There has been plenty of discussion about the potential star power of the 2024 WNBA Draft and international names have already shown up on mock drafts everywhere. Besides the college stars, this international class has looked stronger and stronger over the past year with new names hitting the radar, leaving a very deep group of players. Generally speaking, internationals get picked lower than would be expected on a pure prospect basis due to concerns about consistent availability, but several players should expect to hear their names early. There is tremendous value in picking internationals late in the draft if they agree not to sign immediately as rights can be maintained.
Our list of players consists of draft prospects who are international, meaning that they were born in 2004 outside of the United States and are not residing and have not started college there. They are only eligible in this year unless they subsequently exercise intercollegiate eligibility in the United States, which would allow them to enter a future WNBA draft in the same way that Lou Lopez Senechal, Elena Tsineke, and Okako Adika were picked in 2023. As always, our list is as comprehensive as possible, including players who are almost certainly not going to be picked, but demonstrating the variety of development pathways and career trajectories present around the world. Positions, nationality in terms of current national team leanings, and current club teams with country indicated if it is not the first nationality listed are included for each player along with birthdate. The list is not ordered as a prospect ranking and is instead grouped for context.
Isobel Borlase, SG, Australia, Adelaide Lightning, September 12th
One of the big stories of last season, Borlase has continued to be one of the most dangerous scorers in the Australian league this campaign. Her team’s struggles have given her every opportunity to show everything that she can do, although not always at the greatest possible efficiency, but her initial burst onto the big stage looks to be sustained at this point. While she is tall enough to play off the ball, it is definitely not a bad sign for her future that she is also being given a chance to run the offense at club and youth national team levels. Her shooting has not always been considered a strength, but she seems more comfortable to shoot from distance in the right situations in her second professional season and she will need to be a threat there to contribute at the global level now that she has shown how effective she can be when allowed to get closer to the basket. Borlase could have really made a name for herself if she had not been unavailable for the first Nike Hoop Summit and there was probably room for her to show more against the toughest teams in the U19 World Cup even though she had several good performances there and in the exhibitions. There will be no shortage of footage between now and the draft of her continuing to drive her team forward.
Nyadiew Puoch, SF, Australia, Southside Flyers, June 23rd
Few players benefitted more from the first women’s Nike Hoop Summit game than Puoch, who went from a player that close draft observers were fully aware of to a player that was on everyone’s radar. In the game, she was incredibly efficient on the offensive end while being an absolute terror on the defensive end. She has settled into a bigger role in her second professional season with Southside, after the local season with Dandenong in NBL1, her chance to be the main player on the team and be the primary scorer. She also had a solid U19 World Cup, although the team did not get the desired result. A natural small forward, it is becoming more and more clear that she has the physical tools to play power forward and that may be the position that is most advantageous for her in the future. Further development to add to her existing skills will make her an even more dangerous offensive player along with her defensive potential. Australian prospects have historically held more value as international picks because their league’s finances rarely incentivize a player with WNBA interest from declining the opportunity. With no real sign that salaries are going to increase meaningfully in Australia, recent seasons have seen players of different levels of stardom pursue opportunities in Europe and that could be an availability concern in the future, but Puoch remains in contention to be the first international off the board for now.
Dallas Loughridge, PG, Australia, Southside Flyers, January 23rd
Part of a trio of Australian players from her year who opted for professional contracts instead of the increasingly popular American college route, Loughridge was set for her debut season before disaster struck. She had a season-ending injury at the worst time, losing the entire WNBL campaign and a chance to play NBL1 and also show what she could do against players her age at the U19 World Cup and her absence was felt with the team trying point guard by committee to mixed results. She was healthy enough at the start of this season to ease back into a role off the bench for Southside. Her injury situation highlights the differences in draft rules between the WNBA and NBA as this is her one chance to get drafted and she will instead have to try to get back on track developmentally to maybe earn a free agent shot in the future instead of being able to choose the year of entry and wait until she is able to showcase herself fully. There does not seem to be a path to major playing time during the national league season with so much missed time, but a productive start in NBL1 in the offseason could be what she needs.
