ESPN’s Elite 10 Rising WNBA Stars Under 25: Featuring Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese

Every generation leaves its fingerprints on the WNBA, but this one is already leaving handprints all over the walls. The past two drafts haven’t just added talent, they’ve shifted the league’s center of gravity. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink burst onto the scene in 2024, and just a year later, Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen arrived to keep the surge going. Together, they’ve made the 2025 season feel like a crucial new page in the league’s history. The proof is in the milestones: six All-Stars under the age of 25, the most the league has seen since 2011. ESPN’s latest ranking of the top 10 players under 25 reflects exactly that. A snapshot of the young athletes who are not just holding the torch but running ahead with it.

1. Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

Few athletes have managed to reshape not just a league, but an entire sport, the way Caitlin Clark has. Her place at the top of the list is less a surprise and more a confirmation of just how extraordinary her talent is. In only 13 games, she’s averaging 16.5 points and 8.8 assists—impressive by any standard. Yet Clark’s true impact can’t be measured on a stat sheet alone.

 As Michael Voepel wrote, “But when healthy, Clark’s impact is enormous: She stretches the floor with her shooting range, pushes the pace and picks defenses apart with her passing. The 23-year-old brings an unmatched excitement factor every time she’s on court, and her confidence spreads to the whole team. She is also the biggest draw on the road of any WNBA player, so her effect on the entire league is huge”. 

2. Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings

Paige Bueckers’ rookie season has not just met expectations—it has blown past them. Fresh off an NCAA championship run, she carried her trademark scoring efficiency seamlessly into the WNBA. Records have already fallen in her debut year, highlighted by a dazzling 44-point showcase against the Los Angeles Sparks that instantly became part of league lore. It’s no wonder one general manager, speaking anonymously, had predicted: “She’ll be a Hall of Famer.”

Alexa Philippou wrote for Bueckers, “Bueckers’ efficiency has mostly carried over from UConn, with her 46.6% field goal shooting the best of any guard averaging at least 16 points in the league. She has shown the midrange game still has a place in modern basketball, even in 2025. Her crowning achievement came last week when she became the first player to drop 40-plus points in a game on 80% efficiency“.

3. Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever

Although Caitlin Clark took the Indiana Fever to their first playoffs in nearly a decade, the Fever had drafted one of the most important players a year ago. In Caitlin Clark’s absence due to injury, Aliyah Boston has been a valuable contributor, along with Kelsey Mitchell. She is having her career-best year and averaging 15.5 points and 3.6 assists. Already a dominant post player, Aliyah still has a lot of potential to develop into one of the league’s premier two-way players.

Kendra Andrews wrote about how Boston will keep leveling up: Her rookie year was focused on playing in the post. Last season was about evolving the pick-and-roll with Clark. During the offseason, Boston focused on conditioning, and this summer she has become a bigger part of the offense. Next up is taking more 3s and becoming more of a three-level scoring threat and floor spreader. 

4. Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm

Dominique Malonga had a slow start to her WNBA career, reaching double figures in scoring for the first time in her 16th game of the season. But by August, she had found her rhythm, averaging 13 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on 60% shooting. Over her last 12 outings, she has scored in double digits eight times (3 20+ outings). As Kevin Pelton wrote, “Given Malonga would be entering her second college season if she were American, she has years of development ahead. That gives Malonga, whose three 20-point games are the most ever by a WNBA teenager, MVP potential”.

5. Angel Reese, Chicago Sky

Coming into the league as one of the most polarizing prospects, Angel Reese broke the rebounding records in her rookie campaign. After spending her offseason playing in Unrivaled, she worked hard to improve her offensive prowess. And the results are certainly showing. Although her scoring has not improved massively, her finishing around the rim is significantly better. Her field goal percentage is up from 39% to 45%. But her growth is most evident in her playmaking ability.

Andrews explained, “She’s averaging 3.7 assists per game, top 5 among all forwards and the most among WNBA players under the age of 25. She excels at passing in the post, a nod to her chemistry with Kamilla Cardoso, and better understands how her presence down low opens up her teammates more”. 

6. Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics

Usually, when a player comes into the professional stage, their numbers go down. However, in a strange twist, Sonia Citron has improved on her college output as a rookie. After being given the reins of the team after Brittney Sykes’ trade to the Seattle Storm. As of now, she is averaging 15.2 points per game on an impressive 47-42-88 split. Also, “Citron’s .608 true shooting percentage ranks in the WNBA’s top 10. And at 21, she’s younger than the typical college product,” Pelton wrote. Coming into the league as a heavy underdog for the WNBA Rookie of the Year, she has continued to give Paige Bueckers a run for her money for the title. After a rookie year that has surprised many, there is no telling how much Sonia can improve. 

7. Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky

Angel Reese’s partner in the front court, Kamila Cardoso, has made massive improvements in her statistics throughout the board. She has improved her output from 9.8 points per game to 13.4 per game. Apart from scoring, she has improved her rebounding and assists as well. Paired with Angel Reese, she helped lead the Chicago Sky to the top of the league in rebounding. Although the Chicago Sky has had another disappointing season, there is a lot of potential still to come from the team. 

8. Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks

From the 2024 WNBA draft class, Rickea Jackson is another young sensation who has continued to improve her stats in her second year in the league. Although she had a relatively slow start to the season, she has completely flipped the script. Her performances since mid-June have been one of the biggest reasons for the Los Angeles Sparks’ surge to creep into the fight for the playoff spots. “Already boasting eight 20-plus point games for the Sparks since mid-June,” Philippou wrote. As per her, Jackson’s goal for the next season should be for her defense to become one of the most elite forwards in the league.

9. Cameron Brink, Los Angeles Sparks

Admittedly, Cameron Brink’s career so far has been a little hard to gauge. Till now, she has only appeared in 26 games due to a devastating ACL injury in her rookie year. However, in those 26 games, she has displayed signs of elite defense. As of now, she is averaging 2 blocks per game in her career (1.6 blocks per game this season).

Her scoring numbers are down from last year, but that is to be expected from someone coming back after a long injury on minutes restriction. If she is able to continue her defensive work and take the next step in her offensive game, year 3 Cameron might shock some people. “While she’s still getting her feet back under her after returning to the floor in late July, her 3-point shooting (20-for-44, 45.5%) has excelled, a good sign for her offensive development,” Philippou wrote. 

10. Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics

The second part of Mystics’ amazing rookie duo, Kiki Iriafen, has been having an amazing year. Named as an All-Star along with her teammate Sonia Citron, she is averaging 12.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Kiki had an electric start to her WNBA career as she was named the Rookie of the Month for May over her teammate, Sonia Citron, and Paige Bueckers. “The No. 4 draft pick in April, Iriafen turned 22 this week. She was an All-Star after showing how quickly she adapted to the pro game, especially her ability to rebound at an elite level,” Voepel wrote. 

With so much young talent and even more coming into the league in the future, the league is set for the long run. Following the legends who have paved the way for the league will surely not be easy. But with a talent pool this big, the league is certainly in the best moment in its history.