Nigerian-American basketball star Okikiola “Kiki” Iriafen has been drafted by the Washington Mystics as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Born in Los Angeles, the 22-year-old began her college basketball journey at Stanford before transferring back home to play for the USC Trojans. Alongside standout teammate Juju Watkins, Iriafen helped lead the Trojans to a Big Ten regular season title and secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Reacting to her selection, the 6-foot-3 forward credited her journey to perseverance, faith, and trusting the process.
“I’ve been resilient—there was a lot I had to overcome in my last season, but I just trusted the process. I’m a woman of faith, so I leaned on God and stayed prayerful. I’m incredibly grateful to be here and I give all the glory to God,” Iriafen shared in her first interview after the draft.
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Projected as a first-round pick, Iriafen attended the draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards in Manhattan, New York, surrounded by family and friends. She made a statement with her outfit—a stunning sequin chocolate brown and gold gradient beaded dress.
“I really wanted to showcase my culture on this big stage,” she said. “This dress is custom-made by Nneka Alexander, a Nigerian designer. I’m also wearing traditional Nigerian beads and earrings.”
NCAA champions UConn star Paige Bueckers was selected first in the 2025 WNBA draft by the Dallas Wings.
Nineteen-year-old centre Dominique Malonga, who was part of France’s silver medal-winning squad at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was taken at No. 2 by the Seattle Storm.
The Washington Mystics had three of the top six picks – selecting Sonia Citron of Notre Dame at No. 3, USC’s Kiki Iriafen at No. 4 and Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore at No. 6.
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