Rookie Roundup

More young international players showing promise

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Photo courtesy of the Phoenix Mercury

Compared to NCAA graduates, young rookies coming from overseas typically face a few more hurdles when transitioning to the WNBA. Along with encountering a faster, more physical style of play, they’re also often adapting to different basketball rules, acclimating to a new country, and getting used to a different language. So while their adjustment period can take a little longer, more and more of these first-year players are showing they belong. And with the 2027 draft class expected to be lighter as many draft-eligible college seniors take advantage of the NCAA’s new five-in-five eligibility rules, the experience these rookies are gaining this season could help them carve out larger roles next year.

Nell Angloma, Sun

Averaging 3.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in just over 10 minutes per game, Angloma’s rookie numbers may not immediately jump off the page, but the 20-year-old from France is quietly building a case that she deserves a long-term spot in the league. The 6-foot-1 uber-athletic wing is constantly bringing energy, intensity, and a willingness to do the little things to help her team win. Whether she’s locking up an opposing scorer, battling on the glass, or using her explosiveness to get downhill, Angloma has shown the kind of competitive mindset, physicality, and unselfishness that coaches value in complementary wings.

Selected No. 12 overall, Angloma has increasingly demonstrated why Connecticut viewed her as a high-upside, two-way prospect. The most important step toward earning a larger role next season will be becoming a more consistent perimeter shooter. She already possesses the length, agility, and defensive versatility. If she can pair those strengths with a more reliable 3-point shot, defenses won’t be able to sag off of her, which will open the floor for her teammates and provide Angloma with more opportunities to attack closeouts. Combining that additional scoring edge with her ability to defend multiple positions would fit exactly into what nearly every WNBA team is searching for.

Isobel Borlase, Dream

After several years of playing professionally in the WNBL, the No. 20 pick in the 2024 draft finally made the move to play stateside, and her previous experience is paying off. While the 21-year old Australian has earned inconsistent minutes over the course of Atlanta’s season, she’s shown several flashes of her long-term potential. Racking up four double-digit scoring performances, the 5-foot-11 guard plays with a level of poise and offensive maturity that is rare among rookies. Her size, fearlessness, and finishing ability provide valuable rim pressure. Her savvy cuts, ability to hit shots from beyond the arc, and ease in operating as a secondary playmaker enhance her versatility. While she’s very much filling an ancillary role in her first season, she’s shown the feel, shot-making, and understanding of the game to suggest she can grow into a larger contributor at this level.

To maximize her potential, Borlase’s biggest area for growth is expanding her offensive game. Becoming a more consistent 3-point threat (29.2% on 1.5 3PA per game) and creating more separation to take shots off the dribble would make her a more of a matchup problem. Improving her lateral quickness, strength, and ability to defend multiple backcourt positions would also make it easier for coaches to trust her in a wider variety of lineups. But given how much progress she’s made during her rookie campaign, there’s every reason to believe those areas will continue to improve. And after another WNBA offseason of adding strength and refining her perimeter game, Borlase is likely to position herself as one of Atlanta’s most promising young wings.

Noemi Brochant, Mercury

Showing a willingness to embrace whatever role is asked of her since the moment she arrived, the undrafted 26-year-old from France plays with a tremendous motor, rarely forces shots, and consistently makes the next right pass. Just as importantly, she’s shown the positional flexibility and discipline to guard multiple perimeter assignments. Whether starting or coming off the bench, the 5-foot-11 wing has established herself as the type of low-maintenance, high-impact player who helps lineups function more effectively on both ends of the floor.

