The days leading up to the NCAA Tournament can be just as big for WNBA Draft prospects as the tournament itself. By mid-March, most WNBA veterans have typically already signed in free agency, leaving precious few roster spots for incoming rookies and narrowing down who might get drafted to where.
But this is, of course, not a typical WNBA offseason. The league continues to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the players, and there still hasn’t been an actual free agency period, which
means draft-related matters are just as murky as they were when we mocked out a 2026 draft scenario back in January.
Even so, there’s been plenty going on in college basketball and abroad. As we continue to wait for the WNBA to reach a deal, let’s revisit the first round of the 2026 draft and discuss which prospects have helped their own cases the most since January.
1. Dallas Wings: Awa Fam (Spain)
Previously projected: No. 1 (Dallas)
As a teenager playing for one of Spain’s strongest clubs (Valencia), Fam hasn’t yet had the opportunity to put up big numbers like many of the other players in her draft class. She has, however, been highly efficient in her time on the court, shooting 62 percent on 2-pointers in Spanish league play and 57.9 percent in EuroLeague Women. In terms of pure upside, Fam is clearly a lottery pick, and her potential fit alongside Paige Bueckers may be too enticing for Dallas to pass up. Her best chance to prove it will be with the Spanish national team during the FIBA 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
2. Minnesota Lynx: Olivia Miles (TCU)
Previously projected: No. 3 (Seattle)
Miles’ decision to transfer to TCU for her graduate season was a surprising one, but she’s proven that she can spearhead a high-octane offense regardless of the environment. Miles is having the most prolific scoring season of her career at 19.6 points per game, and as always, her peripheral stats are spectacular (6.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.8 steals). Last years’ Lynx didn’t necessarily need an explosive downhill attacker, but they have a lot of room to operate in free agency, and it’s hard to imagine them passing on a guard of Miles’ caliber.
3. Seattle Storm: Azzi Fudd (UConn)
Previously projected: No. 4 (Washington)
Fudd’s draft stock continues to rise as UConn puts the finishing touches on an undefeated regular season. She’s been arguably the best shooter in the country for years, and that certainly hasn’t changed—she’s shooting 44.6 percent on 6.9 3-point attempts per game. It’s Fudd’s improvement in 2-point scoring (53.2) and defensive playmaking (2.5 steals per game) that have been noticeable; she’s being regarded as less of a shooting specialist and more of an all-around player, which should give teams more confidence in selecting her early in the draft.
4. Washington Mystics: Lauren Betts (UCLA)
Previously projected: No. 2 (Minnesota)
Betts’ numbers may be down a bit from her spectacular junior campaign, but the 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks she averaged were still enough to win her back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards. The issue is that it’s hard to find an ideal landing spot for a player of her archetype early in the draft, as most of the teams with high draft picks have more pressing needs elsewhere. Regardless, Betts is too talented to drop out of lottery range, and the Mystics could use another towering presence in their frontcourt backing up (or playing alongside) Shakira Austin.
5. Chicago Sky: Kiki Rice (UCLA)
Previously projected: No. 7 (Portland)
No matter what happens in free agency, it’s likely that Chicago is going to need another point guard. From her leadership to her playmaking ability, Rice embodies everything a WNBA team could want at the position, and she recently added another Big Ten championship and Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player award to her lengthy resume. Should Rice captain a stacked UCLA roster to another Final Four appearance in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, she may get drafted even earlier than this.
6. Toronto Tempo: Flau’Jae Johnson (LSU)
Previously projected: No. 5 (Chicago)
Johnson remains one of the most talented two-way guards in the class, though she hasn’t been as consistent as a senior as many expected. She’s scoring 13.8 points per game and shooting 48.2 percent on 2-pointers—the lowest such marks since her freshman season—and her free throw rate continues its downward trend. Johnson is, however, shooting a career-best 40.2 percent from long range, and she’s still shown the capability of pushing the envelope on both ends of the floor more often than not.
7. Portland Fire: Ta’Niya Latson (South Carolina)
Previously projected: No. 6 (Toronto)
Latson’s offensive role hasn’t been nearly as large as it was during her time at Florida State, but she’s been a much more efficient 2-point scorer as a Gamecock (54.4 percent) and she’s committing far fewer turnovers. There’s no doubt that Latson can score in bunches, and her lone season at South Carolina has turned her into a better all-around player; the question is now whether she can play her natural shooting guard position at the WNBA level or if her height (5-foot-9) will limit her to more of a combo guard role.
