The WNBA Draft Was the Biggest Beauty Spectacle of the Year So Far

Kara Nesvig
·3 min read
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The much-anticipated WNBA Draft took place at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on April 14, and college basketball superstars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Aaliyah Edwards brought their best beauty game as they entered their next chapter as professional athletes.

The WNBA, which was founded in 1996, has given rise to superstars like Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, and Sue Bird, and this year's new recruits have driven increased attention to the sport. (The NCAA tournament was the most-watched women's basketball game of all time.) To say all eyes were on the draft is an understatement, and the athletes served up beauty inspo while joining forces with some of the biggest teams on the WNBA roster.

Ahead, check out the best hair, makeup, and manicure moments from the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Number-one pick Caitlin Clark, who played for the Iowa Hawkeyes, is heading to Indiana to play for the Fever. She opted for sleek, shiny hair, parted precisely in the center and styled pin-straight, a minimalist glam that worked perfectly with her head-to-toe Prada outfit.

Angel Reese, who will play for the Chicago Sky, looked slinky in her shimmering silver hooded gown, which she wore over straight, middle-parted hair that flowed all the way down to her hips. Long, fluttery false lashes and glossy red lips added to the glam factor, as did her nails, which were sheer at the base and tipped in black with 3D bows.

Cameron Brink, who was the number-two pick of the night, wore her long blonde hair in loose waves courtesy hairstylist Renée Gadar, who pulled small, face-framing pieces back and tied them under her hair for extra sleekness, then sealed the waves with a spritz of Aveda's Control Force hairspray. Brink's graphic, bold black cat-eye liner was created by makeup artist Jocelyn Biga using Estée Lauder's Double Wear 24H Waterproof Gel Eye Pencil in Onyx, and she paired it with a matching black mani.

Caitlin Clark wears a Prada suit set with straight, shiny hair and bold brows.

Caitlin Clark WNBA Draft

Caitlin Clark wears a Prada suit set with straight, shiny hair and bold brows.
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Angel Reese, drafted to the Chicago Sky, opted for long lashes, sleek hair, and a black French manicure with 3D decals.

Angel Reese WNBA Draft

Angel Reese, drafted to the Chicago Sky, opted for long lashes, sleek hair, and a black French manicure with 3D decals.
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Cameron Brink, who will join the Los Angeles Sparks, wore bold black liner and a black manicure to match her Balmain set.

Cameron Brink WNBA Look

Cameron Brink, who will join the Los Angeles Sparks, wore bold black liner and a black manicure to match her Balmain set.
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Some players incorporated personal touches into their draft looks. UConn's Aaliyah Edwards, who will join the Washington Mystics, wore her signature yellow and purple braids for the event; the colors are a tribute to her basketball hero, Kobe Bryant, and her late brother.

Aaliyah Edwards's yellow braids are part of her signature look.

Aaliyah Edwards WNBA Draft

Aaliyah Edwards's yellow braids are part of her signature look.
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Rickea Jackson, new to the Los Angeles Sparks, cosigned the side bangs trend with her half-up style.

Rickea Jackson WNBA Draft

Rickea Jackson, new to the Los Angeles Sparks, cosigned the side bangs trend with her half-up style.
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Alissa Pili's tattoos pay tribute to her heritage. She'll play for the Minnesota Lynx.

Alissa Pili WNBA Draft

Alissa Pili's tattoos pay tribute to her heritage. She'll play for the Minnesota Lynx.
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Many of the draft picks and rookies wore Glossier makeup as part of an ongoing partnership between the WNBA and the beauty brand that began in 2020. Clark was the first to wear the brand's new Invisible Shield SPF 50 sunscreen!

Nyadiew Puoch, the newest addition to the Atlanta Dream, wore braids and a milk bath manicure in her portrait.

Nyadiew Puoch WNBA Draft

Nyadiew Puoch, the newest addition to the Atlanta Dream, wore braids and a milk bath manicure in her portrait.
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Celeste Taylor, joining Clark on the Indiana Fever, pulled her curls into a high updo and wore an equally soft, barely-there mani.

Celeste Taylor WNBA Draft

Celeste Taylor, joining Clark on the Indiana Fever, pulled her curls into a high updo and wore an equally soft, barely-there mani.
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Congratulations to the next generation of WNBA superstars!

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Originally Appeared on Allure