2024 WNBA Draft: Western Conference grades

Cameron Brink’s glitz, glamour and game is a perfect fit for the Los Angeles Sparks.

With one of the most-anticipated draft classes in recent WNBA history now headed to their new teams, it’s time to grade the draft night performances of the league’s Western Conference teams.

One quick disclaimer: We’ll need a few years to fully flesh out how teams’ drafted players fit at the professional level. Undoubtedly, some picks will look better or worse after we see them on the W stage. These grades serve as a barometer for how each team fared in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Dallas Wings: A

Dallas needed to address their perimeter defense, and they did that and then some, drafting Jacy Sheldon at No. 5. The Ohio State guard gives them the 3-and-D player they desperately needed, and given who was available, it was a good pickup.

Add to that the selections of French guard Carla Leite, an expected “draft and stash” candidate, at No. 9 and Penn State guard Ashley Owusu at No. 33, and you have to feel good about how much better Dallas has become after the draft, both for the present and future.

Las Vegas Aces: B-

I like the Aces’ selection of Syracuse’s Dyaisha Fair at No. 16, but I don’t know if she’ll find a role or see the floor on this super team. They also drafted Iowa’s Kate Martin at No. 18, Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley at No. 24 and Jackson State’s Angel Jackson at No. 36, all quality players. Perhaps, given how good Las Vegas is and how long they had to wait to draft, having a weak draft class doesn’t matter and won’t impact their future or title chances.

Los Angeles Sparks: A

With their first two picks, the Sparks established a solid start for the organization’s roster reconstruction. They found a replacement for superstar big Nneka Ogwumike in Stanford’s Cameron Brink at No. 2 and a dynamic wing with Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson at No. 4. They also drafted USC’s Mackenzie Forbes at No. 28, a smart, versatile wing from the Pac-12.

The Sparks have missed the playoffs three seasons in a row, but with these new additions, they will likely be back in contention sooner rather than later.

Minnesota Lynx: A-

We are long gone from the Lynx dynasty days, but Minnesota did things right in this draft by selecting Alissa Pili with the No. 8 pick. Pili was dominant for Utah, averaging 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Her size and footwork mean she’s WNBA-ready and can contribute immediately. Louisville’s Kiki Jefferson was the second and final pick by Minnesota at No. 31, and the All-ACC guard was a great player to acquire late in the draft. Given their two selections, it’s hard to ask more of Minnesota.

Phoenix Mercury: C

I haven’t liked much going on with the Phoenix Mercury recently. UCLA’s Charisma Osborne, selected at No. 25, is a good player, but can she significantly impact a team that is still allocating so much of its resources to Diana Taurasi? I’m skeptical. Jaz Shelley of Nebraska was selected No. 29; she’s a player the Mercury are taking a flyer on to see if it she can become something.

Seattle Storm: A

I like the Storm’s selection of UConn’s Nika Mühl at No. 14, a ready-now player who can bolster this Storm roster and quickly make them contenders for a title. At No. 26, Seattle added Mackenzie Holmes out of Indiana, who announced she will undergo surgery and begin her WNBA career in 2025. However, once healthy, she could become a contributor. The Storm not only got better; it’s a perfect marriage of immediate impact and future progression.