The WNBA’s 2026 rookie class is off to a strong start, and it isn’t just the big names.
From some of the top picks in the 2026 Draft to international stars getting their first chance in the WNBA, this year’s crop of rookies is already making an impact, whether it’s filling in for injured veterans or settling into comfortable niche roles.
Let’s take a minute to shout out some first-year players who have quickly proven that they belong. In the comments, be sure to share the rookies who have impressed
you.
Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx)
No rookie has been as productive as Miles, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given how often she stuffed the stat sheet in college. Even so, if there were any concerns as to how Miles’ game would translate to the pros, they’ve been quelled. She’s averaging 15.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-high 5.8 assists per game, and she’s leading all rookies in minutes played per game at 31.4.
Miles’ ability to get into the lane and create shots for others gives the Lynx offense a new dimension, and her presence has allowed veteran Courtney Williams to return to her more natural shooting guard position. It’s clear that Miles is the future of the Lynx, but the fact that they’ve trusted her with such a large role this early in her career speaks volumes about how good she already is.
Madina Okot (Atlanta Dream)
Okot may not have been considered as “pro-ready” as many of her fellow 2026 draftees—she picked up basketball in her mid-teens and played just two collegiate seasons in Division I—but she’s held her own in the WNBA minutes she’s gotten thus far. Playing alongside several star guards and in a well-spaced floor, Okot hasn’t needed to do much besides screen, roll and rebound, and at a deceptively mobile 6-foot-6, that’s an ideal role for her.
Okot recently recorded the first double-double of her career, scoring 14 points and pulling down 11 rebounds in just 16 minutes against the Las Vegas Aces, and through three games, she’s posting a league-leading total rebounding rate of 29.6 percent (Basketball Reference). Okot probably won’t be playing heavy minutes behind Angel Reese and Naz Hillmon, but the early returns have been promising nonetheless, and they’ll give Dream head coach Karl Smesko something to think about even when Brionna Jones returns from rehabbing her meniscus injury.
Pauline Astier (New York Liberty)
A preseason injury to Sabrina Ionescu opened the door for several Liberty guards to do more, and while the flashy Marine Johannès has gotten most of the credit since then, fellow French national teamer Astier has been just as effective. Astier was thrust into the Liberty’s starting lineup alongside Johannès, and she’s caught fire after a modest WNBA debut, averaging 20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in her last three games while shooting 63.9 percent from the floor.
Ionescu’s impending return will obviously take a lot of scoring opportunities away from Astier, and when Leonie Fiebich (overseas commitments) joins the team, Astier will likely head to the bench, but she’s already shown more than enough to be a vital piece of the Liberty’s depth, and head coach Chris DeMarco should feel confident using her as a spot starter in the future if necessary.
Gabriela Jaquez (Chicago Sky)
When the Sky drafted Jaquez at No. 5 overall, they prioritized positional fit, seeking a player who could slot in alongside their big offseason acquisitions and contribute right away. Through four games, that’s exactly what they’ve gotten: Jaquez is averaging 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game (all starts) and is shooting 53.3 percent from the field.
The Sky love Jaquez’s physicality on the wing, and she’s shown to be an opportunistic scorer who excels at finishing fast break opportunities. Azurá Stevens and DiJonai Carrington have yet to play a game this season, and with Rickea Jackson suffering a knee injury in the Sky’s most recent game, the team will need Jaquez to continue playing a big role moving forward.
Jovana Nogić (Phoenix Mercury)
Nogić is getting her first WNBA opportunity at 28 years old, and with the way she’s been playing, one can’t help but wonder what took so long. The former Providence Friar is shooting the lights out, averaging 16 points per game while knocking down a ridiculous 65 percent of her 3-point attempts, and she’s cashing it at the free throw line, too, shooting 95 percent on five attempts per game.
All that comes out to an absolutely scorching 80.4 percent true shooting percentage, which ranks second among qualified WNBA players. Nogić will cool off at some point, of course, but she’s nonetheless looking like another international scouting success story for Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren.
