International picks have always been a component of the WNBA draft process, but in recent years, some teams have shown that they are particularly interested in players from that route, especially late in the draft. With two more expansion teams, including the first Canadian team, there is not likely to be much of a slowdown even as more top foreign players are opting to postpone their draft clocks by playing in college.
Our list will be as comprehensive as possible, including discussing players who are likely to be far off the draft radar right now, to discuss basketball in a number of countries. 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.
Awa Fam, C, Spain, Valencia, June 17th
Long considered the top international prospect in this class, Awa Fam has retained that status even though she has not necessarily had the flashiest season. Coming through the youth system at Valencia, she got developmental time at their second division affiliate and spot minutes with the senior team. She went to Gernika on loan last season to get extended minutes and was able to show more of what she could do. Her return to Valencia this season marks her fifth campaign at the top division level and she has been part of a center platoon, which has raised some concerns among those who expected her to clearly stake her claim as their primary post player in a league where the position is not the strongest. She did have a promising start to her senior national team career in a silver medal run at EuroBasket, but that does raise questions about her availability given Spain’s historically strong team chemistry. Her camp has been pretty clear that she intends to play in the WNBA this season, which should still preserve her draft stock, but she is probably further away from being able to contribute than had been projected a few years ago, meaning that not every team might view her as a fit.
Iyana Martin, PG, Spain, Avenida, January 18th
Segle XXI has given young Spanish players the time and setting to develop over the years and Iyana Martin is certainly in contention to be one of the most impactful players to have gone through there. She made an immediate impact in the top division when she started her professional career at Avenida last season and has continued to play a big role for them this season. After a brilliant U19 World Cup run in 2023, there was some expectation that she would return to that level in 2025, but the senior national team needed her at EuroBasket and she had good moments in the group stage that should raise expectations for her future with them. Her unconventional style as a playmaker and scorer might bring some question marks about how it translates to other systems, but there is still plenty of time for her to develop and should be a good value pickup with where she lands in the draft.
Nell Angloma, SG, France, Lattes Montpellier, June 12th
In recent years, France has become the premier source of high level prospects for the draft and that is not slowing down this year either. Nell Angloma has had the best overall season of any international prospect in this draft and has become the big scoring threat for Lattes Montpellier in a league that historically has only relied on youth over veteran experience in desperate situations. She already had a solid debut season for them at this level last year, but has made an even bigger jump now. There was a scenario in which last year’s U19 World Cup would have seen some of the brightest prospects on the planet go head to head, but she ended up being one of the few higher level players to participate, doing what she could for a French team that missed some key players. While there are certainly questions about how she will be able to round out her offensive game over time to be a star at the highest levels, it is hard to see how much more could be asked of her in this role at her age.
Stella Colas, PG, France, Charnay, October 5th
Several young French point guards showed what they could do at the top division level last season and Stella Colas was perhaps the biggest surprise after making the jump from the national training program team in the second division. Chartres fought hard, but got relegated after the playdowns, leading her to signing with Charnay to stay at that level before her former team was granted a reprieve. Her start to the season was rather uneven and she has had to miss some time, but she has shown flashes when she has gotten minutes, including solid playmaking, even on the continental level. She did not end playing in all of the games for the U19 team over the summer when the door had been opened for her to be the primary point guard, but she did manage to have solid games against strong opposition. There is still some time for her to demonstrate her development as the team prepares for the playoffs, but she is likely only to get consideration at the very back end of the draft at this point.
Ines Pitarch-Granel, SF, France, Bourges, May 6th
Bourges has consistently been one of the top teams in France, riding strong fan support in a relatively small town, and their roster this season with built with nine established senior professionals, leaving plenty of opportunities for younger players. While she was not the biggest name prospect in that group, Ines Pitarch-Granel has again been trusted with a rotation minutes and been ever-present for the team in her second season. There is certainly room for her to grow at this level, especially when it comes to demonstrating the scoring ability that she showed in her introduction with youth national teams, the fact that she continues to be trusted for a team that expected to contend on multiple fronts is a good sign, especially after a string of big continental games. She had a mixed U19 World Cup run, especially against top teams, but also showed her defensive and rebounding prowess against players her age. Her combination of production and promise could certainly lead to a pick in the back half of the draft.