8. Golden State Valkyries: Nell Angloma (France)
Previously projected: No. 11 (Washington)
Regardless of whether or not Angloma decides to play in the WNBA this summer, she’ll be a high-upside pick for whichever team drafts her. She won’t turn 20 years old until June, but she’s already one of the Ligue Féminine’s most athletic and productive players, and she’ll be able to hang in the WNBA right away, at least physically. The Valkyries have shown a willingness to invest heavily in international talent, so they might be more patient with Angloma than other teams would.
9. Washington Mystics: Gabriela Jaquez (UCLA)
Previously projected: No. 8 (Golden State)
It’s going to be difficult to find a more versatile wing player in this class than Jaquez. She may not get the shine of her higher-profile UCLA teammates, but she’s been the glue that’s held everything together for the Bruins, scoring at a highly efficient clip from 2-point (62.1 percent) and 3-point range (41.1 percent) from the forward position. Jaquez still seems like a safe pick for a team to make later in the first round, especially one that already has an established core like Washington.
10. Indiana Fever: Raven Johnson (South Carolina)
Previously projected: No. 10 (Indiana)
It’s official: Johnson is finally a legitimate offensive threat. She’s having by far her best collegiate season, shooting career-bests on 2-pointers (55.4 percent) and 3-pointers (40.5 percent), and her 3.41 assist/turnover ratio ranks No. 4 among all Division I players. Factor in her lockdown perimeter defense and you get a guard who will slot in nicely just about anywhere—especially Indiana, whose backcourt isn’t exactly in need of more scoring but could use a defensive stopper.
11. Washington Mystics: Marta Suárez (TCU)
Previously projected: No. 13 (Atlanta)
Suárez has cooled off a bit after a hot start to the season, but her ability to stretch the floor as a power forward and carry the offensive load when Miles is off the floor has remained a major part of TCU’s success. Though Suárez profiles as a stretch big, she has a little more than that in her toolbox, particularly as a passer; she’s been loose with the basketball at times, but if a WNBA team drafts her to play more of a complementary role, she’ll be right at home as an offensive connector.
12. Connecticut Sun: Gianna Kneepkens (UCLA)
Previously projected: No. 12 (Connecticut)
Not much has changed here. Kneepkens has been exactly as advertised in her lone season at UCLA, playing a crucial role in the Bruins’ starting lineup thanks to her elite jumpshooting and off-ball movement. There aren’t many players in the country who can regularly shoot above 40 percent from the 3-point line on high volume, but Kneepkens did it yet again in her graduate season, and that skill alone should get her drafted in the first round.
13. Atlanta Dream: Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss)
Previously projected: No. 14 (Seattle)
Much has been made about Ole Miss recently moving McMahon to point guard, and while it’s a long shot that she sticks there in the WNBA, more reps as a primary ball handler can only be good for her development. As for the rest of her game, McMahon is posting career-highs in points (19.9) and free throw attempts (6.8), and she remains one of the most physical, hard-working wing players in the nation.
14. Seattle Storm: Iyana Martín (Spain)
Previously projected: N/A
At 20 years old, Martín already has a wealth of international experience, most recently competing in EuroLeague Women and EuroCup Women for Spanish club Perfumerias Avenida Salamanca and playing starters’ minutes in both leagues. She’s also played a large role for the Spanish national team in the 2024 U18 Women’s EuroBasket and 2023 U19 Women’s World Cup competitions, and she’ll be a fixture of their program for many years to come We don’t yet know if Martín would want to play in the WNBA immediately after being drafted, but if she doesn’t, Seattle would be happy to sit on her rights until she does.
15. Connecticut Sun: Madina Okot (South Carolina)
Previously projected: N/A
Okot’s skills are still developing—basketball wasn’t her first sport, and she’s only been playing for a few years—but as a 6-foot-6 center with outstanding mobility for her size, her pure athletic potential is bound to appeal to WNBA scouts. It doesn’t hurt that she’s playing for a program that regularly churns out WNBA talent, either; Dawn Staley has said that she’s trying to get Okot another year of NCAA eligibility, but if that doesn’t happen, she stands as one of the highest-upside players in this draft class.
