WNBA Draft Projection for South Carolina players in the 2024 WNBA Draft

With the WNBA Draft approaching on Monday, defending champion South Carolina is preparing for a round of departures. But unlike the NBA Draft, where a national title would send a massive group of players to the pros, that's not South Carolina's experience.

Non-seniors typically don't enter the WNBA draft, even for defending champions. Two of Carolina's three seniors opted for an extra COVID-19 year, Their potential WNBA Draft situations will also be covered. While most top players are years away from the draft, we'll discuss the three seniors, one likely to go in the first round.

South Carolina Draft Prospects and Projections

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley had three seniors on her team and two elected to return to school rather than enter the WNBA Draft.

Kamilla Cardoso, Center

1st round, 3rd overall pick, Chicago Sky

Cardoso's standout NCAA Tournament performance has significantly boosted her WNBA Draft potential. Originally a top high school prospect, the 6 ft. 7 Brazilian native honed her skills in Tennessee before attending Syracuse and then transferring to South Carolina

During her college career, Cardoso showcased her aptitude as a dominant inside presence, averaging 13.6 points and 8.0 rebounds at Syracuse and earning recognition as the SEC's Sixth Woman of the Year at South Carolina. In her final season, she emerged as a starter, leading her team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (9.7 rpg).

Although not known for her perimeter game or ball-handling abilities, Cardoso excels as a shot blocker and phenomenal rebounder, projecting as a double-digit scorer without needing plays drawn up for her.

The Chicago Sky, with their existing veteran guard core, would benefit from Cardoso's post presence, potentially elevating them into playoff contention for 2024. With the 8th pick in the draft, they could further strengthen their roster by adding a talented perimeter scorer to complement Cardoso's skills.

Te-Hina Paopao, Guard

Not in the draft, but a potential 2nd-3rd round pick

Oregon transfer Te-Hina Paopao was a senior on the championship team and had the option to enter the WNBA Draft. But Paopao decided to utilize the extra COVID-19 year and return to South Carolina. Given her skills, she would likely have been a second or third-round pick, and could still go at that level.

Paopao was the 11th-ranked recruit nationally in the 2020 class. After a solid season at Carolina, she has amassed 1,370 career points, 413 assists and 397 rebounds. Paopao shot 47% from 3-point range last year, up from her 41% career total.

She is something of a tweener as a guard, as her passing is acceptable but not brilliant. Although a bit small to play a shooting guard spot with a height of 5 ft. 9, Paopao has been an excellent player and will certainly get her WNBA shot in 2025.

Sakima Walker, Center

WNBA Longshot

Sakima Walker was also a senior, but the 6 ft. 4 center will return for another year. A junior college transfer, Walker averaged just 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. Her experience could make her a WNBA longshot, but Walker certainly has work to do on that front.

Will Cardoso be a WNBA All-Star? Can Paopao work her way into a higher WNBA Draft slot in 2025? The coming year should certainly give more perspective on the decisions made by each.