Eszter Ratkai, PG, Hungary, NKA Universitas Pecs, December 14th
There are a number of countries that have devoted significant attention to developing their women’s programs in recent years and one place on that list is Hungary, which has made sure that young players have opportunities in league play. They have been close to breaking through on the national team level and continue to bring through prospects each year. In this draft class, Eszter Ratkai is their biggest hope, a guard who is tall enough to play either position, but looks set to be a point guard as her career continues. There is definitely room for her to improve her scoring ability in the coming years, but the early returns on her playmaking are promising as she has had a big role for the league leaders and had some strong moments in continental play. She also has an extensive youth national team career, including having the highest average assists in last year’s U19 World Cup. The country is still looking to get one of their prospects acknowledged with a draft selection and the expansion of the league makes this year a stronger possibility than any time in recent memory.
Ella Declerq, SF, Belgium, Latem-De Pinte Donza, March 11th
Belgium has suddenly emerged as a powerhouse in Europe in recent years, but their domestic league is still working towards joining the conversation as part of the second tier of competitions on the continent. While some teams are able to bring in foreigners and national team caliber players, there are also teams that are relying on mostly local and younger players. Latem-De Pinte Donza has emerged as the top team in that category this season behind the top trio and much of the credit can go to their sister duo, led by Ella Declerq, who has a decisive lead for the league’s scoring title. She has shown her versatility at forward, leading the team in four major statistical categories as her older sister Leni is the second leading scorer. It is a little difficult to project whether all of those skills will continue to translate at a higher level, especially since it was really scoring that she was able to display while playing up a year at the European U20 championships, but it hard not to notice her giant leap in production this season while contributing to team success.
Sintija Aukstikalnyte, SG, Lithuania, Kibirkstis Vilnius, September 18th
Lithuania has a new rising generation of players coming through just as their previous generation is reaching the end of their prime. Basketball has obviously been a big part of the country’s fabric in recent decades, but that has not always translated on the women’s side. Sintija Auskstikalnyte is the top prospect from this birth year and she has had extensive experience at the youth national team and club levels. Coming through the development system at Kibirkstis, the country’s recent powerhouse, she was able to average 25 minutes per game and double-figures scoring in her first top division season with their reserve team at age 15. This marks her fifth season of play at that level as she continues to work her way into the rotation at the Baltic and continental levels for the main team. Her scoring ability was clear in the summer when she was one of the best players while playing up a year at the U20 European championships, leading them to a second place finish. She also has some playmaking ability that could allow her to play in either guard spot long-term. Her shooting at the club level, where she is able to be more judicious, is promising. Lithuania is hosting the next EuroBasket tournament so she has had the chance to play with their senior team as they prepare for next year.
Yulia Savukova, SG, Russia, MBA, May 1st
Russia has now been cut off from the rest of the international basketball world for four years, but WNBA teams showed last year that they still have eyes on the league when it comes to drafting and signing players from there. Yulia Savukova has had free reign on a team designed specifically to only play graduates of its academy in Moscow, demonstrating both her scoring prowess with a number of impressive performances and her youth at times with inconsistency. The team has not performed quite as well as expected with the amount and caliber of foreign players still being less than the league’s peak theoretically making other teams weaker, but she continues to be their primary option. While Anastasiia Olairi Kosu was drafted a bit earlier than might have been expected last year, she was already quite the established global prospect at the age of 14. On a global level, Savukova has only played one summer at the youth national team level, which was during the 2021 tournaments that had a different format due to the pandemic. Picking her late in the draft could be a small risk that works out years in the future as she develops.
Lilli Onnela, SF, Finland, Faenza (Italy), January 27th
International draft picks have been made from second division teams in the past, although the Connecticut Sun selection of towering center Astan Dabo with the 9th pick in 2012 after limited time with Mali’s national team and one solid season in France’s second division is certainly not a situation that anyone is hoping to repeat. Lilli Onnela made an interesting choice after being the star at HBA, Finland’s premier youth-focused team that offered its players experience against teams with established pros. She chose Faenza, a team in Italy’s second division that had recently played at the top level. Finland’s league had weakened a bit in recent years, but she moved to a place that often has younger rosters and stricter roster rules, even though there are local players and other Europeans with pedigrees who move there with the promise of playing time and salary being better than a bench role offered elsewhere. She has had a solid season leading the team, but it is a bit difficult trying to figure out how these numbers should be put into context when a final draft decision needs to be made and likely leaves her outside of serious consideration. The national team gave her minutes in the last EuroBasket qualifying cycle and even more chances in the last two games since they are a host of next year’s tournament.