While Brochant just had a career night against the Sparks, recording 24 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals, she’s only averaging 4.8 field-goal attempts while playing over 20 minutes per game (third lowest FGA per 40 min in the league among those playing 20+ min). So as she continues to adjust to the WNBA, one of the most important factors in Brochant’s development will be increasing her offensive assertiveness. Becoming more confident as a high-volume 3-point shooter (39.8% on 2.6 3PA per game), while continuing to improve her ability to attack closeouts and finish through contact would make her a much more difficult cover. But if she can continue to increase her offensive production while maintaining her relentless effort in navigating screens, containing quicker guards, and executing defensive rotations, she has a realistic pathway to carving out a long-term role as a versatile two-way wing.

Marine Fauthoux, Liberty

Despite only recently being promoted to a standard contract, the 5-foot-9 point guard came into the league as one of the most accomplished international rookies. Before arriving in New York this spring, Fauthoux had already helped France earn two Olympic medals (bronze in 2020 and silver in 2024) and established herself as one of Europe’s premier young floor generals. But because she was still recovering from a knee injury sustained in 2025, she started the season in one of the WNBA’s new developmental roster spots, which allowed her to continue rehabbing before gradually being integrated into one of the league’s most championship-ready rosters. And it only took a few games for her to show she deserved a larger role.

Rarely looking sped up, Fauthoux settles the offense, consistently makes high-level reads, and has the innate ability to elevate the stars around her. Now averaging 4.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, Fauthoux’s feel for the game, court vision, and composure are already at an advanced level. As long as she continues to work on regaining her explosiveness, creating more separation off the dribble, and finishing around the rim against elite size, she has the opportunity to develop into one of the league’s most reliable backup point guards, and potentially even more.

Alicia Flórez, Mystics

After several years of developing professionally overseas, the 22-year-old point guard from Spain arrived in the WNBA with an already advanced understanding of pace, spacing, and running an offense, allowing her to step into a reliable backup role from day one. Ranking in the top five among rookies in assist rate (28.6%) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.07) among players averaging more than 10 minutes per game, Flórez has shown she can consistently make smart decisions with the ball and knows how to set up her teammates for easy buckets. She also hounds opposing guards defensively and plays with the kind of effort and poise that coaches trust.

To strengthen Flórez’s long-term outlook, the most important area for improvement will be becoming a more consistent perimeter shooting threat. If she can force defenders to go over ball screens and punish teams that go under them, she’ll have more opportunities to create easy looks for teammates inside the paint, open the lane for cutters, and expand her offensive impact. Continuing to add strength and improve her ability to defend against bigger, more athletic guards will also further increase her versatility. Even so, Flórez has already demonstrated sound decision-making, defensive competitiveness, and a willingness to embrace her role, giving her a strong foundation to establish herself as a dependable backup floor general who can earn consistent minutes.

Nyadiew Puoch, Fire

Selected by the Dream 12th overall in the 2024 draft, the 6-foot-3 Australian was one of the more intriguing developmental prospects in her class. With her length, mobility, and defensive versatility, she offered considerable upside. Now finally getting an opportunity to test her talents stateside after being picked up in the expansion draft by Portland, she’s been challenged to carve out a consistent role on a hard-working and gritty expansion team while still building strength and refining her offensive skill set.

Despite only averaging 4.0 points and 1.7 rebounds, Puoch has found meaningful minutes as a defensive-minded wing in the Fire’s deep rotation. And as the season has progressed, she’s looked increasingly comfortable guarding multiple positions, using her length and quickness more effectively and becoming more disciplined in her positioning. Offensively she appears to be trusting her instincts more, making quicker reads and more timely cuts within the flow of the offense. Recently posting a career-high 19 points against Seattle, she appears to be playing with a greater sense of freedom and confidence. If she can continue to add strength, become a more consistent perimeter shooter, and increase her assertiveness as a driver and finisher, Puoch has the physical profile and skillset to grow into a highly coveted two-way piece.

For many young international rookies, the first season can be as much about growth as production. Each of these players has offered promising glimpses of the skill, adaptability, and versatility needed to thrive at the WNBA level, and with more experience and time to continue developing strength and refining their skill sets, their first year in the league is likely just the beginning.

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