The new WNBA season begins on Friday, May 16, and here are the top Rookie of the Year candidates to watch throughout the season.
Last season, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark won the Rookie of the Year award after receiving 66 out of 67 first place votes from a panel of sports media.
Paige Bueckers
Guard Paige Bueckers has had an impressive year in 2025, leading the UConn Huskies to their first National Championship since 2016, the year Breanna Stewart was drafted first overall by the Seattle Storm.
Known for her flashy plays as a point guard, Bueckers brings versatility, efficiency, and a strong team-oriented approach to the Dallas Wings, who missed the playoffs last season.
Bueckers is expected to be the top contender for this year’s Rookie of the Year award, based on her accolades coming in.
“I think Paige Bueckers is the favorite for Rookie of the Year,” ESPN lead analyst Rebecca Lobo said Wednesday.
French Rookies Dominique Malonga, Monique Akoa Makani
A 19-year-old French phenom, Dominique Malonga, was selected at second overall in this year’s draft by the Seattle Storm. She is known for bringing versatility and excelling at the pick-and-roll and was a part of the French Women’s national team that won silver at the Paris Olympics last summer.
Malonga will get an opportunity to learn from frontcourt players such as Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor in Seattle.
“So much sometimes can be dependent on the minutes that you’re going to get,” Lobo said. “Dominique Malonga obviously is an incredible talent out in Seattle. She’s not going to leave the team for the European championship. She’s going to be there the entire season. What kind of minutes will she get? How ready is she going to be right away because, of course, she has elite post players ahead of her with Ezi and Nneka.”
Although she may not be the Rookie of the Year favorite, it is worth mentioning, French guard Monique Akoa Makani has made the roster for the Phoenix Mercury. She has started in the team’s first preseason game as a point guard and head coach Nate Tibbetts has confidence in her ability.
With the growth of basketball in France, Malonga and Akoa Makani will be two of the players to make notable impact on their respective teams.
Sonia Citron
Guard Sonia Citron, who was selected third overall out of Notre Dame in this year’s draft, will be one of the key players as the Washington Mystics head into rebuild mode. Especially with guard Georgia Amoore out for the season due to a torn ACL injury, Citron will get her opportunities.
“Sonia Citron in Washington I think is going to have a lot of opportunity and certainly looks ready to be an impactful pro right away,” Lobo said. “I think she could have really good numbers her rookie year because of what Washington will want her to do.”
Dark Horse Candidate: Te-hina Paopao
During the 2025 WNBA Draft, Te-Hina Paopao was not selected in the first round and was ultimately picked 18th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the second round. Since then, Paopao has demonstrated her confidence on the court and has expressed her love for the city of Atlanta.
Veteran guard Shatori Walker Kimbrough spoke highly of Paopao’s performance against the Indiana Fever in the Dream’s final game of the preseason on Saturday. Paopao scored 14 points and had a field goal percentage of 83.3 from the field.
“She’s not a rookie,” Walker Kimbrough said. “Her poise and her confidence — she doesn’t give rookie at all. She’s been very consistent in training camp. So, I’m not surprised because I’ve seen it every single day.”
Smesko is impressed with the defensive intensity Paopao brought to the Dream throughout the offseason despite the loss to the Indiana Fever on May 10.
“She really competed on the defensive end,” Smesko said. “We challenge her on that side, and she rose to the occasion. Like I said, she’s fearless. She goes in there, she’s ready, and she’s played in big as games as there are in the college game, so this doesn’t bother her. She’s excited about this opportunity, and she’s making the most of it.”