Saffron Shiels, SF, Australia, Townsville Fire, January 18th
The draft rules for internationals have left players with one chance to get selected unless they enter college later, which can certainly hurt players who get injured at the wrong time, a problem that could have harsher consequences if the difference in rookie scale depending on draft placement get bigger with increased overall salaries. Saffron Shiels had to have surgery last year and the recovery period has kept her out for the entire club season when she would have been in position to be picked in the first round if she had continued on the same developmental path. The time missed included what would have been a great opportunity to face other players her age at the U19 World Cup and even if she is able to return to action in the upcoming NBL1 season, she will likely not be able to showcase everything that she can do before the draft. While there was some thought that her future role would be as a tall point guard, it seems more likely that she will continue to be more of a versatile wing who can be a secondary playmaker. A team using an earlier than expected pick on her could be a gamble that pays off down the line when she is ready to join the league.
Monique Bobongie, SG, Australia, Canberra Capitals, December 27th
The Australian league has always had roster room for development players, giving youngsters the chance to train with teams and get minutes before making decisions on whether to turn professional or take the college route. Monique Bobongie had a great first campaign at the top level with Canberra last season, playing more minutes than expected and taking advantage of every opportunity. There was some expectation that she could build on that more and possibly solidify a spot near the middle of the draft, but both minutes and stats have taken a step back this season. She is set to return to the Mackay Meteorettes for the upcoming NBL1 season where she will get the chance to display her scoring ability and get some playmaking duties to show that she might eventually be able to contribute at either guard spot. She did showcase that scoring ability at the U19 World Cup even without playing heavy minutes and is certainly a stash candidate for the end of the draft.
Manuela Puoch, SF, Australia, Southside Melbourne Flyers, October 5th
Another young player who made her mark in Australia’s national league last season had a familiar last name as Manuela Puoch looked to follow her sister Nyadiew in becoming an established prospect at that level and is now trying to join her in being selected in the draft. Southside Melbourne went from the bottom of the standings to a playoff team this season, so while she has gotten more consistent minutes, she has not necessarily gotten more opportunities even though she has had a few big statlines. She is not quite as tall as her sister, so she should stay on the wing long-term and is suited to being a versatile option there. Her return to the Dandenong Rangers for the upcoming NBL1 season has already been announced so she makes sense as another stash candidate in the second half of the draft who could be ready in a few years. After missing out on some youth national teams in the past, she made the U19 team last summer and had an excellent World Cup, including against some of their strongest competition, leaving her in a strong position to continue developing.
Kokoro Tanaka, PG, Japan, Sunflowers, January 10th
One of the unexpected stories of the summer’s Asia Cup was Kokora Tanaka scoring more points than any other player in Japan’s silver medal run while also leading the team in assists, all in her first competitive senior team games. The country has certainly developed its share of guards who fit in their scheme in recent years, but she entered the tournament having scored 96 points in 27 professional league games coming off of the bench so her 89 points at the event were rather surprising. She is getting more minutes for the Sunflowers this season, but is still not putting up nearly the same scale of stats as they just missed the playoffs so it is still very much a mystery how WNBA teams will view her. She will face tougher competition for a roster spot and playing time when the national team hits World Cup qualifying and that could determine whether she is line for a late round pick.
Ran Kejia, SG, China, Sichuan, September 29th
The storyline for China at the U19 World Cup was expected to revolve around one player, but when they made a big roster decision to balance other priorities, it left a chance for other players to move into a starring role. The player who emerged was Ran Kejia, who was one of the top scorers in the competition while putting up absurd rebounding numbers having only made one youth national team game appearance ever before the event. It was a rare complete meteoric rise onto the draft radar in the space of a week so there was certainly some anticipation about how she would do in this club season. She joined powerhouse Sichuan and has had some decent moments, but she has not gotten the chances that had been hoped for before the season with the team trying desperately to win the championship this season, but not quite showing the dominance given the experienced players elsewhere on the roster. With the expanded number of draft picks, it certainly would not be too big of a risk for a team at the end of the draft pick her even with limited data.
