USC Trojans Kiki Iriafen No. 3 Overall Pick In Updated WNBA Draft Projection

The 2025 WNBA Draft will kick off on Monday, April 14. The USC Trojans have a couple of players moving on to the WNBA, including forward Kiki Iriafen, who is projected to go in the first round.

In a recent ESPN mock draft, released on the day of the draft, Iriafen is expected to be the No. 3 overall pick. This has been a consistent prediction throughout the 2024-2025 women’s college basketball season. With the current draft order, Iriafen is expected to be selected by the Washington Mystics.

In ESPN’s mock draft, there are two players selected before Iriafen. UConn guard Paige Bueckers is projected to go No. 1 overall to the Dallas Wings. Bueckers just won a national championship and is the easy pick for No. 1 overall. Going No. 2 overall in the mock draft is center Dominique Malonga, from the France national team. Malonga is just 19 years old, but has been playing professionally in France.

Mar 31, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (44) stands for the National Anthem before a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament game against the UConn Huskies at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Iriafen spent her first season with the Trojans after entering the transfer portal in 2024. Iriafen began her collegiate career with the Stanford Cardinal. Iriafen was a starter with Stanford and had a stellar 2023-2024 season. After three seasons, she entered the portal as a graduate transfer and joined the USC Trojans.

With the Trojans, Iriafen was a dynamic player. She started 35 games, averaging 18 points per game. Iriafen also averaged 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Iriafen and guard JuJu Watkins became a dynamic duo on the court, leading the Trojans to a 17-1 conference record in their first season in the Big Ten.

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The USC Trojans were eliminated in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. In the second round of the tournament, Watkins exited the game in the first quarter. Iriafen stepped up as a leader and kept the energy high on the team and in the stadium. The USC forward finished the game with 36 points and nine rebounds.

After the Trojans' loss in the women’s basketball tournament, USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb credited Iriafen for being a player who helped turn the program around.

“I also think TVO and Kiki coming in here changed our program too,” Gottlieb continued,” Gottlieb said. “We’re going to get past this stage at some point, and they’re going to have their fingerprints all over it even though, you know, they won’t be physically with us on the team.”

Mar 31, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UConn Huskies center Jana El Alfy (8) rebounds against USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (44) during the first half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

The Washington Mystics finished the 2024 season with a 114-26 overall record. The team traded up to the No. 3 overall pick with the Chicago Sky. The Mystics hold the No. 4 overall pick as well. With their trade to the No. 3 overall pick, it came with the expectation that the team would draft Iriafen.

Iriafen is the only Trojan expected to be taken in the first round, but will likely not be the only USC player taken in the 2025 WNBA draft.

USC center Rayah Marshall is a projected third-round draft pick. In the ESPN mock draft, Marshall is expected to stay in Los Angeles and be drafted by the Sparks with the No. 28 overall pick.

Marshall led the Trojans this season with 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. She also averaged 7.9 points and 2.4 assists.

The 2025 WNBA Draft will be on Monday, April 14, at 4:30 p.m. PT. The TV broadcast will be on ESPN.

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