With the swift end of the collegiate season comes the WNBA Draft, with top-flight prospects entering their names and declaring themselves draft-eligible for the professional ranks.

Who are some top players you need to know before the 2024 WNBA Draft on April 15? What makes them unique in college? How might they ascend as pros, and how can they cement themselves at the next level?

Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark, the projected top pick, is a transcendent talent. A tall guard who has pushed Iowa to tremendous heights over her career, Clark is known for her long-distance shooting and playmaking. Clark has grown over the past year in how comfortably she can drive the lane and play through contact, which is critical for the next level. The blend of trying to keep her off the line while wanting to deny her the paint on drives is a nightly difficulty. The most notable about Clark that separates her game? Quickness. 

Clark’s most elite trait is her quickness in seeing the floor, reading, and making decisions with or without the ball. She shaves off moments in time that can make it seem seemingly impossible to guard her and her teammates. 

There’s room for her to grow as a more consistent defender on and off the ball, but she comes in with a pro-ready skillset and star power. I’m also interested in how she keeps developing her in-between game, the next evolution we could see over her early years as a pro.

Cameron Brink

Stanford star Cameron Brink is an exciting frontcourt prospect and an incredibly versatile player. She can block shots, shoot, run the floor, handle the ball in transition, and score with her back to the basket. Brink’s touch on the ball at someone her size is rare, with a silky pick-and-pop jumper and deft hands as a finisher around the basket and in the restricted area. How her team looks to develop her will be so interesting, as there are a multitude of pathways with which she can grow. 

Brink covers ground at a remarkably high level, taking up and occupying space in a way few can. She’s incredibly mobile for someone her size, bringing much length and aggression as a defender. It’s part of what makes her a feared rim protector, but it will likely also require a learning curve at the next level, as most paint protectors incur when they make the pro shift. 

It feels like she’s just scratching the surface of what she can be offensively, having made significant strides as a playmaker this year. 

Rickea Jackson

Rickea Jackson enters the WNBA with one of the most intriguing skillsets in the Draft and recent years. At 6’2, Jackson is a remarkably polished scoring forward, capable of playing the 3 and 4 spot. She can shoot from a distance (and is still growing in that regard), post up, drive, and is fantastic playing in the open court.

Jackson also improved this season as a more consistent defender, which will be essential at the next level. Part of being versatile is being able to be versatile all the time to get the most out of the many things you can do: consistency is key, and Jackson is on that path.

She didn’t play in a high-paced or modern-spaced offense most of the time at Tennessee, which could lead to clunky possessions as a team. However, late in the season, Jackson was given more opportunities to play as a ballhandler in early offense and out of luck and roll, showcasing an excellent feel for how to play out of the two-player game. Her upside is tremendous.

Aaliyah Edwards

UConn star forward Aaliyah Edwards plays with a phenomenal motor and an elite nose for the ball. If a ball is up in the air, Edwards is the betting favorite to come up with it in any situation. She’s shown the ability to make quality passing reads out of the high post, screen, and attack off the bounce, which fits nicely in a league that’s inverting offense more (playing bigs on the outside to shift defenses).

Edwards shot a solid 40.5% on jumpers inside the arc this season. She’s more efficient and closer to the basket. How she continues to extend her range will be a crucial aspect of how she develops and can impact the game. She’s not truly a center at the next level, although she’s played it for the Huskies this season. It’s becoming increasingly essential for 4’s to be able to spread the floor in the WNBA as the league has rapidly evolved over the past few seasons.

However, what Edwards brings as a defender should give her opportunities to impact immediately. She possesses quick feet, is always in play, and brings a willingness to play with and through contact that allows her to play bigger than her size. Edwards has a tremendous feel for the game and where to be, and makes winning plays. She’s added to her game every season and could flourish as she continues to do so as a pro.

Kamilla Cardoso

Kamilla Cardoso has taken a giant leap this season in both production and assertiveness for South Carolina, a boost to both Dawn Staley’s squad and her draft stock. At 6’7, it is rare to find a player like Cardoso. She’s incredibly quick in the open court and consistent in her effort to outrun her matchup. She’s improved throughout the year at establishing deep positioning to help create early, easy looks. She’s an incredible offensive rebounder who can break defenses simply with her presence.

On the defensive end, she’s highly mobile and capable of playing a few coverages well, mainly playing drop coverage for the Gamecocks. She’s a significant deterrent at the rim, blocking 9% of all opponents’ two-point field goal attempts when she’s on the court, a staggering number per CBB Analytics. There’s room to continue refining technique, but you can’t teach her impact and timing.

How she continues to develop as a finisher and at playing through contact will be critical, but she has the tools and production of a lottery pick, and the potential to be one of the very best players in the Draft class.

Angel Reese

Reese is a player I’m so excited to see at the next level, someone with all the tools to be a great pro. At 6’3 with a lengthy wingspan, I feel her defense goes well under the radar. She has phenomenal hands, averaging 1.9 steals per game, and quick feet to match. LSU runs a more aggressive defense, playing her out farther on the perimeter, and she’s impressed this season with her execution defending in pick and roll. Reese is a bit between positions at the 4 and the 5, more of a 5 on offense and a 4 on defense, but she’s showcased the potential to make it worth investing in playing non-traditional lineups.

Point blank, Reese is one of the best rebounders I’ve seen in basketball. She is incredible with positioning and timing her jumps to reach the ball first. She shows her ability as a point forward when ripping and running off the glass, the Tigers scoring the 5th most fastbreak points per game (16.3) in the country per CBB Analytics. There’s room to keep improving footwork attacking the basket, which could be a boon to her efficiency around the rim on drives. With what she’s shown already as a playmaker, something LSU leaned into this season, her skillset has an enticing base foundation. 

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