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WNBA Draft Battleground: Gabriela Jaquez vs. Cotie McMahon

The Series: WNBA Draft Battleground

gabriela jaquez wnba draft

Welcome to the inaugural edition of WNBA Draft Battleground. In this series, we go toe-to-toe with the toughest evaluations in the 2026 class. In each installment, we take two prospects with similar profiles, pit them against each other, and answer the ultimate question: Who projects as the better pro?

Round 1: Gabriela Jaquez vs. Cotie McMahon

The 2026 WNBA Draft class features two fascinating case studies: UCLA’s Gabriela Jaquez and Ole Miss’s Cotie McMahon. Heading into the season, expectations were tempered; we previously projected Jaquez as a fringe prospect ranging from the second round to a training camp invite, while McMahon looked like she might go undrafted entirely. However, their stellar play early this season has reshaped that narrative, skyrocketing both players up the boards.

Both players measure roughly 6-foot-0. Both are natural power forwards who transitioned to the wing in college, but many of their points are still generated in the paint. And both have spent recent seasons developing a reliable three-point shot.

Similar in profile at first glance, their approaches to the game are quite distinct. We breakdown the matchup:

Prospect Profile: Gabriela Jaquez

The Case For

Elite Motor: Jaquez plays with a frantic energy that coaches covet. She generates extra possessions through steals and offensive rebounds, consistently finding production without needing a single play called for her.

Shooting Mechanics: Her shot has improved significantly. After shooting 25.9% as a sophomore and 34.8% from deep last season, she has opened her senior campaign scorching hot (nearly 48%), proving she can space the floor as a legitimate 2-guard.

Off-Ball Movement: She is an elite cutter. Because she isn’t ball-dominant, she fits easily alongside high-usage stars without needing the ball to be effective.

The Case Against

Shot Creation: While she can attack closeouts, she lacks an elite handle to break down set defenses in isolation.

Athleticism: She lacks elite athleticism which limits her upside.

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Prospect Profile: Cotie McMahon

 

The Case For

 

Physical Dominance: McMahon is a freight train in transition. Her ability to grab a rebound and go coast-to-coast is impressive. She draws fouls at a high rate.

 

Playmaking Potential: She operates well as a secondary handler/hub, capable of passing out of drives when the defense collapses.

 

Strength: She is already built like a pro. She can absorb contact and finish through it.

 

The Case Against

 

Shooting Consistency: While she improved to 37% from deep last season, defenses still sag off her to protect the paint. In the WNBA, if defenders don’t respect her jumper, her driving lanes will vanish.

 

Half-Court Offense: When the game slows down, her efficiency drops. If she can’t bully her way to the rim, she can get prone to turnovers.

Gabriela Jaquez (UCLA) Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss) Advantage
Height 6'0" 6'0" ---
Draft Age 22 22 ---
Athleticism Good but not great Stronger; more burst McMahon
Shooting Hot: ~48% to start 25-26 Improving: ~31% in 25-26 Jaquez
Defense Best on-ball Best off-ball & chasing screens Tie
Decision Making Disciplined; values possession Aggressive; prone to forcing Jaquez
Upside Elite Role Player Starter McMahon
WNBA Readiness Immediate (Plug-and-play depth) Developmental (2-3 year project) Jaquez

The Verdict: Who Projects as the Better Pro?

The Winner: Gabriela Jaquez

While Cotie McMahon has the higher ceiling due to her sheer force and physicality, Gabriela Jaquez is the player who most likely sticks in the league.

McMahon’s transition game should translate, but her half-court struggles could limit her minutes early in her career.

Jaquez, however, has molded herself into the modern role player. Every WNBA team needs a wing who defends tirelessly, cuts hard, hits open threes, and doesn’t demand the ball. Her trajectory mirrors players like Alysha Clark—players who become indispensable because they do the dirty work that allows stars to shine.

Final Call: McMahon has the higher potential, but Jaquez has the longer, more successful career.

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WNBA Draft Battleground: Olivia Miles vs. Kiki Rice

The Series: WNBA Draft Battleground

olivia miles wnba draft

In this series, we go toe-to-toe with the toughest evaluations in the 2026 class. In each installment, we take two prospects with similar profiles, pit them against each other, and answer the ultimate question: Who projects as the better pro?

Round 5: Olivia Miles vs. Kiki Rice

This matchup features arguably the top two point guards in the 2026 WNBA Draft class.

They share the same elite physical profile: big guards and unselfish playmakers who do a little bit of everything to impact winning.

But their approaches couldn’t be more different. One dominates with flash and open-court creativity; the other excels with reads and precision.

