Ranking the WNBA’s 5 Best Young Cores and Caitlin Clark-Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever.
The good news? In the contemporary WNBA, there are so many intriguing rising stars that roughly half the league could make an argument for “best young core.”
You’ve got the Seattle Storm, with defensive talent Ezi Magbegor (24 years old) leading the team in rebounds (8.7 per game) and blocks (2.3 per game), Jordan Horston (23) coming up as an exciting guard and Nika Mühl (23) patiently waiting for her turn. You’ve got the Dallas Wings, who’ve been famously plagued by injury but have a few up-and-comers who could make an impact given some patience and a bigger opportunity.
You’ve got defense and redemption in Chicago, reason for hope in L.A. despite the bleak present, and something brewing in Indiana that we haven’t seen since 2016—or maybe we’ll look back and realize we’d never seen something like it at all.
The bad news? Not everyone can make the list. As we look ahead to the future, here are the five best young cores—consisting of players who are 26 years old or younger—emerging in the WNBA.
5. Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream might “only” be No. 5 on this list, but they’ve got one of the deepest pools of potential young talent.
2022 No. 1 overall pick Rhyne Howard (24) is averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 3.2 assists per game in her third pro season. Her shooting in particular is already up there with the league’s best, and her overall game is a great example for so many young players around her. Haley Jones (23), Laeticia Amihere (22), Nyadiew Puoch (20) are all first-round picks on the rise, and Naz Hillmon (24) intrigues as her minutes increase.
There’s just a bit of uncertainty as we await bigger roles for all of these players, but we like what we see so far, and the Dream have certainly got options as two-time All-Star Howard keeps growing.
4. Washington Mystics
The injury misfortune Shakira Austin (24) has had is an absolute shame, and after finally looking healthy after her hip injury, she left Monday’s game with an ankle setback. Hopefully it isn’t anything too serious, because Austin was showing us all why the Mystics picked her third overall in 2022.
In 11 games this season, she averaged 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.4 steals and 1.0 block. Big things are coming once she’s fully healthy.
Then you’ve got Aaliyah Edwards (22) leading the team in rebounds with 5.7 per game and blocks with 0.8 per game. Jade Melbourne (22) has also become a guard to watch. Considering the Mystics are one of the worst teams in the league this season, they’re definitely on Paige Bueckers watch, and she’d complement Austin’s size and defense perfectly.
3. Chicago Sky
Look, it’s tough to put a team with Angel Reese (22), Chennedy Carter (25) and Kamilla Cardoso (23) at No. 3. In our current reality, especially with Carter’s inspiring campaign this season, they’re at least top-two.
But it’s clear they need scoring help, and as they fight for a playoff spot, this will only become clearer. Reese and Cardoso are two of the most entertaining rookies to watch, but they both excel along the boards and have similar rebounding strengths.
It makes sense—you wonder if the Sky thought Reese would even be on the board at No. 7, and since she was, they obviously went for talent over fit. Look at Reese making history—her latest feat, becoming the first WNBA player in history with back-to-back 20-rebound games—and drafting her was a no-brainer.
But now that they have her and they’re in this situation, they’ve gotta get her, Cardoso and Carter an elite sniper to round out the young core.
Still, No. 3 ain’t too shabby in a league oozing with young talent.
2. Los Angeles Sparks
Look, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it’s safe to say the league-worst Sparks (6-24) are in the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes. You consider that, and you consider 2024 No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink (22) only played 15 games (in which she looked great) before her season was cut short, and you really start to dream big about the Sparks despite the current reality.
And speaking of the current reality, it honestly isn’t as bad as it looks if we’re looking at it with the future in mind. Rickea Jackson (23) is having a solid rookie season averaging 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 27.4 minutes per game. Zia Cooke (23) is showing potential in a limited role, and Aari Mcdonald (26) has been another positive spot leading the team with four assists per game.
Sure, it’s easy to romanticize the players we arguably know the least about in a pro setting, but Brink fit in seamlessly, Bueckers will be ready (if the Sparks get her), and I’d argue Jackson is exceeding expectations.
1. Indiana Fever
Ahead of the season, WNBA.com conducted an anonymous poll of general managers throughout the league. The one response that everyone agrees upon?
“Which team has the most promising young core?”
Indiana.
The 22-year-olds Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston were also the top and third-ranked candidates when it came to general managers’ ideal candidates to center a franchise on.
The hype was more than real, and the two young phenoms have already led the Fever out of the darkness and into the playoff conversation ahead of schedule. Monday night’s win was Indiana’s 14th of the season, the most the team has compiled in a single season since 2016.
The two took some time to develop chemistry at first, but patience paid off as they’re building something equal parts sustainable and fun. Right now, Clark’s leading the team—and the league—with 8.2 assists per night, and Boston’s leading the team with 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.
Of course, none of this Indiana success is possible without Kelsey Mitchell’s team-leading 18.2 points per game, and though at 28 years old she might not quite fit the young stars’ timeline, the guard’s team-first mentality has been beneficial as Clark’s crept up behind her now averaging 18 points per game.
Perhaps the most exciting facet of the young Indiana core is the way Clark and Boston complement each other. You’ve got two potentially elite players doing completely different things and it’s already a thrill to watch. Then you consider the potential of their supporting cast: Lexie Hull (24), Grace Berger (25), NaLyssa Smith (23) and Celeste Taylor (23). It’s almost time for the Fever to rise again.
