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
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
Sonia Citron decided to try something new for her big night. She wanted to lean into her femininity with a fitted Coach blazer skirt set and a classic pink gel set. “I usually do acrylics, but today I did Gel X. I’ve never done that before or gotten them this long, but I figured tonight’s the night to do this. I didn’t know what I was wearing at the time, so I wanted to play it safe and lean with this classic look.”
Aneesah Morrow, drafted seventh by Connecticut Sun
Now that the 2024-2025 basketball season has wrapped up, Aneesah Morrow is taking full advantage of getting creative with long acrylic tips. “I wanted to go out of my norm. I usually do a bling French tip, but today I did matte and an outline. Now that I’m out of season, I wanted to enjoy my nails.”
Aaliyah Nye, drafted 13th by Las Vegas Aces
Aaliyah Nye relied on a pro tip for her draft day manicure: Always go to your trusted nail tech. “I always wear French tips, and I love black. I went to the local nail shop in Alabama to get them done.”
Hailey Van Lith, drafted 11th by Chicago Sky
Hailey Van Lith wore one of spring’s hottest nail trends to the 2025 WNBA draft: milky nails. Characterized by sheer white tones with a glossy finish, the milky nail look supplies a more natural look. “For the draft, I did a very milky, white chrome. I wanted to keep it basic and simple because I wanted the dress to be the main thing about the outfit. It’s very chic and goes with the vintage vibe. I went to Vanity Projects in New York City.”
Sania Feagin, drafted 21st by the Los Angeles Sparks
“I normally do a regular, basic color, but tonight I went with a French tip. I got SNS powder done in South Carolina.”
Serena Sundell, drafted 26th by Seattle Storm
Simple doesn’t have to mean boring. Basketball star Serena Sundell kept things classic with a French manicure on an almond gel set. “I wanted a classic, sleek look that matches my dress. I’ve always been a classic girl.”
Sarah Ashlee Barker, drafted ninth by Los Angeles Sparks
Sarah Ashlee Barker’s natural pink gel set is a lesson in staying true to yourself. “Honestly, pink is my favorite color. I didn’t want to go bright pink but wanted to go simple and have my favorite color in it.”