A four-year player for NC State women’s basketball, dynamic guard Aziaha James is ready for the next step with the Dallas Wings.
The Wings selected James with the No. 12 pick in Monday’s 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City, sending the Wolfpack alum to play alongside No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers out of UConn.
James enjoyed national attention during her time as a Wolfpack guard with last year’s run the Final Four and this year’s huge win over then-No. 1 Notre Dame in Raleigh as she dazzled with a behind-the-back fastbreak finish that lit up social media.
That play is evidence of the All-ACC star’s game IQ and polished skillset, which will be a strong addition in Dallas.
Here’s what the the Wings are getting in James.
The positives
James is a creative scorer whose grit outshines her 5-foot-10 frame. The lefty averaged a team-high 17.9 points for the ACC regular-season champions as a senior, bumping up to 23.4 per game in the NCAA tournament.
A career 42.6% shooter, James hit 33.3% of her 3-point attempts last season and she pulled down 4.9 rebounds per game playing in a four-guard rotation for coach Wes Moore.
James has shared the spotlight throughout her career with the Wolfpack, but she has the skillset to carry an offense, evidenced by her Most Outstanding Player award from the 2024 regionals during NC State’s national semifinal spurt. That deference has her poised as an under-the-radar prospect with a high ceiling.
The concerns
Size is the only glaring ding on James, a two-time All-ACC honoree and All-American honorable mention, but she has the skill and savvy to play beyond her height like other undersized stars who have impacted the league.
Teams who shun highly skilled players over size set them up as sleeper picks for some other lucky program, but James’ prowess isn’t likely to go unappreciated.
Final thoughts
An unselfish player and willing passer despite her loaded offensive tool kit, James plays with tireless motion and another gear. She shoots well off the screen and can create for herself with a speedy first step.
Look for her to come off the bench as a spark on offense.
All-time WNBA draft picks out of NC State
- Sharon Manning — 1997 WNBA College Draft, second round, No. 10 overall pick to the Charlotte Sting
- Rhonda Mapp — 1997 WNBA Elite Draft, No. 3 overall to the Charlotte Sting
- Trena Trice — 1997 WNBA College Draft, third round, No. 22 overall to the New York Liberty
- Umeki Webb — 1997 WNBA College Draft, third round, No. 24 overall to the Phoenix Mercury
- Chasity Melvin — 1999 WNBA Draft, first round, No. 11 overall to the Cleveland Rockers
- Summer Erb — 2000, first round, No. 11 overall to the Charlotte Sting
- Tynesha Lewis — 2001, second round, No. 31 overall to the Houston Comets
- Kayla Chones — 2004, second round, No. 15 overall to the Washington Mystics
- Tiffany Stansbury — 2006, third round, No. 29 overall to the Houston Comets
- Gillian Goring — 2007, third round, No. 32 overall to Washington Mystics
- Ashley Key — 2007, third round, No. 35 overall to Indiana Fever
- Khadijah Whittington — 2008, second round, No. 26 overall to the Indiana Fever
- Markeisha Gatling — 2014, first round, No. 9 overall to the Chicago Sky
- Kody Burke — 2014, third round, No. 32 overall to the Washington Mystics
- Kiara Leslie — 2019, first round, No. 10 overall to the Washington Mystics
- Elissa Cunane — 2022, second round, No. 17 overall to the Seattle Storm
- Kayla Jones — 2022, second round, No. 22 overall to the Minnesota Lynx
- Saniya Rivers — 2025, first round, No. 8 overall to the Connecticut Sun
- Aziaha James — 2025, first round, No. 12 overall to the Dallas Wings
*NOTE — NC State and WNBA All-Star Andrea Stinson was not a WNBA draftee. She was allocated to the Charlotte Sting when the league began in 1997.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Dallas Wings pick NC State’s Aziaha James No. 12 in 2025 WNBA Draft
A four-year player for NC State women’s basketball, dynamic guard Aziaha James is ready for the next step with the Dallas Wings.
The Wings selected James with the No. 12 pick in Monday’s 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City, sending the Wolfpack alum to play alongside No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers out of UConn.
James enjoyed national attention during her time as a Wolfpack guard with last year’s run the Final Four and this year’s huge win over then-No. 1 Notre Dame in Raleigh as she dazzled with a behind-the-back fastbreak finish that lit up social media.
That play is evidence of the All-ACC star’s game IQ and polished skillset, which will be a strong addition in Dallas.
Here’s what the the Wings are getting in James.
The positives
James is a creative scorer whose grit outshines her 5-foot-10 frame. The lefty averaged a team-high 17.9 points for the ACC regular-season champions as a senior, bumping up to 23.4 per game in the NCAA tournament.
A career 42.6% shooter, James hit 33.3% of her 3-point attempts last season and she pulled down 4.9 rebounds per game playing in a four-guard rotation for coach Wes Moore.
James has shared the spotlight throughout her career with the Wolfpack, but she has the skillset to carry an offense, evidenced by her Most Outstanding Player award from the 2024 regionals during NC State’s national semifinal spurt. That deference has her poised as an under-the-radar prospect with a high ceiling.
The concerns
Size is the only glaring ding on James, a two-time All-ACC honoree and All-American honorable mention, but she has the skill and savvy to play beyond her height like other undersized stars who have impacted the league.
Teams who shun highly skilled players over size set them up as sleeper picks for some other lucky program, but James’ prowess isn’t likely to go unappreciated.
Final thoughts
An unselfish player and willing passer despite her loaded offensive tool kit, James plays with tireless motion and another gear. She shoots well off the screen and can create for herself with a speedy first step.
Look for her to come off the bench as a spark on offense.
All-time WNBA draft picks out of NC State
- Sharon Manning — 1997 WNBA College Draft, second round, No. 10 overall pick to the Charlotte Sting
- Rhonda Mapp — 1997 WNBA Elite Draft, No. 3 overall to the Charlotte Sting
- Trena Trice — 1997 WNBA College Draft, third round, No. 22 overall to the New York Liberty
- Umeki Webb — 1997 WNBA College Draft, third round, No. 24 overall to the Phoenix Mercury
- Chasity Melvin — 1999 WNBA Draft, first round, No. 11 overall to the Cleveland Rockers
- Summer Erb — 2000, first round, No. 11 overall to the Charlotte Sting
- Tynesha Lewis — 2001, second round, No. 31 overall to the Houston Comets
- Kayla Chones — 2004, second round, No. 15 overall to the Washington Mystics
- Tiffany Stansbury — 2006, third round, No. 29 overall to the Houston Comets
- Gillian Goring — 2007, third round, No. 32 overall to Washington Mystics
- Ashley Key — 2007, third round, No. 35 overall to Indiana Fever
- Khadijah Whittington — 2008, second round, No. 26 overall to the Indiana Fever
- Markeisha Gatling — 2014, first round, No. 9 overall to the Chicago Sky
- Kody Burke — 2014, third round, No. 32 overall to the Washington Mystics
- Kiara Leslie — 2019, first round, No. 10 overall to the Washington Mystics
- Elissa Cunane — 2022, second round, No. 17 overall to the Seattle Storm
- Kayla Jones — 2022, second round, No. 22 overall to the Minnesota Lynx
- Saniya Rivers — 2025, first round, No. 8 overall to the Connecticut Sun
- Aziaha James — 2025, first round, No. 12 overall to the Dallas Wings
*NOTE — NC State and WNBA All-Star Andrea Stinson was not a WNBA draftee. She was allocated to the Charlotte Sting when the league began in 1997.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Dallas Wings pick NC State’s Aziaha James No. 12 in 2025 WNBA Draft
