The 2025 WNBA Draft is already here! Eight days after the 2025 Women's College Basketball season ended, the senior class must prepare for the WNBA Draft. During the 2024 WNBA Draft, Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark was taken by the Indiana Fever with the first overall pick.
During the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Hawkeyes have another star guard who is waiting to hear her name called: Lucy Olsen.
Olsen had the tall task of replacing Caitlin Clark after she became the No.1 overall pick in last year's WNBA Draft. The Villanova transfer was one of the best transfer additions nationwide.
In her lone season with the Hawkeyes, Olsen led the team in points (17.9) and assists (5.1) per game en route to earning All-American Honorable Mention, All-Big Ten Tournament Team, and First Team All-Big Ten awards.
Olsen was underestimated multiple times during her short time in Iowa City, and that trend continues ahead of the WNBA Draft. She is projected to go sometime in the second round, most likely to the Los Angeles Sparks with the 21st overall pick.
Good Luck to Lucy Olsen tonight in the WNBA Draft!!! 👏🏀 pic.twitter.com/q5NTGM2ABG
— Iowa NIL Store (@IowaNILStore) April 14, 2025
Olsen's numbers at Villanova and Iowa suggest she has first-round talent, but the media pundits are sleeping on her talent.
Multiple teams need help at the guard position for the upcoming season (the Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, and Los Angeles Sparks to name a few) but most projections have Olsen dropping into the second round.
She can play either the point guard or shooting guard position, but would benefit from a system that will utilize her passing and mid-range shooting game. She showed the nation that she can be the number one option on a team, but can also get her teammates involved.
Even with solid teammates around her, Olsen did not have a superstar big to throw it to down low (like Hailey Van Lith at LSU/TCU) and did not have another 15-plus point scorer (like Shyanne Sellers at Maryland) on her team to take the pressure off of her shoulders.
Based on numbers alone, Olsen should go 6th overall to the newly formed Golden State Valkyries. They need help at guard, and what a dream scenario to pair two former Iowa Hawkeye stars together. Kate Martin and Lucy Olsen would form a dynamic backcourt, and everyone knows how loyal Iowa fans are.
The Valkyries could form a solid fan base comprised of Iowa fans and bring some excitement to their franchise in their first season in the WNBA.
Going No. 5 overall would be a dream scenario for Olsen, but she will not go that high. The Chicago Sky or the Dallas Wings should take her with the No. 10, 11, or 12 picks, but they seem to be going in a different direction.
The Wings and Sky also own the No. 14 and No. 16 picks in the second. The Valkyries also own the No. 17 pick if Olsen continues to fall down the board.
The most interesting scenario comes at picks 19 and 20 in the second round. Those picks are owned by none other than Caitlin Clark's team, the Indiana Fever. It would be a dream to see the last two iowa superstars team up in the WNBA.
If you thought the Iowa fans were crazy about Clark, see what happens if Olsen goes to the Fever with one of those picks. However, joining the Indiana Fever could be difficult for Olsen. The Fever already has Clark and Kelsey Mitchell locked into starting spots, with Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull slated for big roles off the bench.
It is unlikely that the Fever will take another guard in the draft, but what a dream scenario for the fans and the league!
Olsen's best-case scenario is sneaking into the first round with one of the last three picks, or going to the Valkyries with the No. 17 pick.
The dream scenario is if the Indiana Fever takes her with the No. 19 or the No. 20 pick to pair her with Caitlin Clark.
The most likely scenario is teams are sleeping on her talent, and she falls to the Spakrs with the No. 21 pick, or the Sky at No. 22. Olsen has first-round talent, but time will tell when and where she will be picked in the upcoming WNBA draft.
You can watch the 2025 WNBA Draft from New York City at 6:30 p.m. Central Time on ESPN. Here is a complete list of the draft order for all three rounds.