The WNBA draft is underway, as the league welcomes its newest rookie class on Monday night.
With the No. 1 pick for the second straight year, the Dallas Wings opened the night by selecting Azzi Fudd, reuniting the 5-foot-11 guard with former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers.
Follow along for live updates.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said before the draft started that the league is looking to play a game outside North America for the first time in 2027.
Then the league’s teams spent the three rounds adding 10 international players.
A trio of international players were selected in the first round. Center Awa Fam Thiam became the highest drafted Spanish player at No. 3 overall. Spain added a second player when Iyana Martin Carrion was taken by Portland with its first ever draft pick at No. 7 overall. Nell Angloma of France was the 12th selection by Connecticut.
Forward Frieda Buhner of Germany was the second pick in the second round by Portland. Toronto, another expansion franchise, took Australian Saffron Shiels at No. 26 and Phoenix drafted French guard Ines Pitarch-Granel at No. 27.
Golden State went for Kokoro Tanaka of Japan in the third round at No. 38 overall. Manuela Puoch of Australia was taken at 41 by the New York Liberty. Phoenix added Eszter Ratkai of Hungary at No. 42, and Atlanta took Kejia Ran of China at No. 43.
31. Dallas Wings – Zee Spearman
32. Chicago Sky – Tonie Morgan
33. Connecticut Sun – Serah Williams
34. Washington Mystics – Rori Harmon
35. Los Angeles Sparks – Amelia Hassett
36. Toronto Tempo – Charlise Dunn
37. Portland Fire – Taylor Bigby
38. Golden State Valkyries – Kokoro Tanaka
39. Seattle Storm – Grace VanSlooten
40. Indiana Fever – Jessica Timmons
41. New York Liberty – Manuela Puoch
42. Phoenix Mercury – Eszter Ratkai
43. Atlanta Dream – Kejia Ran
44. Las Vegas Aces – Jordan Obi
45. Minnesota Lynx – Lani White
The odds are against third-round picks, but expansion creates more job opportunities.
In 2025, just three made WNBA rosters: JJ Quinerly (No. 27), Liatu King (No. 28) and Taylor Thierry (No. 36).
So don’t count any of these players out. Teams are always in the market for someone to rise above the odds.
26. Toronto Tempo – Saffron Shiels
27. Phoenix Mercury – Ines Pitarch-Granel
28. Atlanta Dream – Indya Nivar
29. Las Vegas Aces – Janiah Barker
30. Washington Mystics – Darianna Littlepage-Buggs
Name: Taina Mair
School: Duke
Stats: 5-foot-9 guard, averaged 11.6 points, 5.6 assists, 5.9 rebounds
Strength: Good ball-handler with active hands on defense
Weakness: 3-point shooting must be more consistent
21. Chicago Sky – Latasha Lattimore
22. Toronto Tempo – Teonni Key
23. Golden State Valkyries – Ashlon Jackson
24. Los Angeles Sparks – Chance Gray
25. Indiana Fever – Justine Pissott
The UCLA Bruins came to the WNBA draft with a chance at having a lot of players selected.
They now have a pair of records all to themselves with the most players drafted in the first round and most in any draft.
Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, Angela Dugalic and Gianna Kneepkens all were drafted in the first round setting a record for the most players from one school taken in the first round.
Then Charlisse Leger-Walker became the sixth UCLA Bruin drafted overall when taken by the Connecticut Sun at No. 18.
That tops the mark of five from one team held by three teams. Tennessee first had five taken in 2008 followed by Notre Dame in 2019 and South Carolina in 2023.
16. Seattle Storm – Marta Suarez
17. Portland Fire – Frieda Buhner
18. Connecticut Sun – Charlisse Leger-Walker
19. Washington Mystics – Cassandre Prosper
20. Los Angeles Sparks – Ta’Niya Latson
The WNBA has its first trade of this draft.
The Golden State Valkyries have swapped the rights to Flau’jae Johnson to the Seattle Storm in exchange for the rights to forward Marta Suarez of TCU.
The Valkyries wanted Suarez enough to also send a 2028 second-round selection to Seattle. Suarez was the first pick of the second round at No. 16 overall. Johnson was the eight pick overall.