We break down the matchup ⬇️

Prospect Profile: Olivia Miles

The Case For

The “It” Factor: Olivia Miles possesses a level of passing creativity that cannot be taught. She doesn’t just find open teammates; she creates them with stellar court vision and manipulation. Currently averaging 20.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, she orchestrates the TCU offense with a flair that makes her dangerous in the open court.

Offensive Engine: Her ability to decelerate, change pace, and whip passes all over the court allows her to dismantle defenses. After missing the 2023-24 season, she has returned not just healthy, but with a refined jumper. While her 3-point efficiency has dipped slightly (36.3%, down from 40.6%), it remains a significant improvement over her pre-injury numbers (22.8%).

The Case Against

Turnover Prone: Miles plays a high-risk game, often attempting home-run passes when a single was available. In the WNBA, those live-ball turnovers will be punished.

Defense: While she has quick hands and gets steals at a high rate (1.9 spg), she can be too upright in her stance and often gets caught ball-watching rather than staying attached to her matchup. At both Notre Dame and now TCU, Miles has been benched in critical late-game defensive possessions—a concerning trend for a team’s best player.

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As one of the top names to watch for in the 2026 WNBA Draft, her journey is happening right now. Track the next generation of talent and see a future pro in the making.

Rep Her College Colors: Before she gets to the WNBA, she’s a star for her university. This is the best place to find all the officially licensed gear for her team.

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Prospect Profile: Kiki Rice

The Case For

Floor General: Kiki Rice operates with the poise of a veteran. Her game is methodical and calculated. While her raw assist numbers are slightly down, the context is crucial: she shares the backcourt with Charlisse Leger-Walker, a four-year star and All-Pac-12 performer. Leger-Walker leads the Bruins with 5.5 assists per game, effectively shifting Rice into a secondary playmaking role. This proves Rice can thrive without being ball-dominant—a massive plus for WNBA teams with established stars.

Physical Profile: At 5’11”, Rice is built for WNBA physicality. She is an excellent rebounder who’s not afraid to mix it up in the paint. Defensively, she is a scrappy, solid defender who stays in front of her woman.

The Case Against

Lack of “Takeover” Mode: Rice is so unselfish that she can sometimes defer to a fault, content to blend into the flow of the offense. For someone of Rice’s pedigree, she is a bit of an enigma. She has the tools and the hype, but that lack of an alpha mentality makes you wonder: For someone expected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, does she have the takeover DNA required to be a franchise cornerstone?

Olivia Miles (TCU) Kiki Rice (UCLA) Advantage
Height 5'10" 5'11" Tie
Draft Age 23 22 Tie
Athleticism Shifty; elite deceleration Strong; downhill force Rice
Shooting 3-Level Scorer (improved 3PT) Mid-range & Rim specialist Miles
Defense High steals; Gambles/Upright Scrappy defender Rice
Decision Making Visionary: Flashy (High Risk/Reward) Cerebral: Methodical (Low TOs) Miles
Upside Franchise Cornerstone Championship Piece Miles
WNBA Readiness Immediate Developmental Miles

The Verdict: Who Projects as the Better Pro?

If you draft Kiki Rice, you are getting a player who projects as a solid pro. She will defend, she will rebound, and she will never lose you a game with a bad decision. She is the safe, smart, winning pick.

If you draft Olivia Miles, you are swinging for a Superstar.

The WNBA is a league of stars. You can find steady point guard play in free agency; you cannot find Olivia Miles’ vision on the open market. Her ability to see plays before they happen gives her a gravitational pull that changes how defenses guard your entire team.

Rice fits any roster. Miles will define the roster.

At the top of the draft where you need to find a franchise-changer, you take the player with the magic.

Winner: Olivia Miles

Final Call: Miles wins the matchup.

Do you draft for magic or for safety? Who is the better long-term pick?
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WNBA Draft Battleground: Maggie Doogan vs. Gianna Kneepkens

The Series: WNBA Draft Battleground

maggie doogan wnba draft

In this series, we go toe-to-toe with the toughest evaluations in the 2026 class. In each installment, we take two prospects with similar profiles, pit them against each other, and answer the ultimate question: Who projects as the better pro?

Round 4: Maggie Doogan vs. Gianna Kneepkens

Round 4’s matchup of late first round talents brings a little history:

Last summer, both were finalists for the USA AmeriCup team. Gianna Kneepkens made the roster; Maggie Doogan was one of the final cuts.

Now, they are competing for draft positioning. On paper, they share the same elite DNA: pure shooters chasing the coveted 50/40/90 split.

