The 2024 NCAA Women's Tournament will tip-off Wednesday with a pair of First Four games in Columbia, S.C. between No. 16 seeds Presbyterian and Sacred Heart and No. 12 seeds Columbia and Vanderbilt. From there, it will be a sprint to the Final Four, which is set for April 5 and 7 in Cleveland.
Once the tournament wraps up, it will be time for the women's basketball world to turn its attention to the professional game. The 2024 WNBA Draft is set for April 15, and opening night for the 2024 season will follow a month later on May 14. Iowa star Caitlin Clark is going to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Indiana Fever, but she's not the only big name taking part in March Madness.
Ahead of all the NCAA Tournament action, here are 15 different prospects to watch, broken down by regional. Note: This only includes players who are eligible for the 2024 draft or have declared. Thus, star freshman such as JuJu Watkins are not included, nor are players who have already said they are going back to school, including Paige Bueckers.
Albany 1
Kamilla Cardoso: C – South Carolina
- 2023-24 stats: 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 58.4% FG
- First round opponent: No. 16 Presbyterian/Sacred Heart, Friday, 2 p.m. ET -- ESPN
Cardoso is suspended for South Carolina's first-round game against either Sacred Heart or Presbyterian due to her role in the SEC championship game scuffle, but the Gameco*cks should advance without much trouble. Once Cardoso is cleared to return, she'll show why she's a likely lottery pick if she declares this season. Standing 6-foot-7, Cardoso can control games on the defensive end with her rim protection and rebounding, and she finishes efficiently around the basket.
Draft range: Lottery
Mackenzie Holmes: F – Indiana
- 2023-24 stats: 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 66.7% FG
- First round opponent: No. 13 Fairfield, Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN2
Holmes has been a force in the Big 10 for years thanks to her extremely efficient paint scoring and hard-nosed defense. But like many undersized, back-to-the-basket bigs that have come before her, she could have a hard time finding her place at the next level. She suffered a knee injury toward the end of the regular season, but has returned to practice ahead of the Hoosiers' opening-round game against Fairfield.
Draft range: Late second round or third round
Deja Kelly: G – North Carolina
- 2023-24 stats: 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals
- First round opponent: No. 9 Michigan State, Friday, 11:30 a.m. ET -- ESPN2
Kelly is an extremely smooth guard with the ability to create her own shot at any point. When she has it going, she's extremely difficult to guard, but her shots just don't go in as often as it seems like they should. It would be interesting to see her in a different situation where she doesn't have to do so much self-creation.
Draft range: Late second round or third round
Albany 2
Caitlin Clark: G – Iowa
- 2023-24 stats: 31.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 38.1% 3FG
- First round opponent: No. 16 Holy Cross/UT-Martin, Saturday, 3 p.m. ET -- ABC
What else is there to say about Clark at this point? The all-time leading scorer in Division I history, men or women, Clark is one of the best prospects to ever enter the WNBA. As Steph Curry noted in a recent interview with CBS, Clark's 3-point shooting is her "super power," but she also leads the nation in assists. She is a game-breaking offensive talent and the guaranteed No. 1 overall pick.
Draft range: No. 1 pick
Angel Reese: F/C – LSU
- 2023-24 stats: 19.0 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals
- First round opponent: No. 14 Rice, Friday, 4 p.m. ET -- ESPN
Reese is a terrific college player who uses her size, athleticism and tenacity to overwhelm opponents at times. She makes the biggest impact on the defensive end, where she can guard inside and out when necessary, and is a relentless rebounder. Her offensive game remains undefined, however, which is why there are questions about how impactful she can be at the next level.
Draft range: Mid-to-late first round
Charisma Osborne: G – UCLA
- 2023-24 stats: 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals
- First round opponent: No. 15 Cal Baptist, Saturday, 9:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN2
Osborne is another player who decided to use her COVID eligibility extension this season, so she cannot go back to school. She is a strong, well-rounded guard best known for her work on the defensive end. The questions with Osborne are primarily on offense, where she's neither an efficient scorer nor a true point guard. Perhaps even more so than most players, Osborne will need to get to the right situation in the pros.
Draft range: Late first round or early second round
Portland 3
Jacy Sheldon: G – Ohio State
- 2023-24 stats: 18.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 38.0% 3FG
- First round opponent: No. 15 Maine, Friday, noon ET -- ESPN
After an injury-riddled senior season, Sheldon used her COVID eligibility extension to return to Ohio State and reminded everyone why she's a surefire first-round pick. Sheldon has great defensive instincts and loves to jump into passing lanes for steals. On the other end, she's a combo guard who can really shoot. Perimeter defense and shot-making are two of the most desired skills at the next level.
