Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The 2026 WNBA Draft will feature two expansion teams and top contenders emerging from March Madness performances.
- Several high-profile players must wait due to age or remaining college eligibility, altering draft strategies.
- Key stars will see expanded roles next season, potentially boosting their stocks for future drafts.
March Madness is where the spotlight on women's basketball players gets even brighter. With the WNBA Draft only two weeks after the NCAA National Championship, GMs are watching everyone. If there's a chance to raise your stock, it's in March. But some of the brightest stars you'll watch over the next few weeks will have to wait a while before jumping to the WNBA.
NBA players only need to be 19 or one year removed from high school to enter the draft, which has set up a parade of one-and-dones. But that's not how things works in the WNBA.
WNBA Draft eligibility rules
Players, of course, can only be drafted if they are eligible. The WNBA Draft eligibility rules are fairly simple. International players must be at least 20 years old during the year they are drafted. For domestic players, mostly coming from the NCAA, they must be at least 22 years of age during the year they are drafted. They must either have no remaining college eligibility or relinquish any future college eligibility.
The 2026 WNBA Draft is set up for chaos, with two new expansion teams picking, the Dallas Wings looking for a running mate for defending Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers at No. 1 and the powerhouse Minnesota Lynx at No. 2.
2026 WNBA Draft Order
First-Round
Pick # | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Dallas Wings |
2 | Minnesota Lynx |
3 | Seattle Storm |
4 | Washington Mystics |
5 | Chicago Sky |
6 | Toronto Tempo |
7 | Portland Fire |
8 | Golden State Valkyries |
9 | Washington Mystics |
10 | Indiana Fever |
11 | Washington Mystics |
12 | Connecticut Sun |
13 | Atlanta Dream |
14 | Seattle Storm |
15 | Connecticut Sun |
Second-Round
Pick # | Team |
|---|---|
16 | Seattle Storm |
17 | Chicago Sky |
18 | Connecticut Sun |
19 | Washington Mystics |
20 | Los Angeles Sparks |
21 | Toronto Tempo |
22 | Portland Fire |
23 | Golden State Valkyries |
24 | Los Angeles Sparks |
25 | Indiana Fever |
26 | Chicago Sky |
27 | Phoenix Mercury |
28 | Atlanta Dream |
29 | Las Vegas Aces |
30 | Washington Mystics |
Third-Round
Pick # | Team |
|---|---|
31 | Dallas Wings |
32 | Chicago Sky |
33 | Connecticut Sun |
34 | Washington Mystics |
35 | Los Angeles Sparks |
36 | Toronto Tempo |
37 | Portland Fire |
38 | Golden State Valkyries |
39 | Seattle Storm |
40 | Indiana Fever |
41 | New York Liberty |
42 | Phoenix Mercury |
43 | Atlanta Dream |
44 | Las Vegas Aces |
45 | Minnesota Lynx |
WBB stars who are eligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft
- Azzi Fudd, UConn
- Lauren Betts, UCLA
- Olivia Miles, TCU
- Kiki Rice, UCLA
- Flau'Jae Johnson, LSU
- Ta'Niya Latson, South Carolina
- Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA
- Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA
- Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
- Raven Johnson, South Carolina
- Ashlon Jackson, Duke
- Marta Suárez, TCU
- Yarden Garzon, Maryland
- Madina Okot, South Carolina
- Tonie Morgan, Kentucky
- Charlisse Leger-Walker, UCLA
- Serah Williams, UConn
- Justine Pissot, Vanderbilt
- Dariana Littlepage-Buggs, Baylor
- Janiah Baker, Tennessee
- Kyla Oldacre, Texas
- Rori Harmon, Texas
- Jordan Harrison, West Virginia
- Hannah Stuelke, Iowa
- Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
- Kara Dunn, USC
- Grace VanSlooten, Michigan State
- Mia Jacobs, Oregon
- Latasha Lattimore, Ole Miss
- Angela Dugalić, UCLA
More players are eligible to declare; this is a list of 30 of the top players. Right now, there's still a debate as to which player will be the No. 1 pick at this year's WNBA Draft. The Dallas Wings will have to weigh all their options and maybe even consider March Madness performances. Azzi Fudd, Lauren Betts, and Olivia Miles are all top contenders for that No. 1 spot.
As for the rest of the field, anything could happen. I mentioned before that tournament performance can raise one's draft stock. We saw an example of this just last year — Sarah Ashlee Barker of Alabama. Barker was a star for the Crimson Tide, but she became more of a household name during the 2025 Women's tournament. Despite losing to Maryland in the second round, Barker put up 45 points and 8 rebounds. She was ultimately picked 9th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
All of these players have an opportunity to show that they are ready for the next level. Their fate awaits them at the 2026 WNBA Draft — which you can tune into on Monday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
WBB stars who are ineligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft
- Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
- Juju Watkins, USC
- Audi Crooks, Iowa State
- Madison Booker, Texas
- Sarah Strong, UConn
- KK Arnold, UConn
- Toby Fournier, Duke
- Clara Strack, Kentucky
- Milaysia Fulwiley, LSU
- Khamil Pierre, NC State
- Zoe Brooks, NC State
- Oluchi Okananwa, Maryland
- Donovyn Hunter, TCU
- Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
- Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
- Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
- Syla Swords, Michigan
- Olivia Olson, Michigan
- Ava Heiden, Iowa
- Britt Prince, Nebraska
- Jordan Lee, Texas
- Liv McGill, Florida
- Avery Howell, Washington
- Taliah Scott, Baylor
- Katie Fiso, Oregon
- Jana El Alfy, UConn
- Berry Wallace, Illinois
- Clara Silva, TCU
- Ciera Toomey, North Carolina
- Dani Carnegie, Georgia
These 30 players are just scratching the surface of all the players uneligible for the upcoming draft, but they are some of the top prospects for the 2027 and 2028 WNBA drafts. With a lot of their top-scoring teammates moving on at the end of this season, their roles will change. For example, Madison Booker is already a star at Texas, but with Rori Harmon not around next year, her leadership role will evolve. The UConn players — Sarah Strong, KK Arnold, and Jana El Alfy will be playing their first seasons without Azzi Fudd or Paige Bueckers beside them.
You'll also notice Juju Watkins name on this list. Watkins tore her ACL during the 2024 Women's March Madness Tournament and has been sidelined all season. Her return is highly anticipated as she is the frontrunner for being the No. 1 overall pick in 2027.
This list doesn't even cover the freshman class, either. Players like Jazzy Davidson, Aubrey Galvan, Aaliyah Chavez, and Sienna Betts will be eligible to be drafted in 2029. The whole landscape could look different by then, but the way some of these freshmen have already taken charge so early, that draft class is looking stacked and competitive.