The New Yr is upon us and meaning we’re inching nearer to the WNBA Draft.
In 2026, although, we’re uncertain when or if prospects get to listen to their names referred to as as a result of a possible locking looming because the WNBA and the participant’s affiliation stay distant on a brand new collective bargaining settlement.
In recent times, the WNBA Draft happened in April — proper after the conclusion of the NCAA’s Ultimate 4. Draftees would later make the fast turnaround to WNBA coaching camp.
As of now, there’s no draft date or location — and no actual true indicator that there’ll even be a 2026 WNBA.
That leaves high collegiate and worldwide prospects unclear of their fast WNBA futures.
1. Dallas Wings: Awa Fam – Spain/Heart/6-4
The Dallas Wings struck gold in 2025 after choosing Rookie of the Yr winner Paige Bueckers No. 1 total. Basketball gods as soon as once more granted the Wings good luck with an opportunity to pick out one other franchise cornerstone: Awa Fam.
Fam, a flexible 6-4 huge, matches the mould for the altering WNBA panorama. Her positionless play makes her a scoring choice across the rim, a menace in pick-and-rolls and a viable passer to arrange teammates. Pairing the massive with Bueckers may type a 1-2 punch for the foreseeable future.
2. Minnesota Lynx: Azzi Fudd – UConn/Guard/ 5-11
A number of accidents halted Azzi Fudd’s profession in highschool and school: torn proper ACL (twice), torn MCL and fewer severe proper knee and foot accidents. However, the UConn star seemingly kicked the damage bug and appears like a high projected choose draft specialists anticipated her to be.
Fudd’s elite capturing opens up the ground for any WNBA franchise — even on a championship-level roster in Minnesota the place her minutes will not be maximized straight away. Fudd shot 43.6% from deep over the past season’s NCAA title-winning marketing campaign and is as much as 50.6% in her remaining season in Storrs. The elite sharpshooting is just too good to go up on.
3. Seattle Storm: Olivia Miles – TCU/Guard/5-10
TCU’s Olivia Miles is on triple-double watch any time she takes the ground for the Horned Frogs. Miles picked up proper the place she left off from final season’s AP All-American Workforce choice yr: 18.9 factors, 7.2 rebounds and seven.6 assists.
She’s the perfect level guard within the class. She seemingly would’ve gone high 3 in final yr’s WNBA Draft had she determined to declare and never switch out of Notre Dame. She’s an excellent match for brand new head coach Sonia Raman regardless if the franchise decides to rebuild or stay in rivalry.
4.Washington Mystics: Lauren Betts – UCLA/Heart/6-7
Earlier than the 2025-26 collegiate season started, draft specialists heralded Betts because the presumptive No. 1 choose. However the rise of Fam and elite guards increase questions the place Betts may land. The WNBA’s clear transition to faster tempo, positionless basketball and unfold out offenses don’t work within the favor of Betts, who’s a conventional middle.
However her expertise and defensive skill is just too nice to go up on. She’s averaged at the least two blocks per recreation since her sophomore season and almost notched three per recreation final season (2.9) with the Bruins. By way of 12 video games this season, she’s averaging 15.4 factors, 8.2 rebounds and a couple of.3 blocks per recreation.
5. Chicago Sky: Flau’jae Johnson – LSU/Guard/5-10
A lot has been stated about LSU’s weak non-conference schedule and its incapacity to offer an actual showcase on the expansion of Flau’jae Johnson and the Tigers — which nonetheless proves to be true. However sufficient prior tape is out on Johnson to validate her as a high WNBA draft choose.
Devotion to protection. Speedy transition buckets. Dribble pull-up jumpshots. That’s what you’re getting with Johnson. And touchdown her No. 5 total will pair her with Angel Reese — the LSU duo received a nationwide championship collectively again in 2023.
6. Toronto Tempo: Ta’Niya Latson – South Carolina/Guard/5-8
The WNBA’s latest enlargement groups — Toronto Tempo and Portland Hearth — will flip a coin to resolve which franchise will get the sixth and seventh total picks on this draft. Each groups, after all, haven’t any present roster.
In that case, why not go for the perfect participant obtainable in South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson. Her scoring skill is simple after averaging at the least 21 factors per recreation in her first three collegiate seasons at Florida State, together with a Division I-leading 25.2 final season. Underneath head coach Daybreak Staley, Latson remains to be doing injury: 16.9 factors, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals per recreation by 14 video games.
Latson, nonetheless, suffered a decrease leg damage that might impression her senior season and draft inventory.