Draft range: Mid-first round
Aaliyah Edwards: F – UConn
- 2023-24 stats: 17.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 59.4% FG
- First round opponent: No. 14 Jackson State, Saturday, 1 p.m. ET -- ABC
The starpower at the top of this class is overshadowing Edwards, who has been one of the most consistent performers in college basketball all season long. Her offensive versatility is her most exciting quality. While she doesn't shoot 3s (yet), she's comfortable spacing to the mid-range for jumpers, can put the ball on the deck and has a smooth post game. She's also a strong rebounder.
Draft range: Mid-first round
Georgia Amoore: G – Virginia Tech
- 2023-24 stats: 19.2 points, 6.9 assists, 34.0% 3FG
- First round opponent: No. 13 Marshall, Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN 2
Amoore is an extremely exciting player. She's an elite catch-and-shoot threat who launches 3s at every opportunity, and operates with a real flair as a playmaker, sometimes to her detriment. The main issue for Amoore is that she's only 5-foot-6. That doesn't mean she can't make it in the WNBA, but it does make it much harder. Last season, only five players 5-foot-6 or shorter were in the league.
Draft range: Late first round
Elizabeth Kitley: C – Virginia Tech
- 2023-24 stats: 22.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 55.6% FG
- First round opponent: No. 13 Marshall, Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET -- ESPN2
Kitley has not played since Virginia Tech's regular season finale due to a knee injury, and her status for the tournament remains unclear with the Hokies set to face No. 13 seed Marshall in the first round. When healthy, Kitley is a walking double-double and one of the most productive centers in the country. She is more of a traditional post player, though, and there are concerns about how she'll adapt to the WNBA, especially on defense.
Draft range: Late first round or early second round
Nika Muhl: G – UConn
- 2023-24 stats: 7.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 40.5% 3FG
- First round opponent: No. 14 Jackson State, Saturday, 1 p.m. ET -- ABC
The Croatian point guard officially declared for the draft earlier this month, forgoing her extra year of eligibility. Muhl has never put up big numbers during her time at UConn, but she's extremely reliable. She knows how to run an offense, is a solid 3-point shooter and really gets after it on the defensive end. Though she doesn't have the upside of some of these other prospects, she could have a long career in the league.
Taiyanna Jackson: C – Kansas
- 2023-24 stats: 12.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 58.7 FG%
- First round opponent: No. 9 Michigan, Saturday, 2 p.m. ET -- ESPNEWS
This class is extremely deep with frontcourt players, and the 6-foot-6 Jackson is yet another prospect that has been quite productive in college. Though not super skilled offensively, she scores efficiently around the basket and wreaks havoc on the offensive glass. On the other end, she's a big-time shot blocker -- at least when she stays out of foul trouble.
Draft range: Second round
Portland 4
Cameron Brink: C – Stanford
- 2023-24 stats: 17.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 51.2%
- First round opponent: No. 15 Norfolk State, Friday, 10 p.m. ET -- ESPN2
Brink is the best frontcourt prospect in this class and the likely No. 2 overall pick to the Sparks. She's been a strong defender from the first day she arrived in Palo Alto, and has grown into a totally destructive force on that side of the ball. At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, Brink is an intimidating presence at the rim who leads the nation in blocks, and also has the mobility to get around the court.
Draft range: No. 2 pick
Rickea Jackson: F – Tennessee
- 2023-24 stats: 19.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists
- First round opponent: No. 11 Green Bay, Saturday, noon ET -- ESPN
Jackson used her COVID eligibility extension to return to Tennessee this season, and she appears to have solidified herself as a lottery pick in the process. A big, physical, athletic wing, Jackson's primary ability is putting the ball in the basket. She can create her own shot from anywhere on the floor, whether that's pulling up for a jumper or working her way into the paint to bully a smaller defender. Her 3-point shooting remains a work in progress, however.
Draft range: Lottery
Alissa Pili: F – Utah
- 2023-24 stats: 20.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 54.8% FG, 39.4% 3FG
- First round opponent: No. 12 South Dakota State, Saturday, 10 p.m. ET -- ESPNU
Pili is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting prospects in this class. She's a pure scorer who can really fill it up, and has had some huge games against elite opposition this season. There's no question she can play, but how she fits in, particularly defensively, as an undersized forward is a big question. At some point in the draft, her talent will be too tantalizing to pass up, but when exactly remains to be seen.
Draft range: Late first round or early second round