But one is more proven, having played in the Pac-12, Big 12, and now Big Ten. The other plays in a mid-major conference, the Atlantic 10.

We break down the matchup ⬇️

Prospect Profile: Maggie Doogan

The Case For

Physical Versatility: Doogan looks like the modern prototype. At 6’2″, she possesses the length of a forward but the fluid movement of a guard. She is an elite cutter who understands spacing and uses her height to shoot over smaller defenders.

Elite Efficiency: Despite carrying a massive offensive load for Richmond, Doogan is flirting with a 50/40/90 season (51/43/87). She isn’t just a volume scorer putting up empty stats. Her ability to maintain that efficiency while leading Richmond in scoring, rebounds, assists, and blocks – while also being the primary focus of every defense suggests her shooting stroke is translatable to the next level.

Big Game Resume: After dropping 27 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists against UCLA in last year’s Sweet 16, she continued her stellar play against top competition with big outings against Texas and TCU this season, serving as proof that her skill set works against WNBA-level length and athleticism.

The Case Against

Level of Competition: The “Mid-Major” stigma is real. While her production is undeniable, she faces significantly weaker defenders on a night-to-night basis in the A-10 compared to the Power 4 conferences.

Sample Size: Doogan has only played a handful of games against elite competition. Drafting her is a bet that her standout performances against Power 4 schools were the rule, not the exception. If she struggles to separate against pro-level athletes consistently, it lowers her ceiling.

Fan Hub

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy.

As one of the top names to watch for in the 2026 WNBA Draft, her journey is happening right now. Track the next generation of talent and see a future pro in the making.

Rep Her College Colors: Before she gets to the WNBA, she’s a star for her university. This is the best place to find all the officially licensed gear for her team.

Get on Board: Get the “Everyone Watches Women’s Basketball” Hoodie. 

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Prospect Profile: Gianna Kneepkens

The Case For

Proof of Concept: Kneepkens offers immediate certainty. Having played in the Pac-12, Big 12, and now Big Ten, she has four years of film scoring on future WNBA defenders. She has proven she can scale her game, seamlessly transitioning from the primary option at Utah to superb role player to stars at UCLA, which is the exact role she will play as a rookie.

Shooting: Kneepkens is one of the premier shooters in the class. With current splits of 53/48/95, she provides elite spacing. She plays with a “throwback” pace, using hesitation dribbles and an unorthodox but deadly shot.

The Case Against

Athletic Ceiling: Kneepkens lacks elite burst and top-end speed. She relies on craftiness and angles rather than blowing by defenders. In the WNBA, where the athleticism jumps a level, there are questions about whether she can create her own shot or if she will be limited strictly to a spot-up role.

Defensive Versatility: While she is a smart team defender, she may struggle to stay in front of WNBA guards. Her lack of lateral quickness could make her a target for opposing offenses.

Maggie Doogan (Richmond) Gianna Kneepkens (UCLA) Advantage
Height 6'2" 6'0" Doogan
Draft Age 22 23 Doogan
Athleticism Good length; fluid mover Smooth pace; average burst Doogan
Shooting Ascending: 41% ➔ 43% (Last 2 Yrs) Proven: 45.4% 3PT (4-year sample) Kneepkens
Defense Disruptive length; Shot blocking Scrappy defender Tie
Decision Making Creative: High usage (4.0 TOs) Disciplined: Steady hand (1.3 TOs) Kneepkens
Upside Starter Role Player Doogan
WNBA Readiness Developmental (Role adjustment) Immediate Kneepkens

The Verdict: Who Projects as the Better Pro?

On paper, this is a deadlock.

Both Doogan and Kneepkens are elite offensive players who rely on IQ and efficiency rather than explosive athleticism. Both will likely face the same questions about their lateral quickness and defensive ceiling at the pro level.

But when the skill sets are this similar, the tiebreaker goes to Measurables.

Maggie Doogan is two inches taller with a quicker release.

Those physical advantages matter. WNBA shooting windows are razor-thin. Doogan’s length and quicker release allows her to shoot over defenders, granting her a greater margin for error than for Kneepkens.

Drafting Kneepkens is the safe play. But if you are betting on who has the better pro career, you bet on the player with the physical upside that cannot be taught.

If you need a player who helps you win tomorrow, you take Kneepkens. If you need a versatile forward who could be a steal in three years, you take Doogan.

Winner: Maggie Doogan

Final Call: Doogan wins this matchup by a hair.

Both are elite shooters with limited athleticism. Who projects as the better pro?
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WNBA Draft Battleground: Rori Harmon vs. Raven Johnson

The Series: WNBA Draft Battleground

rori harmon wnba draft

In this series, we go toe-to-toe with the toughest evaluations in the 2026 class. In each installment, we take two prospects with similar profiles, pit them against each other, and answer the ultimate question: Who projects as the better pro?

