In a different world, Hannah Hidalgo would already be playing in the WNBA. More specifically, that world would exist if the WNBA had the same rules about draft eligibility that the NBA has.
Instead, fans who want to see Hidalgo playing pro will likely have to wait two more years. Though this year's CBA negotiations might open up the option for female basketball players to leave school early if they want to, there's no guarantee.
Of course, this could change between now and when Hidalgo graduates, especially if members of the WNBPA make draft eligibility a focus of the new CBA negotiations. Some players, like JuJu Watkins, have expressed tentative interest in opening up options for women in college (though it can definitely be argued that staying in school and earning a degree is a great idea for both young women and young men who want to play professional basketball).
WNBA Draft eligibility
As it stands now, the WNBA requires American players to either be 22 years old during the year of the draft or to have finished their senior year in college before they can declare for the WNBA Draft. Players are also required to renounce the rest of their college eligibility. International players must be 20 years old during the year of the draft.
When is the 2025 WNBA Draft?
The exact date for this year's WNBA Draft has not yet been announced, but it will be held in April following the Final Four. The Draft is held in New York.
How to buy tickets for the 2025 WNBA Draft
The WNBA Draft is not always a public event. Last year members of the public were allowed to purchase tickets due to the overwhelming interest in Caitlin Clark's final year of collegiate basketball, but it's so far unclear if fans will be allowed to attend this year.
How is the WNBA Draft order determined?
The four teams that did not make the playoffs have the first four picks in each year's WNBA Draft. After free agency, those picks belong to the Wings (1), Storm (2), and Mystics (3 and 4).
How is the WNBA Draft different from the NBA Draft?
The WNBA Draft and NBA Draft differ in a few ways. Athletes who declare for the NBA Draft must be at least 19 years old during the year of the Draft and Americans must have graduated from high school in the United States. Like the WNBA Draft, players must give up their college eligibility.
International players who hope to be drafted into the NBA must also have had a permanent residence outside the US for at least three years before the Draft.