2025 WNBA Draft Round 2 Picks by Team: Which Schools made their mark in Round 2?

Even in the relatively constricted world of the WNBA, identifying the next round of stars can be challening. That's why the WNBA Draft's second round can be the hidden key to determining which teams are making an impact. It can also help explain which collegiate teams have excelled by putting playing in position to be under-the-radar stars.

In the 2025 draft, there was only one school with multiple second-round picks. But taking a step back and eyeing the draft from the big picture, here's a look at the schools that made an impact in round 2 of the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Schools that Impacted 2025 WNBA Draft Round 2

While teammate Liatu King slid out of the second round, Notre Dame's Maddy Westbeld could be a WNBA surprise. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

South Carolina

Of course, the Gamecocks are here. After all, USC was the only team to provide multiple second-round picks, and in this case, it was a trio. Te-Hina Paopao landed with the Atlanta Dream at the 18th pick and then Gamecocks went back to back at picks 20 and 21 with Bree Hall and Sania Feagin.

Paopao was the heartbeat of the Carolina team and despite a subpar senior season shooting, she's still a potentially elite lead guard even in the WNBA. Hall started for two seasons at USC and is a consistent perimeter threat, shooting 39% and 38% from 3-point range over those years. Feagin might be the most intriguing prospect as a defensively elite forward who is still developing on offense.

All three South Carolina players have sleeper skill sets that could lead to surprisingly strong WNBA careers. While Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley seem more like WNBA stars, don't sleep on any of those USC second-round steals.

Alabama

Yes, the Tide only put one player in the second round, but leading up to the draft, it seemed like Sarah Ashlee Barker might be that player. Barker ended up going ninth to the Los Angeles Sparks, but wing standout Aaliyah Nye led off the second round, still giving Bama a strong presence.

Nye played two seasons at Illinois and then transferred to Alabama. In her three seasons with the Tide, she connected on 45%, 42% and 46% of her 3-point attempts. Nye scored 15.2 points per game last season and brings her strong shooting skills to the Las Vegas Aces, where she could shine.

Notre Dame

Like Alabama, Notre Dame just missed a pair of second-round picks. Liatu King had been positioned as a possible second-round pick, but she fell to the third pick of the third round instead. That left Maddy Westbeld to go with the 16th pick to Chicago.

The 6-foot-3 Westbeld is a player whose potential could easily outshine her production. Her senior season was her worst year as a collegian, due in large part to a foot injury that caused her to miss the first two months of the season. If she's healthy, she can easily return to her younger form and be a potential steal for the Sky in the frontcourt with Angel Reese.

What do you think of the schools pumping out round two sleepers? Share your thoughts below in our comments section!