Hailey Van Lith and 4 other players who could be 2025 WNBA Draft steals

Now that the NCAA season is over, attention switches right over to the WNBA Draft, happening on Monday, April 14 in New York. While we know that newly crowned National Champion Paige Bueckers will almost certainly go No. 1 overall to the Dallas Wings, the rest of the draft is a little uncertain.

Players have 48 hours after their team finishes in the NCAA tournament to either renounce their remaining eligibility and declare for the WNBA draft or decide to return to college. Players like Azzi Fudd, Lauren Betts, and Flau’Jae Johnson — who could have been drafted — have already decided to stay in college. Over the next two days we will know the exact pool of players WNBA teams have to choose from next Monday.

This draft is going to be different from past WNBA seasons as well, given there are 13 teams picking now that the Golden State Valkyries are officially entering the league. The WNBA itself is also in a wildly different spot than it was just 12 months ago due to the amount of movement we saw in free agency. Plus, with the Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring after this season, teams will be hoping to draft long-term options that they can sign to the current rookie contract, which is expected to be cheaper than what first-year players will receive under the next CBA.

All of this just means that players entering the draft in 2025 have a special opportunity they may not have had in years past. There are more roster spots in the league overall, plus teams will be hoping to find players they can keep and develop over the next few seasons. Many players who may not have made a roster in years past now have the chance to grow and develop as a professional.

With that being said, let’s take a look at some potential draft steals that may end up making an impact on teams.

Hailey Van Lith, PG (TCU)

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After playing at Louisville, LSU and TCU, Hailey Van Lith is entering the WNBA, and is currently projected as a late first round or early second round pick. At that point in the draft and beyond, Van Lith would be a steal.

Unfortunately for Van Lith, she was on the wrong end of some particularly memorable Caitlin Clark highlights in the 2024 March Madness tournament. But that was more an issue of her being misused than a full portrayal of her actual talent, and it was a good choice for her to play a fifth college season as opposed to entering the draft last season. She had a great season with TCU, leading them to their first Elite Eight and raising her draft stock back to where it should be.

One team that will probably take a good look at Van Lith is the Chicago Sky, who have the 10th and 16th picks in the draft. With Courtney Vandersloot in the twilight years of her career, bringing in Van Lith to develop behind the two-time Champion would be excellent for Van Lith’s progress. The Sky also now have Ariel Atkins that Van Lith can learn from, and there is the added bonus of the already established chemistry between Van Lith and Angel Reese from their LSU days.

Kaitlyn Chen, PG (UConn)

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Kaitlyn Chen transferred to UConn this season as a grad out of Princeton. UConn’s Geno Auriemma saw something in her when his team played Princeton, and recruited her to replace Nika Muhl as point guard. Paige Bueckers plays extremely well both on and off of the ball, so it was a necessity to have an experienced PG beside her who could play either role. Chen ended up being the perfect fit.

She is calm and steady, and has the ability to do so many things on a team that often go unnoticed. Chen does not falter under pressure, often the one to score a bucket to end a drought, make a good pass, or lock in defensively. She has a sneaky ability to get to the hoop as well.

Chen may not be a Bueckers-level star, but she could end up being a draft steal for a team looking to develop a backup point guard. Chen has a shot to become a steady role player in the league, and this year is a great chance for her to make a roster and become a long-term project.

Sarah Ashlee Barker, SG (Alabama)

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Sarah Ashlee Barker’s college career came to an end via a heartbreaking close loss in the NCAA tournament Round of 32 against Maryland. She scored 45 points to go with her 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in that game. Despite the loss, it was an incredible way to end her time at ‘Bama. Now, she enters the WNBA with a ton of possibilities ahead.

One team Barker could make a splash on is the Atlanta Dream. They have the 18th pick, so she may be gone by then, but if she is not, the Dream could consider picking her up. With their new head coach Karl Smesko being one who prioritizes three-point shooting, Barker’s 37.5% shooting from distance this season may stand out.

Serena Sundell, G (Kansas State)

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Serena Sundell is another player who turned it up for the NCAA tournament, scoring 19.7 points per game in three games compared to her 14.1 points per game the rest of the season. Kansas State lost in the Sweet Sixteen, but Sundell put up 22 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in that game.

She is extremely consistent in her efforts as well, which WNBA teams love. A landing place for her may be the Minnesota Lynx, who may not need someone to come and impact game immediately, but would benefit from the development opportunities of being around a team of that level. Being able to practice with players like Bridget Carleton, Courtney Williams, and Kayla McBride would help Sundell progress into a more consistent role player.

Jordan Hobbs, G (Michigan)

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Jordan Hobbs is the stereotypical “glue player” — someone who holds the whole team together. The senior out of Michigan was tasked with leading a roster of freshman stars this season as the Wolverines welcomed in Syla Swords, Mila Holloway and Olivia Olson. She not only calmed them during turbulent times, but proved that she is a baller herself too.

In Michigan’s Round One game against Iowa State a few weeks ago, Hobbs scored a career-high 28 points, shooting 50% from three and 9-16 from the field. She does everything — shoot, pass, drive, defend. She’s another sneaky player who can rack up a quiet 15-20 points to support a star’s 25-30 points. Hobbs went from bench player as a freshman to starting leader as a senior — a progression similar to that of a WNBA player.

Hobbs could end up being a great draft pick for either the LA Sparks or Connecticut Sun, both teams that have the space and time to develop Hobbs. Her excellent leadership could also be beneficial to a young team.