Approach-too-early WNBA rookie ladder: the place do Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron stack up after Week 1?

We’re just one week into the WNBA season, however already, a number of gamers appear to be Rookie of the 12 months prospects. It’s no shock that Paige Bueckers, the consensus No. 1 decide within the 2025 WNBA Draft, is an early standout. However the Washington Mystics two first-round choices have exceeded expectations too, as have a number of others within the early days.

Right here’s a way-too-early WNBA rookie ladder, which we’ll replace each month via the season.

#1. Sonia CitronWashington Mystics

Picture by Noah Graham/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

2025 Stats: 14.7 factors (50% FG, 36.4% from three), 3.7 rebounds, 2 assists

Sonia Citron, the Mystics’ third general decide, has been stellar via three video games. She leads all rookies in scoring and was a vital a part of the workforce’s 2-0 begin, posting 19 factors on 6-7 taking pictures on opening night time towards the Atlanta Dream and 15 factors on 5-10 taking pictures in a subsequent win over the Connecticut Solar.

She’s additionally proven off the defensive talents that made her a lottery decide, holding Dream All-Star Rhyne Howard to 4-14 taking pictures.

“It’s a problem that I like,” Citron stated after opening night time. “I informed Coach that I need to have the ability to play either side of the ball, and defending gamers like Rhyne (is) solely going to make me higher.”

#2. Kiki IriafenWashington Mystics

Picture by Kenny Giarla/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

2025 Stats: 13.7 factors (51.7% FG), 10 rebounds

Kiki Iriafen was chosen fourth general by the Mystics after a standout profession at Stanford and an up-and-down closing season at USC. However, the 6’3 ahead has been masterful via three video games as a professional, posting a double-double in every of the final two video games and matching up effectively towards the Atlanta Dream and Connecticut Solar’s bigs — a veteran group that features among the sport’s all-time greats in Brittney Griner and Tina Charles.

“Her poise within the second is phenomenal,” Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson stated after the Mystics’ loss to the Golden State Valkyries. “We’re speaking a couple of rookie three video games into her profession. I simply love all the pieces about her, and we’re anticipating she’ll proceed to construct.”

Iriafen tallied 10 factors (5-11 FG) and 12 rebounds on Wednesday night time within the Bay — and impressed her coach within the course of.

“Her having a double-double when she’s most likely not at her finest says loads about her as a participant,” Johnson stated.

#3. Paige BueckersDallas Wings

Picture by Ron Jenkins/Getty Photographs

2025 Stats: 13.7 factors (37.1% FG, 33.3% on threes), 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds

The Dallas Wings (0-3) have struggled within the early days, and Bueckers has been much less environment friendly than her extremely environment friendly UConn self.

Nonetheless, she’s proven flashes of brilliance via her first week as knowledgeable, posting 19 factors, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block towards the Seattle Storm. She adopted that up with a 12-point, 10-assist, 3-steal efficiency in entrance of a hometown crowd in Minnesota.

Unsurprisingly, Bueckers leads all rookies in assists per recreation. And, in Wednesday’s loss to the Minnesota Lynx, she turned the second-fastest rookie to report a double-double with factors and assists (and simply the third rookie to ever accomplish that within the first three video games of her profession).

“I feel Paige is gonna be actually good,” stated Lynx star Napheesa Collier after competing towards Bueckers for the primary time in her profession. “She’s a three-level scorer. She’s an important passer.”

#4. Saniya riversConnecticut Solar

Picture by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Photographs

2025 Stats: 11 factors (42.9% FG), 4 rebounds, 2 assists

Saniyah Rivers has solely appeared in a single recreation to this point, however she confirmed some wonderful flashes in her WNBA debut. The eighth general decide tallied 11 factors, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in 25 minutes off the bench for the Connecticut Solar.

Honorable mentions: Janelle Salaun (Golden State Valkyries), Kitija Laksa (Phoenix Mercury), Te-Hinna Paopao (Atlanta Dream), Carla Leite (Valkyries), Kathryn Westbed (Mercury)