7. Portland Hearth: Gianna Kneepkens — UCLA/Guard/5-11
Once more, we at the moment don’t know what the enlargement crew’s roster will appear like. However there’s all the time a necessity for shooters.
UCLA’s Gianna Kneepkens gives that — averaging no worse than 42.3% from deep in collegiate season she’s shot at the least 5 treys per recreation. By way of 13 video games with the Bruins, Kneepkens is averaging 14.1 factors, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists with 50.7/44.2/91.7 splits.
8. Golden State Valkyries: Cotie McMahon — Ole Miss/Ahead/6-0
The previous Buckeye’s evident want to enhance her protection has been a subject mentioned by draft specialists. However the place she lacks there’s made up for on the opposite facet of the courtroom.
Footwork and energy is pacing McMahon to a career-best 18.6 factors per recreation by 15 appearances. Golden State acquired a head begin of their first-ever WNBA season — clinching a playoff berth after going 23-21 within the common season. Including McMahon will add to the crew’s promising progress.
9. Washington Mystics: Yarden Garzon — Maryland/Guard/6-3
The Washington Mystics shot the fourth-worst three-point proportion (32.9%) on the fewest makes an attempt (17.1) in 2025. So why not strive fixing that with a sharpshooter like Yarden Garzon?
Earlier than transferring to Maryland, Garzon departed Indiana as this system’s finest girls’s shooter after logging 45.8%, 42.2% and 40.7% from her freshman to junior seasons, respectively. Her senior season at Maryland has seen her proportion drop below 40% — 39.0% by 14 video games — however her observe file exhibits selecting her is value a shot.
10. Indiana Fever: Madina Okot — South Carolina/Heart/6-6
Medina Okot — like Betts — is one other conventional middle with sufficient expertise to land in a league shifting away from its earlier playstyle.
And the Indiana Fever may benefit from defensive gamers to enhance its fast offense. Okot helps present that protection together with her lane-clogging size. She’s 11.2 rebounds per recreation by 13 appearances. Her 1.5 blocks per video games leads the crew and ranks among the many finest within the convention.
11.Washington Mystics: Gabriela Jaquez — UCLA/Guard/6-0
The Mystics have already got 4 guards below contract by the 2027 season — one by 2028 — and are projected to pick out Yarden Garzon on this mock draft. However after capturing so poorly final season and with the emphasis of flooring spacing changing into extra prevalent, UCLA’s Gabriela Jaquez could possibly be a match.
Her 6-0 body permits her to remain on the ground whereas sharing taking part in time with ball-dominant guards. And her career-best 52.8% capturing from deep may assist enhance Washington’s capturing woes.
12. Connecticut Solar: Iyana Martín Carrión — Spain/Guard/5-9
Iyana Martín Carrión, the 2024-25 Euroleague Younger Participant of the Yr, is a standout in abroad play. The potential of hanging gold on a global prospect for the Connecticut Solar could be a significant stepping stone for the rebuilding franchise.
Entrance places of work years in the past ought to’ve taken discover of the Spanish guard, who averaged 16.1 factors and three.3 assists on the U-19 World Cup taking part in in opposition to a few of America’s brightest prospects.
13. Atlanta Dream: Raven Johnson — South Carolina/Guard/5-8
Most prospects picked at this spot — by a playoff crew just like the Dream — could not see a lot taking part in time, assuming most of Atlanta’s roster returns in free company. However why not take a two-way, Daybreak-Staley product?
Raven Johnson, a two-time NCAA champion and fifth-year season, is a seasoned prospect. The Dream notched a franchise-best common season file (30-14) after a lot enchancment to the crew’s total protection below first-year head coach Karl Smesko. Johnson’s willingness on protection may discover her some minutes in Smesko’s rotation.
14. Seattle Storm: Serah Williams — UConn/Ahead/6-4
Williams put up huge numbers in her junior season at Wisconsin (19.2 factors, 9.8 rebounds and a couple of.3 blocks per recreation) earlier than transferring to Fudd’s UConn crew. Her senior season numbers dropped taking part in alongside extra proficient teammates: 7.5 factors, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per recreation.
Nonetheless, Williams’ footwork and size can’t be ignored. Seattle’s future seems shiny with the emergence of French phenom Dominique Malonga, however including Williams is a plus for the Storm’s frontcourt depth.
15. Connecticut Solar: Janiah Barker — Tennessee/Ahead/6-4
The expertise is there.
Whether or not Janiah Baker may stay constant or not was the query as she entered her remaining collegiate season with the Girl Vols.
By way of 11 video games, she averaging 14.6 factors, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals. She could also be value a strive because the Solar shut out the primary spherical.
