There have been a number of good performances in 2025 from rookies like Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, but that's to be expected, right? This rookie class had some strong players in it, so the top rookies being from the top of the draft makes sense.
But it also seems like we have more undrafted rookies in rotations than usual this year. A huge part of that is that the Mercury dived deep into the fringes to fill out the team's roster, though not every good undrafted rookie plays in Phoenix.
Here are the top rookies, undrafted-only edition. Only four undrafted rookies have played enough to really justify a spot on this list, but here's a quick shoutout to the other undrafted players to see the floor this season: Megan McConnell, Murjanatu Musa, Kyara Linskens, Marième Badiane and Kadidja Diaby.
4. Janelle Salaün - Golden State Valkyries
We start with the only non-Mercury player among the top four: Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün, a 23-year-old player from France who has been a key part of the Valkyries starting lineup.
Salaün has struggled with her efficiency, especially inside the arc, as she's 90th out of 96 qualifying players in 2-point field goal percentage. However, she's been a good rebounder for Golden State and has shown some upside when it comes to stretching the floor.
One issue right now is that Salaün is living in the midrange area, which just isn't the most efficient place to shoot from. If she can work on more consistently staying behind the 3-point line, she'd potentially be much more efficient.
3. Kathryn Westbeld - Phoenix Mercury
Deciding how to sort these next three players is tough. All three play for the same team and have been key parts of a surprisingly strong start to the season, so their order is likely to change on a game-to-game basis.
Kathryn Westbeld has filled in admirably at center with Natasha Mack injured, to the point where now it's unclear if a healthy Mack will step back into the starting five or not. (Mack's rebounding edge over Westbeld means she probably will, but Mack also creates serious spacing concerns.)
Westbeld is a great fit for this team because she can play the five on the defensive end, but also helps with spacing on the offensive side by playing out to the 3-point line. With Alyssa Thomas on the floor, Phoenix needs to find ways to open up driving space since Thomas isn't a shooter, and Westbeld is ideal for that.
Defensively, Westbeld's 1.4 blocks per game rank fifth in the league, and her 5.8 percent block rate is fourth in the WNBA.
2. Monique Akoa Makani - Phoenix Mercury
Monique Akoa-Makani isn't playing as many minutes as Westbeld is, but she's been just as important, if not more important.
The Mercury have a +9.5 net rating with Akoa Makani on the floor, the second-best mark among Mercury players who've seen at least 100 minutes of playing time. The net rating plummets to -6.6 with her off the floor. The only Mercury player whose on/off numbers are better is Satou Sabally.
Akoa Makani's shooting ability is a big part of this. Her 42.9 percent mark from 3-point range ranks 13th in the league and she is currently shooting 100 percent from the charity stripe. With Kahleah Copper out, the Mercury have needed additional sources of scoring out of the backcourt and while Akoa Makani isn't going to be a player who creates a lot of shots of her own, her ability to connect on catch-and-shoot looks behind the arc is still huge for the Mercury.
1. Lexi Held - Phoenix Mercury
Lexi Held has yet to start a game for the Mercury, but her play off the bench suggests that she has the highest ceiling of the undrafted Phoenix trio.
One important thing that Held has shown is the ability to take over a game. She's scored in double figures in the past three Mercury contests, including exploding for 24 points on 46.7 percent shooting against the Valkyries.
Held can shoot from deep, but she can also put the ball on the floor and get to her spots. Her 50 percent mark on midrange field goals ranks fifth in the WNBA and she ranks in the 71st percentile in attempts in the restricted area. She's been average at finishing there, but her ability to get to the basket introduces an important dimension to this Mercury offense.
And on the defensive end, Held has shown she has quick hands and can poke balls away, ranking 13th in the league in steals per game and fourth in steal rate. Her floor seems to be a very good bench 3-and-D wing. Her ceiling is basically a startable version of that who can create her own looks. It's a little early to declare her a future star, but of all the Mercury rookies, she appears to be the closest thing they have to one.