Five rising WNBA stars besides Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark has dominated WNBA headlines since she was drafted last season by the Indiana Fever. But there are other young stars on the rise throughout the league that are worth your attention.

Let's look at five of them.

5. Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks 

Jackson is going into her second season with the Sparks, and she'll be looking to build on her impressive rookie season after being the No. 4 overall selection in the 2024 draft. During her first season, Jackson averaged 13.4 points per game and 3.9 rebounds a game. 

Jackson connected on 45.6 percent of her field goal attempts last season and 34.7 percent of her three-point attempts.

Jackson, along with teammates Cameron Brink and Kelsey Plum, will look to lead the Sparks to improvement after a disappointing 2024 season.

4. Elizabeth Kitley, Las Vegas Aces

Kitley was a college basketball phenom for Virginia Tech. She averaged a double-double for her career (17.9 points, 10 rebounds) and was dominant in her final season in Blacksburg, posting 22.8 points and 11.4 rebounds while shooting 55.6 percent from the field. She was a three-time All-American and a three-time ACC Player of the Year.

She is influential on both sides of the ball, using her speed to get back on defense or push the ball forward on offense. 

While Kitley has been a full participant in practice, she may sit out the opener after having a year-long recovery from an ACL injury. The Aces have talent in other players, so they'll likely be cautious with Kitley's return. 

3. Kate Martin, Golden State Valkyries

Martin played a key role in her first season in the WNBA with the Aces before the team's preferred players got healthy and she stepped back into a more limited role. Now with the Valkyries via the expansion draft, Martin has the chance to lead the fledgling team to success. 

In one preseason game with her new team she scored eight points in 18 minutes. She also gathered three rebounds and two steals, showing she can be crucial for the team's defense. 

The Valkyries have two other guards who could see more minutes, but Martin will be looking to have a good start to her second professional season. She could become one of the focal points for this young team. 

2. Amy Okonkwo, Connecticut Sun

Okonkwo had been playing in the French professional league but is now going into her first season with the Sun. At the college level, she played for USC and TCU, averaging 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Horned Frogs as a senior. She twice earned All-Big 12 honors, but went undrafted in the 2020 draft.

With Connecticut in the preseason, Okonkwo averaged seven points and four rebounds. Okonkwo had an instant impact for the Sun with 10 points in her first game preseason game despite not having had a practice with the team.

She can continue to play a big part for Connecticut in the league. While other players are dealing with injuries, Okonkwo can step up to fill the void left in their absence. 

1. Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings

Bueckers has come into the league with a big weight on her shoulders. After helping UConn to the 2024 National Championship, Dallas picked the star player first in the draft. 

Bueckers had a good preseason, scoring 10 and 15 points, respectively, for Dallas. She has always been a phenomenal scorer and averaged 19.9 points in her final season at UConn. 

The Wings will be looking to make a good run this season, with fellow rookie Aziaha James also being drafted by the Wings. Both rookies have been sensational for their colleges, and the two will be looking to combine for Dallas to try and get the team to the playoffs.