{"id":604465,"date":"2026-04-14T23:44:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T23:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/604465\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T23:44:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T23:44:18","slug":"meet-the-wnbas-next-class-of-rookies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/604465\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the WNBA’s Next Class of Rookies"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The newest class of the WNBA is already stepping into the spotlight. Monday\u2019s draft night delivered all the energy you\u2019d expect from a league entering a pivotal chapter. With a new collective bargaining agreement reshaping conversations around players\u2019 salaries, benefits, and long-term investment, the future of the WNBA<\/a> is looking bigger, better, and brighter.<\/p>\n

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This year\u2019s top picks come in with stacked resumes, impressive tournament runs, championship wins, and star power already on the rise. Draft night may be over, but the real story is just getting started. SELF had the chance to get to know some of the league\u2019s newest members<\/a> before their rookie seasons tip off.<\/p>\n

Olivia Miles<\/a>\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Olivia Miles<\/p>\n

Kristina Bumphrey\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

College: Texas Christian University<\/p>\n

Team: Minnesota Lynx<\/p>\n

Hometown: Phillipsburg, New Jersey<\/p>\n

Game day mantra: \u201cKeep going and trust in your work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Go-to hype music: Too Much Sauce by DJ Esco<\/p>\n

Favorite post-game meal: Pasta<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m overjoyed and overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude at this moment. Finally this moment is here, and it happened in the right way. I\u2019m excited for the winning culture in Minnesota. There are MVP-caliber players with a winning coach and program, so I\u2019m excited to get to know a new team and play at such a high level.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Lauren Betts<\/a>\"Lauren<\/p>\n

Lauren Betts<\/p>\n

Kristina Bumphrey\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

College: University of California, Los Angeles<\/p>\n

Team: Washington Mystics<\/p>\n

Hometown: Centennial, Colorado<\/p>\n

Game day mantra: \u201cLook at the flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Go-to hype music: Anything house music, \u201cI like to feel like I\u2019m in a club.\u201d<\/p>\n

Favorite post-game meal: In & Out burger<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople don\u2019t understand the sacrifice we made this year to win the national championship. Sometimes it can feel like you\u2019re not giving enough, or not being noticed to get to where you want to be even though you\u2019re giving up so much of yourself to a team. This makes everything worth it. We won a national championship and now we\u2019re getting drafted. I can\u2019t ask for anything more.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Flau’jae Johnson<\/a>\"Flau'jae<\/p>\n

Flau’jae Johnson<\/p>\n

Catalina Fragoso\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

College: Louisiana State University<\/p>\n

Team: Seattle Storm<\/p>\n

Hometown: Savannah, Georgia<\/p>\n

Game day mantra: \u201cYou are what you tell yourself\u201d.<\/p>\n

Go-to hype music: Woah by Flau’jae Johnson<\/p>\n

Favorite post-game meal: Stuffed salmon with alfredo<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited for the new community and new people\u2014I\u2019m a people person. Anywhere I\u2019m planted, I bloom. This means so much to me. I come from Savannah, Georgia, and I wasn\u2019t even ranked. Nobody was looking at me, and look at me now. I\u2019m just thankful to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raven Johnson<\/a>\"Raven<\/p>\n

Raven Johnson<\/p>\n

Catalina Fragoso\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

College: University of South Carolina<\/p>\n

Team: Indiana Fever<\/p>\n

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia<\/p>\n

Game day mantra: \u201cI can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, Philippians 4:13<\/p>\n

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Go-to hype music: Gospel music<\/p>\n

Favorite post-game meal: Sour straw candy, airheads, and spaghetti<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited about winning. The Fever have a chance at winning the championship this year and I\u2019m very excited about it. I\u2019m ready to go in there, be a sponge and learn, and I\u2019m ready to learn from vets like Caitlin Clark. I\u2019m going to bring a winning mentality and whatever it takes to win, I\u2019m going to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Madina Okot<\/a>\"Madina<\/p>\n

Madina Okot<\/p>\n

Kristina Bumphrey\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

College: University of South Carolina<\/p>\n

Team: Atlanta Dream<\/p>\n

Hometown: Mumias, Kenya<\/p>\n

Game day mantra: \u201cI can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, Philippians 4:13<\/p>\n

Go-to hype music: Gospel music<\/p>\n

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Favorite post-game meal: Pasta alfredo or ugali<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so excited about being around some of the greatest players. I\u2019ll be playing with Angel Reese, and it will be great to meet her and learn from her. It means so much to represent my country, to represent Africa and all the young girls back in Africa trying to be like me one day. I\u2019m grateful to everyone who helped me get here today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gianna Kneepkens<\/a>\"Gianna<\/p>\n

Gianna Kneepkens<\/p>\n

Kristina Bumphrey\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

College: University of California, Los Angeles<\/p>\n

Team: Connecticut Sun<\/p>\n

Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota<\/p>\n

Game day mantra: \u201cFind a way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Go-to hype music: Gang Gang by Chef Boy<\/p>\n

Favorite post-game meal: Burger<\/p>\n

\u201cAny opportunity to grow and challenge myself is exciting. I\u2019ve been leaning on the people around me to support me, and luckily I have five other teammates going through this exact same process, so it\u2019s been special. Coming off winning the national championship, I\u2019m feeling confident in myself. But it\u2019s important to have a balance of being super humble and trusting the work you put in, while also learning and growing as a rookie.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Marta Suarez<\/a>\"Marta<\/p>\n

Marta Suarez<\/p>\n

Catalina Fragoso\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

College: Texas Christian University<\/p>\n

Team: Golden State Valkyries<\/p>\n

Hometown: Oviedo, Spain<\/p>\n

Game day mantra: \u201cPatience and faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Go-to hype music: Bad Bunny<\/p>\n

Favorite post-game meal: Salmon, sweet potato mash, and veggies<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an honor to be a part of this class that\u2019s coming into such a special time for women\u2019s basketball. I understand the responsibility, and more than anything I\u2019m just grateful. I was in California for a couple years, so I have a lot of people there that I\u2019m excited to see, and my favorite Chinese food spot ever is in San Francisco so I\u2019m very excited about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Originally Appeared on Self<\/a><\/p>\n