The Sparks will likely add a guard or a wing when they make their lottery pick at the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday.
While the college season only just ended, Monday brings the 2025 WNBA Draft with the season rapidly approaching.
The Los Angeles Sparks are in the middle of a rebuild and hold the No. 9 pick. They previously had the No. 2 pick but traded it away as part of a three-team deal that brought Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles.
Now, they are just hours away from making their selection. While the team isn’t necessarily in win-now mode, they have a new head coach in Lynne Roberts and this is the first big decision being made during this era of Sparks basketball.
Here is a rundown of who experts around the league think Los Angeles will pick with their first round pick on Monday.
ESPN — Georgia Amoore, guard, Kentucky
Amoore is an exciting guard from Kentucky who could come in and help bolster the backcourt alongside Plum. Here is what Michael Voepel of ESPN thinks of the Wildcat.
Amoore averaged 19.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists while playing an SEC-high 36.7 minutes per game this season for the Wildcats. She spent her first four seasons at Virginia Tech, which she helped lead to the 2023 Final Four. Amoore made 408 3-pointers in college, shooting 35.6% from behind the arc.
The Athletic — Serena Sundell, guard, Kansas State
If Amoore is off the table, can the Sparks satisfy their need for more guard play with Kansas State’s Serena Sundell?
Sabreena Merchant shared her thoughts on Sundell’s fit with Los Angeles.
Sundell led the country in assists per game and became a more capable scorer as the season progressed. Kansas State put the ball in her hands when the Wildcats needed a game-tying score against Kentucky, and Sundell repeatedly got to the line against a stout USC defense in the Sweet 16. She is efficient at the rim, in the midrange and on corner 3s. She has great size for her position, which would allow her to toggle between the one and two positions and play next to ballhandling scoring guards, such as Kelsey Plum.
As the lead guard for Kansas State, Sundell hasn’t had a ton of catch-and-shoot opportunities, and her free-throw percentage is a little low for a pure shooter. However, she has been very efficient on offense inside the arc, and coach Lynne Roberts would find a way to optimize her strengths.
Sports Illustrated — Shyanne Sellers, guard, Maryland
Here is another draft prediction that’s going the guard route for Los Angeles. Below is Blake Silverman’s analysis of Shyanne Seller’s game.
With L.A.’s deep frontcourt of Cameron Brink, Hamby and Azurá Stevens, the Sparks could look to add a guard to learn from newly acquired star Plum and provide depth off the bench. Sellers is a versatile combo guard who can play both on or off the ball, and she’s coming off a good season shooting the three—albeit on lower volume. She made All-Big Ten First Team three seasons in a row and became the first player in Maryland program history with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists.
CBS Sports — Sarah Ashlee Barker, wing, Alabama
Another potential guard/wing option for the Sparks is Sarah Ashlee Barker from Alabama. With her size, she could be a nice option on the perimeter and maybe even compete with Rickea Jackson for a role. Here is what Jack Maloney of CBS Sports had to say on the WNBA prospect.
Barker’s 45-point outing against Maryland was arguably the most impressive individual effort in the NCAA Tournament. She’s a big, versatile wing who has turned herself into a reliable shooter, particularly off the catch, and you’ll never doubt her effort or toughness. All of those traits would make her a good fit for the Sparks and new coach Lynne Roberts’ analytics-driven approach.
Yahoo Sports — Amoore, guard, Kentucky
If Moore is available at No. 9, Maggie Hendricks of Yahoo Sports sees that as a good option for the Sparks.
Amoore’s team was knocked out in a thriller against Kansas State in the tournament’s second round, so we haven’t seen her play for a few weeks. But that doesn’t change the fact that Amoore is a great shooter (19.6 points per game this past season) who can instantly help the Sparks’ offense under new coach Lynne Roberts.
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