WITH the WNBA rapidly increasing in popularity, it might be time to take a look at changing some of the league’s rules.
Among those rules that needs a major change is the WNBA’s draft eligibility.
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As things currently stand, the WNBA has a few simple rules regarding a women’s basketball player’s draft eligibility.
According to the WNBA, a player needs to satisfy these conditions in order to enter the draft:
- Be a graduating senior OR turn 22 years old in 2025 in order to opt into the 2025 WNBA Draft
- International players can enter the draft if they turn 22 years old in 2025
This requirement to graduate from college or turn 22 years old has women’s basketball players missing some of their prime years for extra time in college.
Look at the NBA for example. Men’s players only have to complete one year out of high school before they can enter the NBA Draft.
That means star freshmen like Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers’ Dylan Harper can enter the draft after having one breakout season.
Meanwhile, some of the top stars in women’s college basketball are trapped for multiple years and run the risk of getting injured before they can get drafted.
The biggest example of a player who is absolutely balling out but has no draft eligibility is USC’s Juju Watkins.
Watkins was incredible as a freshman, averaging 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
However, she couldn’t parlay that special season into a high WNBA Draft selection.
This year, Watkins is having another amazing season. She is averaging 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
Still, she cannot enter the WNBA Draft after this season.
Watkins needs to play two more years in college before she can even be considered as a draft prospect in the WNBA.
Another prime example of the draft eligibility being too long is UConn’s Paige Buckers.
Bueckers was an incredible player as a freshman, averaging 20.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game in the 2020-21 season.
WNBA All-Star rosters
THE 2024 WNBA All-Star game rosters have been announced, with Team WNBA set to face Team USA on July 20.
Team WNBA:
- DeWanna Bonner – Connecticut Sun
- Aliyah Boston – Indiana Fever
- Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever
- Allisha Gray – Atlanta Dream
- Dearica Hamby – Los Angeles Sparks
- Brionna Jones – Connecticut Sun
- Jonquel Jones – New York Liberty
- Kayla McBride – Minnesota Lynx
- Kelsey Mitchell – Indiana Fever
- Arike Ogunbowale – Dallas Wings
- Nneka Ogwumike – Seattle Storm
- Angel Reese – Chicago Sky
Team USA:
- Napheesa Collier – Minnesota Lynx
- Kahleah Copper – Phoenix Mercury
- Chelsea Gray – Las Vegas Aces
- Brittney Griner – Phoenix Mercury
- Sabrina Ionescu – New York Liberty
- Jewell Loyd – Seattle Storm
- Kelsey Plum – Las Vegas Aces
- Breanna Stewart – New York Liberty
- Diana Taurasi – Phoenix Mercury
- Alyssa Thomas – Connecticut Sun
- A’ja Wilson – Las Vegas Aces
- Jackie Young – Las Vegas Aces
However, she suffered a devastating knee injury and missed the entire 2022-23 season.
Bueckers is now in her fifth college season after she needed to play one more to rebuild her draft stock.
It seems unfair to the women’s basketball stars of the world that they are forced to abide by these strict standards before they enter the league.
There are only 13 teams in the league, making it much harder to break into than the NBA.
Making players go through all four years of college only makes it harder for them to break into the league.
Perhaps the WNBA should cut the draft age to 20, or allow players to enter the league after two years in college instead of four.
Something should change though, to allow the top talents of women’s basketball to take advantage of their talent sooner.