Tina Thompson says things have changed a little since she was the No. 1 overall pick in the first WNBA draft in 1997.
“My draft was nothing like this. Not even close.” Thompson said of hearing her named called by then WNBA President Val Ackerman 30 years ago. “We had not even got WNBA jerseys printed yet so I was holding up a practice jersey.”
Thompson was drafted by Houston out of Southern Cal and helped the Comets become the league’s first dynasty, winning four-straight titles from 1997-2000.
Name: Gianna Kneepkens
School: UCLA
Stats: 6-foot guard, averaged 12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds
Strength: Strong 3-point shooter who’s efficient taking shots and can move without the ball
Weakness: Defense
UCLA had a record first round.
The Bruins became the first team to have five players selected in the first round, a little more than a week after winning the school’s first NCAA championship.
And two of them aren’t finished being teammates.
Lauren Betts was taken with the No. 4 pick by the Washington Mystics, who later selected Angela Dugalic at No. 9.
Gabriela Jaquez went right after Betts to Chicago at No. 5, followed by Kiki Rice to the expansion Toronto Tempo at No. 6. Jaquez helped UCLA tie the WNBA record of four taken in the first round set by UConn in 2002.
Then UCLA got the record to itself when the Connecticut Sun took Gianna Kneepkens at No. 15.
Tennessee, in 1999 and again in 2008, had five players selected in the draft, as did Notre Dame in 2019 and South Carolina in 2023. But the players from those teams weren’t all taken in the first round.
Name: Madina Okot
School: South Carolina
Stats: 6-foot-6 center, averaged 12.8 points, 10.6 rebounds
Strength: Size and consistent double-double threat
Weakness: Experience
Name: Nell Angloma from France
School: BLMA
Stats: 5-foot-11 forward, averaged 15.5 points, 5.6 assists in France’s premier league
Strength: Scorer who can handle the ball with ability to play forward or guard.
Weakness: Turns 20 in June
Name: Cotie McMahon
School: Mississippi
Stats: 6-foot forward, averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds
Strength: Tough, physical player
Weakness: 3-point shooting and shooting outside the paint
Name: Raven Johnson
School: South Carolina
Stats: 5-foot-9 guard, averaged 9.9 points, 5.1 assists
Strength: Spreads the ball around while limiting turnovers and strong defender even when giving up size
Weakness: Shooting and scoring
Name: Angela Dugalic
School: UCLA
Stats: 6-foot-4 forward, averaged 9 points, 5.6 rebounds
Strength: Plays physically and a mismatch
Weakness: Needs more time to develop her game fully
UCLA came to the WNBA draft looking to make history by having as many as five Bruins taken in the first round.
The Bruins took a big step toward that with center Lauren Betts, guard Gabriella Jaquez and guard Kiki Rice being drafted back-to-back-to-back from the national champs.
Betts went off the board first to the Washington Mystics with the fourth pick overall.
Jaquez heard her name called next by the Chicago Sky.
Then it was Rice’s turn as the No. 6 selection by the Toronto Tempo as the expansion franchise’s first WNBA draft pick.
Rice says it was so special to follow her teammates in this draft.
Angela Dugalic made that four in the first nine selections, tying the WNBA record of four set by UConn in 2022.
Gianna Kneepkens now can make give UCLA the record if and when her name is called.
Name: Flau’jae Johnson
School: LSU
Stats: 5-foot-10 guard, averaged 14.2 points, 2.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds
Strength: Sticky, physical defender who can score and make plays
Weakness: Consistency
Name: Iyana Martin Carrion from Spain
Stats: 5-foot-8 guard, averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 assists
Strength: Strong passer able to find open teammates
Weakness: Just turned 20 and needs to add strength and improve as 3-point shooter
Name: Kiki Rice
School: UCLA
Stats: 5-foot-11 guard, averaged 14.9 points, 4.3 assists, 5.9 rebounds
Strength: Efficient shooter and nearly automatic at the free-throw line, poised with the ball, good defender
Weakness: Getting to the rim and 3-point shooting
Name: Gabriela Jaquez
School: UCLA
Stats: 6-foot guard, averaged 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds
Strength: Good shooter and better at the free-throw line with active hands defensively
Weakness: Keeping composed
UConn coach Geno Auriemma was not at the WNBA draft to see Azzi Fudd get taken No. 1.