Li Yuqian, SF, China, Zhejiang, August 7th
The Chinese player with more of a track record leading up to this draft is Li Yuqian, who was the other wing for them in the U19 World Cup. She had been one of the players who helped them qualify for the tournament and then took on a bigger scoring role with a different roster. Her club team Zhejiang did not have foreign players this season, leaning on her and some of their more experienced players. Given the star level foreigners that most of the other teams in the upper group of the divided Chinese league have, their results have been predictably poor even though she has gotten plenty of time to show what she can do. She is still more likely on the fringes of draft consideration and more of a player to track in future years if she is able to develop with all of this playing time.
Sina Hollerl, SG, Austria, Klosterneuberg Duchess, October 24th
There are still some areas of the CBA where the language is unclear about how draft rights are handled, which could affect whether there is any value in a team picking Sina Hollerl this year if there are any updates in the next agreement. Hollerl is signed to play for Oklahoma in the fall and it is known that the most recent CBA allows her to enter the draft later if she is not picked this year. The illustrative case is likely to be what the ruling on the draft status of Nastja Claessens is after she joined Kansas State a year after being selected. Austria seems to have a plan for developing basketball in the country, being willing participants in the 3×3 scene where it is easier to put together a team of four than a team of twelve and she has been active for them. They have had a fantastic start to 2027 EuroBasket qualification though, sweeping the first window as she played well, giving them hopes for the next round too. On the club level, Klosterneuberg is not always challenged domestically, so they have joined regional leagues to test themselves. Like some of the other top Austrian players, the college route makes sense for her, and her offensive skillset and size as a guard should put her in position to contribute there. Whether it makes sense for her to be drafted now or after college remains to be seen.
Post-College Players
International players who go to college end up falling under those eligibility rules, which means that players who leave college early often end up having to wait multiple years to be eligible in the draft. Even though they are not technically international players in draft terms, we mention them here because they are not actively participating in college basketball. There are also players who sometimes would have been eligible for the previous draft, but did not declare, only to subsequently play somewhere besides college, putting them in the next draft. This can be a harder category to track for some players, especially since the WNBA did not post any kind of official draft declaration list last year.
Frieda Buhner, PF, Germany, Florida, Estudiantes (Spain)
There is clearly one player in this category who is in position to be the eighth player selected in this situation. Frieda Buhner only played four games for Florida back in 2022 before deciding to leave the team in November and return to her former team Osnabruck, but that was enough to delay any WNBA eligibility until this year. She continued to develop in her home country and then moved to a much higher level of club competition last season when she joined Estudiantes in Spain after getting some minutes for Germany in the Olympics. She also impressed there, making it clear that she would be a serious draft prospect this year. With players missing EuroBasket, she took on a much bigger role for Germany and became their leading scorer. Her flashes of shooting ability at her size should continue to make her a dangerous scorer on the global level and the expansion of the WNBA should give a team in the middle of the draft a chance to try to secure her rights even she does not immediately make the move over to the league.
Lina Sontag, PF, Germany, UCLA, Osnabruck
There is one more player who was in the last Olympics who qualifies in the category. Lina Sontag played two seasons at UCLA before opting not to continue her college career. Later that year, she made the final roster for Germany at the Olympics and played a few minutes in the tournament. While the reporting around her departure from UCLA suggested that she was retiring from basketball, she did in fact continue her playing career at Freiburg while pursuing studies closer to home. She was a solid rotation player for them during the season and then moved to Osnabruck for this campaign, playing a bigger role, although still not necessarily showing the promise from earlier in her career. Past draft experience for post-college players has demonstrated that teams sometimes still make their judgements off of earlier evaluations so it would never be too surprising to see a pick that might seem like a reach. She did get named to the preliminary roster for the latest senior national team and her work there will probably dictate her next professional options around the world.
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