USC women's basketball standout JuJu Watkins, who recently claimed both the Wooden and Naismith player of the year honors, is considered one of the top players in college basketball. Despite her stellar performance, Watkins will not be part of the upcoming WNBA draft due to her recent ACL injury during the NCAA tournament. With impressive stats averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, the 6-foot-2 guard is expected to be a high draft pick once she fully recovers.
As per WNBA draft eligibility rules, Watkins will not be eligible for the 2025 draft since she just completed her sophomore year at USC. She will have to wait until 2027, after finishing her senior year in college, to be eligible for the draft. WNBA regulations stipulate that players must either be 22 in the draft year, graduate college within three months of the draft, or be four years removed from high school graduation to enter the draft. International players can participate once they turn 20. The 2025 WNBA Draft is scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 14, at The Shed in New York City.