“I set a goal for myself to achieve high success in this sport so that my father could be proud of me,” Anastasiia Kosu said in an interview. She did succeed in achieving her dream, making a name for herself in the WBB, but sadly her father is no more to see her success. He passed away when Kosu was just six. But Kosu kept her promise and credits her mother, who played the role of both parents, for the motivation. And now she is on the verge of making history in the WNBA.

She could become the first Russian drafted into the WNBA since Kliundikova was selected No. 11 overall in 2018. This could be massive considering the ban on Russia after the conflict with Ukraine. Now with very few representatives from the country in the WNBA, Kosu will only be the fifth Russian star to make a cut in the WNBA. Anastasiia Kosu, a 6’1″ forward from Russia, has emerged as a notable prospect in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Currently playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg, she won accolades such as Eurobasket.com’s Player of the Year and Forward of the Year for the 2023–24 season. Playing for Dynamo Kursk, the star got the opportunity to meet and learn from WNBA stars like Candice Dupree, Michell Snow and Nneka Ogwumike. “I was always inspired by Nneka’s powerful and fast game,” Kosu said. “I wanted to play the same as she did.” More interestingly, both Nneka and Kosu share the same country of origin, as Nneka’s family is from Nigeria, where Koku’s father was born. He later went to play professional basketball in Spain.

Nneka’s fast game was not just an inspiration for her, but she also fast-tracked her career. At just 14 years old, Kosu made her debut with the Russian national team, representing the country at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship. With an outstanding double-double performance (17.0 points and 14.1 rebounds per game), Kosu won the MVP award in the competition.

Her versatility at a young age and never-die attitude make her a special talent on the floor. Even though the star might not be a first-rounder, she could land a place in the championship contender team with a late selection. Yet, many feel that this could be an injustice to Anastasiia Kosu’s potential. Let us see her possible landing spots.

What are the top landing spots for Anastasiia Kosu in the 2025 WNBA Draft?

Effective for her 6-ft-1 size, Kosu is very handy on both ends of the floor. Though she hardly shoots from range, she has respectable mid-range efficiency. Defensively, she is sound and provides an extra hand. “Each coach has their own defensive principles, but it’s easy for me to adapt to it,” Kosu said. “I can guard players in different positions, big and small. It’s a plus for me and allows me to get easy points in transition after a good play on defense.”

Multiple reports suggest that the Russian forward Anastasiia Kosu will be a late-round pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, with the Dallas Wings and Indiana Fever emerging as potential destinations. Dallas Wings have multiple picks in each round and can use one of them for Kosu, most likely in the third round. She could learn and complement the side’s game plan.

As for the Indiana Fever, the side is full of talent after the mega offseason trades. Yet, World Exposure Report’s mock draft predicts that the Indiana Fever will pick Kosu in the third round. This will allow her time to grow, learning from the top-quality players around her.

Who is Anastasiia Kosu’s player comparison in the WNBA?

Though there are very few clips available, the sample size to compare her is sufficient. The forward

Kosu reminds you of Gabby Williams—both 6’1, both all over the court, locking up anyone and sprinting for buckets. Alyssa Thomas comes to mind, too, for that do-it-all vibe, though Kosu’s got to work on her shot and passing to get there. Both these players have exceptional vertical leaps for their sizes and lateral quickness to help in defence.

Whether Kosu will be an instant hit in the WNBA will depend on her game time as she has proved that she is ready to do anything to succeed.