Round 3: Rori Harmon vs. Raven Johnson

Texas’s Rori Harmon and South Carolina’s Raven Johnson are defensive point guards: “pass-first” floor generals who prioritize setting the table over hunting their own shot. Both are absolute pests on the defensive end. And both face the same major question mark: Can they impact the game enough to make it in the WNBA?

Mock drafts have both players all over the map. Harmon is projected anywhere from a lottery talent to a mid-second rounder, while Johnson fluctuates from late first round to third round. W Bound has Harmon slotted as a second-rounder, while Johnson is a late pick in the third round—barely edging out of “undrafted” territory.

The WNBA is notoriously difficult for undersized non-scoring guards. Teams need ball-handling depth, but are wary of guards who can be ignored by defenses.

We breakdown the matchup:

Prospect Profile: Rori Harmon

The Case For

Point-of-Attack Defense: Harmon’s best trait is her on-ball defense. Her lateral quickness is elite; she doesn’t just stay in front of ball handlers, she terrorizes them, having earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors by generating steals and deflections that fuel transition offense.

The Mid-Range Game: Unlike many small guards who struggle to score inside the arc, Harmon has a lethal pull-up jumper. She is comfortable operating in the pick-and-roll and punishing drop coverage with a reliable 15-footer, giving her a go-to scoring option when the play breaks down.

Tempo Control: Texas plays at Rori Harmon’s speed. Her assist-to-turnover ratio has historically been among the nation’s best (even leading the country in A/T ratio in 2023-24, before her injury), meaning she runs a high-speed offense without making critical mistakes.

The Case Against

Size & Durability: Listed at 5’6”, she is undersized for the modern WNBA. Combined with her frantic playstyle and history of injuries (most notably a torn ACL in the 2023-24 season), there are legitimate concerns about her body holding up against WNBA physicality.

3-Point Volume: Defenses frequently go under screens against her. While she can hit open shots, she is a reluctant 3-point shooter, allowing defenders to sag off and clog the paint.

Fan Hub

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy.

As one of the top names to watch for in the 2026 WNBA Draft, her journey is happening right now. Track the next generation of talent and see a future pro in the making.

Rep Her College Colors: Before she gets to the WNBA, she’s a star for her university. This is the best place to find all the officially licensed gear for her team.

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Prospect Profile: Raven Johnson

The Case For

Size: Though still a bit undersized for a WNBA guard, Johnson’s long wingspan allows her to switch onto larger wings.

Defensive Versatility: She famously shut down Caitlin Clark in the 2024 NCAA Tournament title game. Johnson isn’t just a pest; she is a lockdown defender capable of erasing an opponent’s best perimeter option.  

Championship DNA: She is a “winner,” having led South Carolina to multiple titles. She knows her role, moves the ball, and makes high-IQ reads—exactly the type of low-maintenance floor general coaches love to have running a second unit.  

The Case Against

Scoring Aggression: Johnson can be passive to a fault. There are stretches where she refuses to look at the rim (averaging fewer than 6 field goal attempts per game for her career).

Finishing at the Rim: She struggles to finish in traffic against length, often opting to kick the ball out rather than challenge rim protectors in the paint.

Rori Harmon (Texas) Raven Johnson (South Carolina) Advantage
Height 5'6" 5'9" Johnson
Draft Age 23 23 ---
Athleticism Elite speed; blur in open court Good length, average quickness Harmon
Shooting Mid-Range: Elite pull-up game Spot-Up: Improving 3PT (40%) Harmon
Defense Generates chaos (3.1 SPG) Switchable Tie
Decision Making Elite A/T ratio High-IQ / Disciplined Harmon
Upside Starter Role Player Harmon
WNBA Readiness Rotational (Change of Pace) Rotational (Defense) Tie

The Verdict: Who Projects as the Better Pro?

The Winner: Rori Harmon

Raven Johnson is the “safe” pick. Her 5’9″ frame and defensive versatility profiles as a high-end backup or defensive specialist in the mold of Briann January. 

However, Rori Harmon is the singular talent in this matchup.

Despite the size concerns, Harmon possesses a trait that cannot be taught: the ability to tilt the entire floor. Her speed breaks defenses, her mid-range shooting punishes drop coverage, and her defensive hands generate easy offense. Players like Jordin Canada and Crystal Dangerfield have proven there is a path for small, dynamic guards to thrive.

Final Call: Harmon wins this matchup.

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