Leila Lacan, PG, France, Angers, June 2nd
Long considered a high level prospect, Lacan has been handed the chance to run her own team this season. She finished her time at the federal training center before last season with two seasons of double-figure scoring in the second division and headed to Angers, where her height allowed her to play shooting guard and grow into her role at the top level. She played well immediately and showed that she belonged and interest from other top teams in her backcourt mate meant that the roster this season was built to give her a bigger role. She has stepped up again, but team is not quite at the level of last season with injuries that later included hers impacting their start. There were many different possibilities for how the national team would handle her last summer and the federation opted to include her in the senior team and bring her along for a bench role at EuroBasket. It was a good chance for her to get her feet wet at that level before she took on the star role at the U19 World Cup. Unfortunately, not making that team as strong as it could have been made it tough for her to show how efficient and in control she could be, but she still put on a good show against players her age. The early inclusion in the senior team will also be a concern for her draft stock as future availability will be in question if she is spending long parts of each summer trying to make the squad, but her athleticism, scoring ability, and playmaking potential will make her one of the stronger overall prospects in this class.
Carla Leite, PG, France, Tarbes Gespe Bigorre, April 16th
A player who absolutely exploded onto the scene last season, Leite found a great club option and seized the opportunity pretty much immediately. She had come through the Lyon youth system, but was not set to break into the first team yet, and she got her chance to play in the top division with Tarbes, a club with a history of bringing through young point guards that was struggling financially, leaving them unable to bring in the same caliber of experienced foreign players as their counterparts. In the first half of the season, she was very good and then the calendar flipped and she was being given all the minutes that she could handle and she responded with impressive scoring efforts and they kept their place in the league. The team is still dealing with the same issues plus injuries that occasionally included her so she is expected to be available for all 40 minutes in every game and she has risen to the challenge, showing more ability to orchestrate the offense. On the youth national team level, the federation was really gunning for the European U20 championship, which they won, and split their top guard prospects instead of also fielding her at the U19 level. Being the most prestigious event on the youth level on the continent, her impressive scoring and assisting while playing alongside another point guard was notable, but playing on the global level would certainly have garnered her more widespread attention. Either way, she continues to make the most of her chances and will have plenty of film available for draft evaluation.
Jess-Mine Zodia, C, France, Tarbes Gespe Bigorre, December 22nd
The international draft age being fixed where it is, players can suddenly emerge late in the process and there are plenty of cases of players breaking out right after the draft that make those who are looking for those late round values wondering how differently events would turn out if there was a universal age requirement. The calendar turned to December and suddenly Zodia became an important player for her team, turning in multiple consecutive impressive performances. Long considered a future pro, she got her share of garbage time minutes in the previous two seasons with powerhouse Bourges. Looking for a clearer role, she headed to Tarbes this season knowing that younger players would be getting opportunities and she was projected to be a backup to several more established post players. The team’s already thin squad has been racked up injuries to almost every player at some point, going so far as to cause the league to force an extraordinary postponement that was not a popular decision. They were able to play again and she was given the starting power forward role with the responsibility of trying to be available for all 40 minutes and she responded. Now the rest of her season bears watching to see if this is a permanent jump in her ability to contribute and, given how late her birthday is, she certainly has room to grow a very young prospect within the year.
Justine Mouyokolo, SF, France, Lyon-Villeurbanne, July 1st
Not particularly high on the list of prospects for this draft, Mouyokolo’s inclusion here is purely out of respect for the tremendous job that she did to start to this season. Coming through the ranks of the new in-fashion youth program in France, there was no expectation that she would play much at the top level except for garbage time given the ten established senior team professionals expected to play during the season, not even accounting for additional rumored big name signings. Injuries and late player arrivals plagued the French champions, often leaving them with not even five senior roster options, when they had hoped to establish themselves among the top teams across the continent and in stepped Mouyokolo to eat as many minutes as possible until more signings or returnees were available and she bravely made the huge step up in competition. She averaged over 24 minutes in their first six EuroLeague games and 18 minutes in their first six domestic league games, defending her position and keeping the stars rested for the crucial moments. Her role has reduced back to what was expected before the season and it remains to be seen where her career goes from here, but there were several months where she was critical for a team with the highest aspirations.
Matilde Villa, PG, Italy, Reyer Venezia, December 9th
One of the appeals of international talent, not only for the WNBA, but also for college recruitment, is the amount of high level experience that some players can get in their teenage years and there are few cases as clear as Villa, starting her fifth season in the rotation for a team in the top division before her 19th birthday. She spent the first three seasons at Costa Masnaga, playing her way into being given the reins of the team. The club’s struggles off the court meant that last season was her time to move to one of the top teams in the country and hasten her development as a point guard. That was also when her path diverged from her twin sister Eleonora, who played out the season with their original team in the second division and then headed to Washington State, where her years of playing as the off-ball threat companion to Matilde have paid off immediately. Matilde’s shooting and decision-making have come along well with more at stake at the club level, but her fearless driving ability continues to be her primary attribute. Italy decided to bring her to EuroBasket as a back of the roster option, leaving her off the U19 World Cup roster that would have allowed her to showcase herself alongside the other players her age around the world, but she did return for the U20 European championship alongside her sister and led them to a strong finish. Either way, she should continue to get heavy playing time for a team that has started the season leading the Italian league and contending for additional cup trophies and will continue to garner notice as one of the absolute youngest prospects in this class.
