There’s still a buzz in the air (and on social media) from Monday’s highly anticipated 2024 WNBA Draft Presented by State Farm. Dreams came true in Brooklyn that night; fresh, wide-eyed rookies realized all their hard work in college was finally paying off. This was the moment. 

But in the WNBA’s unyielding schedule, that moment can only last about 24 hours — it’s time to get to work. Training camp begins in a few short weeks, and getting drafted and making a roster spot are, unfortunately, two separate dreams. 

The phenomic-centric 2024 draft class was full of stardom. Sometimes, though, the draft is more about fit than order. These are my favorite post-draft pairings that just make sense.

Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese in Chicago

There’s the iconic Sears Tower in downtown Chicago already, but now two more towers are moving to the Windy City: 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso and 6-foot-3 Angel Reese. The Sky already were primed with the draft’s second pick, but a buzzer-beater trade allowed their next pick to move one spot up to seventh. It’s no secret that Chicago is rebuilding — free agency left them with no other choice, so going all-in on two anchor players from the last two NCAA national championship teams was smart.

“Nobody’s going to get no rebounds on us,” Cardoso joked during a press conference after the draft. The South Carolina Gamecock averaged 10 rebounds per game and won SEC Defensive Player of the Year, while Reese led her LSU Tigers with 13 rebounds and took home the SEC Player of the Year award. 

The two have been battling in the paint (and for rebounds) since high school. Millions of people watched them compete in college. So yes, the on-court duo will be fun to see unfold, but I may be even more excited about who will be coaching them from the sidelines. First-year head coach Teresa Weatherspoon will spearhead this Sky rebuild, and rookies Reese and Cardoso are a perfect match for this rookie coach. T-Spoon is a defense-first, eight-year WNBA vet; she has players ready to run through a brick wall for her, and she’ll also be there to help them navigate the newness of the league. 

After what may have felt like a grey cloud hovering over the franchise after the free agency exodus, Chicago fans should now feel like the Sky is clear, blue, and lit. 

Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston in Indiana 

Ever since Caitlin Clark announced in February she was entering the WNBA draft, we’d been daydreaming of the pick-and-roll action between Clark and the 2023 Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston. Our dreams are finally coming true. 

“As a point guard, my biggest job is I’m just feeding Aliyah the ball every single day. That’s what I’m going to do,” Clark said of Boston after the draft. “I’m going to be in there and be like, ‘Go make a layup.’ She’s going to make my life easy.”

Clark’s scoring ability is ridiculous — over 200 made 3-pointers just last season at Iowa — but her passing is what, in my opinion, will translate best to the league. Surrounded by an All-Star like Boston, it’s a match-up nightmare. Do you double-team Clark? Do you switch a guard on Boston? Do you lock the arena’s doors so they don’t get in?? They’re young and have very little to lose; watching them figure it out and compete together will be pure joy. 

Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson in Los Angeles

If the 2024 Draft showed us one thing, it was how No. 2 pick Cameron Brink and No.4 pick Rickea Jackson are prepped for Hollywood. The fits were drippy, their hair was laid, and their face cards will never decline. I see movie premiere red carpets in their future, commercial shoots, and an overflow of endorsements — the LA lights are bright, but these two are ready. 

“I’m so excited to play with Cam,” Jackson said Monday night. “I know if I get beat off the dribble, Cam is swatting into the second row.”

On the court, Brink and Jackson will immediately impact Curt Miller’s Sparks. Before the draft, new LA general manager Raegan Pebley said that LA’s lottery picks would be “foundational” pieces. Brink’s tenacious shot-blocking and Jackson’s Swiss army knife skill set are necessary for this Sparks team searching for a new identity.  

Dyaisha Fair and Becky Hammon in Las Vegas

At 5-foot-5, Syracuse’s Dyaisha Fair finished her college career with the third-most points in D1 women’s basketball. She’s a walking bucket. Fair may be entering the league as an undersized guard, but who understands that arguably the most? Aces head coach Becky Hammon. At 5-foot-6, Hammon had a Hall of Fame 16-year WNBA career, and as a coach, guards shine under Hammon’s tutelage. Despite dropping to the second round in the draft, Fair was a steal for the Aces at 16.

“It’s like a perfect situation that I’m coming in to learn, and there’s a lot to learn from, so to walk into this situation is kind of perfect for me,” Fair said. “No matter what anyone says, and what anyone may think specifically regarding my height, I’m here. Watch me work.”

The back-to-back WNBA champions have an already stacked roster, but having a scoring backup point guard couldn’t hurt. They also nabbed Kate Martin (pick 18) and Elizabeth Kittley (pick 24) in the draft crafting one of the best reserve squads in the league. Even if Fair doesn’t score a roster spot this time, being in Hammon’s orbit will make her a better pro. 

Nika Mühl and the Seattle Storm

It was poetic watching a UConn point guard with a slicked-back ponytail who wore number 10 be drafted to the Seattle Storm. Mühl, the 14th overall pick, finished her college career as the Huskies’ all-time assist leader, passing Sue Bird along the way to take the crown. Now, following Bird’s footsteps to Seattle is *chef’s kiss.*

Mühl’s draft stock skyrocketed after her defensive assignment against Caitlin Clark in the Final Four went viral, holding the nation’s scoring leader to merely six points at halftime. The two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year goes to a new-look Storm superteam with stars like Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Jewell Loyd — Mühl’s defensive prowess is in good company. I bet head coach Noelle Quinn also likes the different look Mühl could bring off the bench at point. 

I think the UConn draftees to Seattle have panned out pretty well. Mühl, who plans to play in Climate Pledge Arena under Bird’s retired jersey in the rafters, fits right in.

WNBA reporter Jordan Robinson writes columns on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter at @HeyJordanR. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams.