For two straight seasons, the Indiana Fever won the [WNBA](fansided.com/wnba) Draft Lottery and earned the No. 1 overall pick. The easiest way to turn a franchise around, however, is not to get the highest picks, but to make your picks count.
The Washington Mystics were in a similar situation this offseason when they owned the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft. While they certainly had an abundance of selections, it is what they did with them that gives the franchise such hope for the future.
While it is truly a coin toss between which of these teams has a more promising future, it goes without saying that the Mystics and the Fever have the WNBA's two best young cores.
The Mystics and Fever have the WNBA's best young cores
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Indiana is obviously headlined by Caitlin Clark, who was the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year and earned First-Team All-WNBA honors in just her first season. She set numerous records during her inaugural campaign and is one of the most dangerous players in the league.
Aliyah Boston is also a future All-WNBA player, as the 2023 Rookie of the Year is already a two-time All-Star and has continued to improve her production throughout her three seasons. When her and Clark play together in a two-person game, there are very few defensive combinations in the league that can stop them.
When also factoring in elite role players like Lexie Hull, a promising rookie in Makayla Timpson and newly-added Aari McDonald, this Fever team could be trouble for years to come. Players like Sophie Cunningham, Kelsey Mitchell and Brianna Turner also have plenty of years left as well, so Indiana is not going anywhere.
**RELATED:** [**Has Aliyah Boston made a star leap in her third season?**](https://fansided.com/has-aliyah-boston-made-a-star-leap-in-her-third-season)
As for the Mystics, their roster is a bit less proven. However, they are the youngest team in the league and have more promise than any other franchise in the WNBA. Of the 12 players currently on their roster, only two have completed more than two professional seasons.
Washington grabbed a trio of Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore in the first round of this year's draft, and they added Lucy Olsen in the second round. Amoore is dealing with an injury, but the other three have been strong contributors through the first month of the season.
In fact, Iriafen was the Rookie of the Month in May, and Citron also averaged 14.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest. Other young players like Aaliyah Edwards, Jade Melbourne and Shakira Austin have also played pivotal roles for the Mystics this season.
Time will tell if the star duos of Clark and Boston or Citron and Iriafen will prevail, but these two franchises have chosen well in recent years. Now, they will reap the benefits of strong draft selections and look to establish themselves among the best teams in the WNBA thanks to their young cores.