yeah, and I think even in Los Angeles, the amount of people that have come out to our game, and obviously USC was hosting, as well, and there was big crowds for both games,” Osborne said during the NCAA Tournament. “I think just the growth of the sport and seeing so many people who maybe you would think know nothing about women’s basketball like coming out to the games has been really cool to see.”
Charisma Osborne makes the jump to WNBA
Osborne could’ve went to the WNBA last season, but she wanted one last ride with her teammates.
“Yeah, just to add, that’s what I came here to do,” Osborne said. “I came back because I wanted to experience this, especially with this team. Like Lauren said, we’re just taking it day by day and we’ll go from there.”
Osborne was on the initial invite list to this year’s WNBA Draft after she declared back on April 2nd. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team twice in her career and made the All-Pac-12 team in four of her five seasons on campus.
Going into the draft, Osborne was a projected late first round pick or early second round pick. Led by Osborne, UCLA finished 27-7 on the 2023-24 season, falling to LSU 78-69 in the Sweet 16.
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