The biggest college stars in women’s basketball made their dreams a reality Monday night at the 2025 WNBA draft in New York City. From shimmering looks seen on Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, and more, to the classic LBD on Serena Sundell and Hailey Van Lith, players showed up dressed to the nines for their big night. While the fashion was notable, we could not help but admire the athletes’ thoughtful manicures, which were focused on self-expression. Many players chose to use the night as an opportunity to highlight the hands that we usually see handling the ball on the court.
As Saniya Rivers’s decorated handbag simply puts it: “The WNBA been poppin.” Without further ado, take a look at the best manicures from the 2025 WNBA Draft night below.
Kiki Iriafen, drafted fourth by Washington Mystics
Forward Kiki Irafen honored her Nigerian heritage in a custom dress by Nneka Alexander and accessorized with bold jewelry and nails. “I wanted a pop of color, so I did red. I’ve never done red, but I feel like it gives grown, bold—and I added some sparkles to switch it up,” she says.
Paige Bueckers, drafted first by Dallas Wings
Photographed by Denise Stephanie
Number one draft pick Paige Bueckers accessorized her custom, head-to-toe Coach suit with a black cat-eye gel set. “I got silver cat-eye last year, and I really enjoyed it, so I went with black this year to match my suit.”
Sonia Citron, drafted third by Washington Mystics