Elena Buenavida, PG, Spain, Valencia, March 8th
A player who was never supposed to be available for the draft this early, Buenavida had long been slated to matriculate at UCLA. When it finally became clear before last season that it would never happen, she opted to sign for Valencia after her time at a team designed for young Spanish players. The benefit of this arrangement was that she was also able to spend time with Paterna, the second division team functioning as their reserve squad. That gave her a good mix of roles and the chance to be star player some of the time and has continued this season. While she has had steady opportunities for the senior team, she still has not quite had the breakout that some prospects of similar stature have had at this age, but her team is deep and the roster is designed for heavy substitution. Part of her continued evolution is more time as a true point guard and she made tremendous strides in that direction starting in the summer, when she was the assists leader at the U19 World Cup at home. Her performances there were solid and also the biggest indicator of what she could turn into in the future, although questions remain about which of her shooting stats should be considered the most accurate baseline. She is definitely a candidate for a late selection that could give her the chance to play in the United States that has been delayed so many times.
Alicia Florez, SG, Spain, Valencia, April 19th
A name who emerged all of a sudden at the end of the U19 World Cup, Florez’s journey into the global consciousness has been unusual and fast. Coming through the ranks of her local team Leon, she had a strong debut season in the old second tier as a major defensive threat who could score at that level. The attention from her performances there and at the youth level brought interest from Valencia and put her in their development structure. Unfortunately, she was injured for most of last club season, just recovering in time to play one league game and the postseason with Paterna in the second division. She made the team for the U19 World Cup and showed a little bit of everything as she played a lot of the key minutes coming off the bench in their run to the final and got a lot of attention in that last game. This club season has gone more according to plan as she has gotten minutes with Valencia when the timing has been right while playing heavy minutes with the reserves at Paterna. Her overall scoring and defensive have been effective in the second division, but the nagging question about what she can do in future in terms of shooting still has not been answered. She has struggled from distance and the free throw line again, which feels like a limiting factor in her bid to break into the rotation of the senior team. Valencia’s many approaches for their young players could help her out as a future loan to a team playing at a higher level than Paterna, but with less ambitions than Valencia could give her the minutes and training to make the final strides that would allow her to have a global impact in the future.
Maimouna Haidara, PF, Mali, Celta (Spain), June 2nd
Fast-tracked through the national team program, Haidara’s club situation changed this year to give a clearer picture of where she stands apart from her tournament appearances over the years. She moved to Spain at an early age, spending multiple seasons in the lower divisions and getting plenty of playing time, including averaging a double-double before she turned 17. That double-double threat was clear at the youth national team level where she was impressive playing up two years at the 2021 U19 World Cup. That summer, she also got the chance to play for the senior team that won the silver medal at AfroBasket. That role continued to increase as she played with them for the following two summers, but she showed what she could do against players her age again at the U19 World Cup. This season, she signed with newly promoted Celta to get an extended chance in Spain’s top division where she is playing big minutes and averaging double-figures in scoring while continuing to show her ability on the defensive end. Her quick adjustment to the step up in level has been impressive and she looks ready to stay at level whether her team remains there or not. She is showing signs of being an offensive threat in addition to her defensive motor and while she might be a natural power forward, she could still situationally play small forward, which seems likely to be her position for the national team.
Madina Okot, C, Kenya, Kenya Ports Authority, August 23rd
No player has ever been drafted to the WNBA directly from an African club, but Okot has the best chance to make history in a while. She made her first splash on the global level at the first Nike Hoop Summit, grabbing 8 rebounds in 16 minutes for the World team and not backing down against much more highly regarded centers. With limited experience in basketball after finally making the transition from volleyball, her offensive game is well behind her defense for now, but her potential on defense is worth monitoring in the near future, although it will be hard to do so if she does not make the move to a different league soon. There have been multiple possibilities for her to try the American college route after previously committing to Troy and signing with Eastern Michigan, but she has remained in Kenya. She has shown the ability to grab rebounds consistently in any context, including averaging 14.4 boards in only 21.7 minutes per game at the last AfroBasket qualifying tournament. This past month was also a big showcase for her when she participated in the continental club championship again with KPA, averaging her usual double-double while making the all-tournament team and winning the silver medal.
