ROLL OUT THE ORANGE CARPET:
THE DRAFTEES AREN’T HERE JUST TO PLAY
BY EMILIE DEOREO PHOTO BY PROVIDED
When it comes to the Women’s National Basketball Association, there are two ways to win: on the court and in the tunnel. But before standout college stars like Aziaha James (No. 12 pick, Dallas Wings) and Shyanne Sellers (No. 7 pick, Golden State Valkyries) got to hear their names get called, they were given the chance to turn heads on the orange carpet; a place for the draftees to show that they aren’t just accustomed to their jerseys, but much so much more.
On April 14, 15 women were invited to the WNBA draft at The Shed in Hudson Yards, Manhattan in New York City. Each of the players came dressed with a statement; some coming to represent their heritages and others using confidence as a key accessory. Five of the draftees were also dressed by the fashion house, Coach, which just announced their multi-year partnership with the W — a popular nickname for the league. The company stated that it chose these five players because of their prominence in both the sport and fashion realms and their abilities to bridge that gap with “their own unique style,” according to Cosmopolitan.
At only 19 years old, the 6-foot-6-inch machine from France chose to keep home close through her designer suit by Louis Vuitton. Dominique Malonga, the No. 2 pick from the Seattle Storm, said in discussion with the New York Times, that it was important for her to pay homage to France: “It was so important to me as a French player to wear a French brand, because it feels like France is following me everywhere, and I am here to represent.”
Kiki Iriafen, the No. 4 pick to the Washington Mystics from the University of Southern California, was also a notable standout in the 2025 draftee class. Wearing a gold and bronze dress by Nigerian designer, Nneka C. Alexander, Iriafen’s heritage was instrumental to the design of the get-up. In her post-Draft interview, Iriafen said that she wanted to look and feel good: “I just wanted to show off my culture on this big stage.” Coach also played a part in Iriafen’s outfit, as she carried a micro Coach Tabby handbag to finish out the look.
Like Malonga and Iriafen, other attendees came to embrace their cultures through their chosen outfits. Although having been drafted in 2024 as the No. 14 overall pick by the Seattle Storm, Nika Muhl embraced her own Croatian heritage in a black pantsuit with a cross-body complementary chain of keys. Muhl was styled by a Croatian stylist and the outfit was designed by Y/GIA, a Croatian brand.
Selected No. 18 overall by the Atlanta Dream, South Carolina star Te-Hina PaoPao, who was unable to attend the draft in-person, appeared on TV at her own celebration wearing a traditional Samoan dress, along with several flower lei to celebrate her heritage. She spoke proudly, saying that she was “blessed to be Samoan” and how she looked forward to bringing “that culture to Atlanta.”
However, the No. 1 overall pick going to the Dallas Wings and recent 2025 NCAA champion with the University of Connecticut, Paige Bueckers’ preparation for the biggest night of her career was different. Not only was she dressed entirely by Coach in a three-piece suit covered in 200,000 transparent glass crystals for the orange carpet, she walked onto the stage in an entirely different outfit: a timeless black tuxedo sans a vest with bejeweled lapels. Bueckers’ stylist, Brittany Hampton, in conversation with Highsnobiety, said that the two looks were “part of a curated fashion narrative” but ultimately remained “pure Paige.”
The shining star of Texas Christian University, Hailey Van Lith, joined Bueckers as one of the five athletes that Coach styled. Commonly known as HVL in the basketball community, Van Lith has taken the world by storm. Before being drafted eleventh by the Chicago Sky, the 5-foot-9-inch guard was announced to be the online April 2025 cover star for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. At the draft, HVL said that her outfit — a black, silk tulle, and chiffon minidress with a satin corset — was to show off the strength and the bruises that come with the job: “It shows I can be sexy, but also [that] I’m an athlete. You can be both.”
Joining Bueckers, Van Lith and Iriafen, Sonia Citron (No. 3 pick, Washington Mystics) and Aneesah Morrow (No. 7 pick, Connecticut Sun) also wore custom Coach designs. Morrow spoke of wanting her custom leather dress and jacket to be bold whereas Citron, in a black blazer and skirt, wanted her choice to exude confidence. In conversation with The New York Times, Citron said, "I wanted to be confident in how I look, and I think you get confident by looking good, and I feel like I look good."
Georgia Amoore, the Australian guard from the University of Kentucky, drafted sixth overall by the Washington Mystics was styled entirely by Denver Nuggets guard, Russell Westbrook and his fashion line, Honor the Gift. The two athletes decided on a cropped black leather blazer with white floral embroidery paired with a matching mini skirt. In discussion with Vogue, Westbrook stated, “This has never happened before — no athlete has ever dressed another athlete for a draft, let alone an NBA player designing for a WNBA Draft. We’re making history right here, breaking down those barriers between men’s and women’s sports.”
As the fastest-growing brand in professional sports, the future of the WNBA lies in this draftee class. While some of the athletes like Bueckers and Van Lith have already trademarked their name with NIL deals — their name, image, and likeness — their professional career is only moments away. Carrying with them the support of their families and remaining prideful of their heritages, the draftees reminded us that the league isn’t just about the sport and its athletes, it's about their history and those that have held them up.
