Instead of watching the second round of the NBA Draft — although, to be fair, there could still be a few surprise contributors from the back half of the class — hoops fans should be all in on the WNBA tonight.
The W’s two-game slate will include three-time MVP A’ja Wilson in action for the second consecutive night, so if you missed her last night while watching the NBA Draft, tonight offers another opportunity.
Here are my favorite WNBA prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Kelsey Mitchell 20+ Points (-105)
The Indiana Fever will once again be without Caitlin Clark tonight, as the star guard is out with a groin injury. During Clark’s previous five-game absence, Mitchell led the team with a 28.8% usage rate as the Fever went 2-3, although she only averaged 15.8 points per game in that stretch because she shot just 34.7% from the field and 24.1% from deep. But with Clark slumping — she’s made just one of her last 23 threes — Mitchell has turned it on, scoring 20 or more points two games in a row and leading Indiana to an upset road win over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday.
Mitchell should have no problem getting it going tonight against the Los Angeles Sparks, who are just 4-11 and have had the league’s third-worst defensive rating so far this season. Los Angeles has allowed the second-most made threes per game, and Mitchell ranks 15th in the WNBA in that category. The Sparks have also been poor interior defenders, allowing the league’s second-highest percentage inside the restricted area, and five of Mitchell’s 15.1 shots per game come at the rim. She also made a higher percentage of her shots at the rim with Clark out while attempting them at about the same rate.
Kelsey Plum U4.5 Assists (+120)
Plum has cooled down somewhat since a hot start to her career as a number one option. During the first seven games of her stint in Los Angeles, she averaged 24.0 points and 5.1 dimes per game on 43-40-84 shooting splits, which has dipped to 16.9 points and 5.7 assists on 33-25-98 splits in the seven games since. While her playmaking is up across that span overall, she’s recorded four or fewer assists in two of the past three games as the Sparks have embraced more of an egalitarian approach with Plum, Dearica Hamby, and Odyssey Sims as playmakers.
That sort of offense might hurt Plum’s playmaking ceiling tonight against the Fever, who have allowed the fewest assists per game in the WNBA so far. Part of that is a lack of opportunities for assists; Indiana has conceded the fifth-fewest made field goals per game, clamping up opponents especially from beyond the arc. With four of Los Angeles’ five starters averaging at least three three-point attempts per game and every bench player trying more threes than twos, an inefficient night from deep for Plum’s teammates might lead to a modest output.
Brittney Sykes 30+ Points + Rebounds + Assists (+220)
The Washington Mystics guard is questionable for the game with a leg injury that held her out of Tuesday’s win over the Minnesota Lynx, but she should be productive if she suits up. The 2023 Most Improved Player fourth-place finisher deserves a look at the honor again this season, as her scoring average has jumped to 19.6 points per game and she’s shooting north of 40% from beyond the arc for the first time. She’s had 30 or more combined points, rebounds, and assists in eight of her 13 games, giving this prop incredible value, even if she’s liable for the occasional shooting dud.
The Las Vegas Aces haven’t been their usual dominant selves this season, leaving the door open for Sykes. She’s one of the most well-rounded players in the WNBA, as one of just two players this season averaging at least 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game. Her versatility might pose a problem for the Aces, who have allowed the fifth-most points, third-most rebounds, and second-most assists per game this season despite having two-time Defensive Player of the Year Wilson. In particular, Las Vegas has been poor at guarding floater range and the midrange, where Sykes attempts nearly half of her shots.
