In a game where sophomore guard Juju Watkins played as advertised as a scorer, forward Kiki Iriafen showed her potential in the halfcourt and beyond in a 72-70 win over No. 4 UConn on Saturday.
The 6-foot-3 forward ended the marquee matchup with 16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and one steal. Iriafen, who spent three years at Stanford before transferring to the Trojans, continued an impressive run that saw her log five high quality double-doubles in her last six games. Half of the All-Pac-12 Team selection's games this season have ended with double-doubles, showing how important she is and can be on the inside for the 11-1 Trojans.
Iriafen played as the perfect compliment player to Watkins, who scored 25 and knocked down three of her four 3-point attempts in 38 minutes played. She looked comfortable with her jumper as she sank close-range jumpers, while her presence in the post and off the pick-and-roll with Watkins made her a reliable option on the interior. She was able to switch onto and keep up with UConn star Paige Bueckers , but made her presence felt the most as a rebounding anchor who cut off open lanes to and options at the basket.
The Chicago Sky landed a top-3 selection in the 2025 WNBA Draft during last month's draft lottery. They fell behind the Dallas Wings and Los Angeles Sparks, both of whom had top-5 selections in last year's draft.
The Sky would benefit from building off their two first-round selections from last season in center Kamilla Cardoso and forward Angel Reese with talented guards. Chicago will have plenty of first-round selections to fall back on between the next two WNBA drafts, including two in 2025. In a next few slates of draft classes that feature strong guard and forward options, the Sky will have plenty to look forward to as they continue their transitional period and build their way back into playoff contention. Chicago should focus on pairing its high-potential rookies with an all-around guard who can feed them in the post, making Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles a solid fit for the Sky at No. 3.
While it likely has already found its big duo of the future in Reese and Cardoso, Iriafen's versatility and ability to shoot consistently from the mid-range can make her an intriguing fit for Chicago should she slide to them at No. 3. Her interior defense and ability to match up with potential scorers at the perimeter would make her a welcomed option on a Sky squad who finished the 2024 regular season with a defensive rating of 103.5, which took eighth place in the league behind the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream. If she can comfortably extend her range out to the 3-point line, she will be a more than reliable shooting option for a team that finished in ninth place in the WNBA with a 3-point percentage of 32.3%. Learning under a former WNBA big in now-Sky assistant coach Courtney Paris could do wonders in advancing her game at the professional level once she enters as a potential top-3 selection.