He is attending services for the husband of UConn program assistant and former player Peggy Myers. Her husband, Norm, died last month from brain cancer.
Name: Lauren Betts
School: UCLA
Stats: 6-foot-7 center, averaged 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds
Strength: Consistent scorer inside with the ability to pass and block shots
Weakness: Free-throw shooting
Name: Awa Fam Thiam from Spain
Team: Valencia Basket Club
Stats: 6-foot-4 center, averaged 9.2 points, 5 rebounds
Strength: Scorer and rebounder with size
Weakness: Just 19 and needs time to develop
Azzi Fudd becomes the seventh UConn player to be selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA draft.
That list: Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (’04); Tina Charles (’10); Maya Moore (’11); Breanna Stewart (’16); Paige Bueckers (’25) and Fudd (’26)
Name: Olivia Miles
School: TCU
Stats: 5-foot-10 guard, averaged 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists
Strength: True scorer whether at the rim or from 3-point range who can spread the ball around
Weakness: Defense
Name: Azzi Fudd
School: UConn
Stats: 5-foot-11 guard, averaged 17.3 points, 3.1 assists
Strength: Improved shooting efficiency each season and nearly automatic at the free-throw line
Weakness: Struggled scoring in final three NCAA Tournament games
LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson hopes to hear her new song “Woah” play when she hears her name called during the WNBA draft. TCU forward Marta Suarez has a purse she painted to commemorate the night signed on one side by her fellow members of the 2026 draft class.
Johnson has been creating music for a long time and dropped her new song Monday. She says it means so much to her to show that she can both perform and play basketball. Johnson said she hopes to show young girls not to put themselves into a box.
Suarez says painting is her love language and everyone can have their own interpretation of her art. But she saw the chance to paint her purse as part of her introduction to the WNBA and make sure people get a sense of who she is.
Raven Johnson debuted a bob on the orange carpet in a quick change from the long hair the South Carolina guard tied back in a ponytail at the Final Four only a week ago.
Johnson says she partnered with Coach for an outfit designed to look rich and elegant: a gray and black jacket-style dress along with a black clutch, and a diamond necklace and earrings.
Ta’Niya Latson brought a bit of the 1960s mixed with old Hollywood to the WNBA orange carpet.
The South Carolina guard had a swoop of hair over her forehead to go with a black sequined gown. She showed off her Christian Louboutin black pumps, lifting a foot to show off the red sole. Latson also wore sheer elbow-length gloves and carried a black clutch handbag.
Latson says she wanted to go with something different.
A pair of players from the Southeastern Conference arrived at the WNBA draft dressed for business.
Cotie McMahon of Mississippi and Madina Okot of South Carolina both wore suit jackets with each taking their own approach.
McMahon wore a longer pinstriped jacket with matching tie that showed off her legs down to white socks with black high-heeled shoes. McMahon says it feels like the look just fit her down to leather gloves.
Okot went with a waist-length jacket and matching pinstripe pants and tie. Okot says her motivation came from how former South Carolina teammate Kamilla Cardoso dressed up for her draft day. Okot says she had to look for the same stylist who handled Cardoso’s look for her own night.
Los Angeles Sparks guard Erica Wheeler gave her stylist less than 12 hours to help outfit her to walk the carpet at the WNBA draft.
Definitely a special moment for a guard who, in 2019, became the first undrafted player to be named the All-Star Game MVP. Wheeler says she was on vacation when she alerted her stylist she wanted to dress up and hit the WNBA draft.
Wheeler was decked out in a jacket and wide capri pants with yellow chunky shoes. She also wore a matching bandana.
She said she felt fulfilled and happy to be able to be at this draft, enjoying a great time right now for the WNBA as it supports the incoming players.
The No. 1 overall selection in the WNBA draft has been a foregone conclusion in recent years.
This draft should continue that trend.
The Dallas Wings have the top pick for a second straight season after the lottery last November. The Wings made the obvious choice taking guard Paige Bueckers from UConn last April.