Nastja Claessens, SF, Belgium, Braine, December 2nd
Getting the right club situation in the draft year can be critical with no second chance at the process, and Claessens had a decision to make in her first professional season. Women’s basketball has gained significant momentum in Belgium in recent years with the success of the national team, but the league’s strength may have hit a ceiling. It is a good place for a young player with around half the teams at any given time not quite operating at a professional level, mostly giving young Belgian players the opportunities and that was how she got three seasons of significant playing time at Waregem before this season. She also got her first taste of senior national team play at the end of EuroBasket qualifiers last cycle. Youth national team play was her first chance outside of the local context and she had a great overall U20 tournament, finishing top twelve in all five statistical categories, although she had a tough time in the game that mattered most, sending them down to Division B in 2024. This was the season where the next step up was needed and she opted for local powerhouse Braine. An injury that cost her some time notwithstanding, it has been a good step up for her with a good role, but also other talented teammates and the chance to play in EuroCup. It may not be enough to get a draft look now, even though history shows that it is possible from this league, but this season and youth national team play have made her transition to small forward look complete and if her shooting from distance at club level is indicative of a true jump, she should be able to quickly move to a stronger league.
Valentyna Kadlecova, SG, Czech Republic, Levharti Chomutov, May 22nd
Basketball has grown in popularity in a number of new countries around the world, but it is always worth looking at some of the old mainstays for exciting players and Kadlecova has certainly had the chance to develop in the Czech league. Chomutov’s joining the top division coincided with her being ready to contribute at the age of 16 and they have grown alongside her to the international and continental stages. Her scoring ability has increased each season as she has always been given responsibilities within the squad to help them reach new heights. After two strong youth national team efforts over the summer and a strong audition in EuroCup, it may be her time to explore playing for a stronger team in the league or to move to a foreign league as the one worry as she has gotten older is becoming a less discerning shooter, but there is plenty of time to finish this season strong as she is also starting to break into the senior national team setup as well. She has also shown some secondary playmaking ability at the youth national team level that could translate well in the future.
Post-College Players
Will this be the draft with the eighth player to ever be drafted in this category? With the pandemic changing eligibility rules, recent years have seen players not opting into the draft declaration process, but still not returning to school, instead shifting them into the following draft. There also continue to be foreign players who start college careers, but return to their home countries or turn professional elsewhere, becoming eligible with the rest of their college classes according to non-international draft rules.
Maggie Bair, PF, United States, Drake, Sedis (Spain)
By all measures, Bair should have been at least on the fringes of draft consideration at the conclusion of her fourth season at Drake in 2023, being the leader on an established mid-major team that had made the tournament again and having the attributes to play her position at the next level. When she participated in senior festivities, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that she would not use her final season of eligibility and instead appear on the list that the league would release ahead of the draft. She never did appear on that list, making it seem like it would be a simple case of her being available in 2024 regardless of where she played basketball this season, but the situation may be a little bit more complicated.
While Bair did not submit her entry to the WNBA, there was news regarding her professional path that clearly happened before the draft. On March 29th, her current agency announced that she had signed with them. Given the rules surrounding NIL representation, that sort of news cannot always be taken as a renunciation of remaining NCAA eligibility, but not all basketball agencies are capable of providing services in that sphere. This action could be construed as an action that triggered automatic entry into the 2023 draft that did not require further registration of intent. Our efforts to determine how any of the parties involved perceived the implications of various actions and Bair’s current WNBA status have not borne fruit. It is worth noting that a situation in 2022 had a similar fact pattern that also failed to result in any clear understanding of what actually happened so the league has had ample opportunity to completely clarify all of the possibilities when issuing their draft opt-in instructions, but did not do so for 2023.
Getting past the technicalities, Bair signed with Sedis in the Spanish league in June and played well as soon as she debuted in September. That has not slowed down as the season has progressed and she has also been able to slide over to center for the team while being one of the league’s top scorers. Given her performances in EuroCup and in a league that has its share of player with WNBA experience, it would seem likely that she is still on team radars. As a result, we may get an indication soon when it comes to her official status with the league if she is offered and signs a contract during free agency. If that does not happen, it will be more interesting to see if a team picks her late in the draft, which would force the league to definitively state whether she was eligible or not due to the contract implications.
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