Now Dallas has options. Guard Olivia Miles was expected to be a top draft pick last year before choosing to stay in college, transferring from Notre Dame to TCU. Or the Wings could go with size with 6-foot-4 center Awa Fam Thiam.
Then there’s UConn guard Azzi Fudd. She has been the popular No. 1 selection for months and should hear her name called first.
UCLA is looking to make history with potentially five Bruins taken in the first round of the WNBA draft. The record is four, set by UConn in 2002. The NCAA champions had five players invited to the draft with Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens and Angela Dugalic all invited to draft night.
Charlisse Leger-Walker joined her teammates in New York for the draft. If all six UCLA players get taken, the Bruins would top the mark of five from one team drafted first by Tennessee in 2008, then Notre Dame in 2019 and South Carolina in 2023.
For those thinking there might need to be an asterisk if the Bruins do get five players taken in the opening round, think again. The 2002 draft had 16 picks with the UConn quartet going within the first six picks.
No trip to New York is complete without a stop at the Empire State Building.
That’s where the WNBA prospects went to kick off draft day, visiting Monday morning. The players threw the lever lighting up the historic building in honor of the draft.
They also made sure to take plenty of photos and selfies.
The UCLA Bruins made sure to do a fit check together before hitting the WNBA draft’s orange carpet.
Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens and Angela Dugalic all are attending the WNBA draft expecting to hear their names called in the first round.
The Bruins got together to compare outfits in their floor-length gowns — four of them taking the classic black dress approach.
Then they joined the other players in this draft onstage for a 2026 class photo before heading to the orange carpet.
The WNBA has 15 top prospects in New York City to walk the orange carpet for the draft.
Center Lauren Betts has plenty of company with her from the national champion UCLA Bruins. Teammates joining her at the draft include Kiki Rice, Angela Dugalic, Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens.
Other draft prospects also have company with Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez from TCU and Raven Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson from South Carolina.
There will be a big payday for all the draft picks who make rosters this season. The new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified last month greatly increase the rookies salaries.
The top pick will earn $500,000 her first year with the second and third picks making $466,913 and $436,016. Second and third-round picks will make $270,000 — which is more than the previous maximum salary in the old CBA.
The WNBA has its own international presence for this draft.
Four top prospects on hand for the draft are from outside the United States.
Center Madina Okot from Kenya played at South Carolina
Spanish forward Marta Suarez played this season at TCU.
Nell Angloma of France is a forward attending the draft.
Awa Fam Thiam from Spain, a 6-foot-4 center, played at Valencia Basket.
A total of 23 international players from 15 countries were taken last June in the NBA draft.
A pair of expansion teams make their WNBA draft debut.
The Toronto Tempo make their first selection at No. 6 overall followed by the Portland Fire at No. 7.
After Dallas makes its selection, Minnesota picks at No. 2 with Seattle at No. 3, Washington at No. 4 and Chicago selects fifth overall.
It’s the second straight year Dallas has had the No. 1 overall pick.
UConn guard Azzi Fudd is a frontrunner for the top spot. But the Wings could instead take 6-foot-4 center Awa Fam Thiam from Spain or UCLA center Lauren Betts to complement a talented roster led by last season’s No. 1 pick, Paige Bueckers.
Bueckers and Fudd were teammates at UConn and helped the Huskies win the national championship in 2025.
Fam Thiam, who is 19, is a talented Spanish player currently playing in her country’s domestic league.
Betts is one of six UCLA players in the draft. The 6-foot-7 center helped the Bruins win their first national championship earlier this month.
Whoever the Dallas Wings choose at No. 1 will see a huge salary bump her first year thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified last month. That’s nearly seven times what last season’s No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers made. The No. 2 and No. 3 picks will get $466,913 and $436,016, respectively.
Second- and third-round picks will make $270,000 — which is more than the previous maximum salary in the old CBA.
ESPN is televising the draft starting at 7:30 p.m. through 9:30 p.m. EDT.
A countdown show will be available starting at 7 p.m. EDT on the ESPN app, and the WNBA has its own “Orange Carpet” starting at 5:30 p.m. EDT for draft prospects showing off their own style and fashion before the big night.
UConn guard Azzi Fudd poses with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the first round of the WNBA basketball draft Monday, April 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
