The 2026 NCAA Tournament is off to an exciting start, and through the first two rounds we’ve seen several WNBA hopefuls build on their cases to be drafted.
Last week, we identified five WNBA Draft prospects who could use strong NCAA Tournament performances to boost their draft stock; now, with a short break before the Sweet 16, let’s talk about which future draftees have stood out the most.
Nyla Harris (North Carolina)
Given UNC’s depth in the frontcourt, Harris isn’t always asked to play heavy minutes, but March is when you lean
on your best players, and the All-ACC First-Teamer has delivered. Harris is averaging 15.5 points and 10 rebounds per game thus far in the NCAA Tournament, and she’s been her usual efficient self, shooting 70.5 percent from the floor. Most importantly, her hard work in the paint and on the boards set the physical tone for the Tar Heels, who were able to hold off Maryland and advance to the Sweet 16.
Flau’Jae Johnson (LSU)
It was more or less a foregone conclusion that LSU would blitz each of their first two opponents with their high-powered offense, and Johnson’s own offensive talents have been on full display. She’s racked up 44 points on 59.3 percent shooting against Jacksonville and Texas Tech, and she’s also taken 11 free throw attempts—a key metric for a guard with her kind of athleticism. No one doubts that Johnson can overwhelm lesser opponents with her athletic explosion and skill as a shooter, and while her performance in the later rounds of the tournament will be more telling of her potential as a WNBA draftee, she’s nonetheless been terrific early on.
Azzi Fudd (UConn)
It’s not really in-depth analysis to say that Fudd can shoot the ball, but she had a performance for the ages in the second round. Fudd scorched the nets against Syracuse, scoring 34 points and shooting 8-for-11 from beyond the arc in a dominant UConn performance. It’s games like these that make Fudd a surefire lottery-range draftee; her stock is already solidified, and the only question remaining is whether she’ll be taken at No. 1 overall.
Amaya Battle (Minnesota)
Could Battle be playing her way onto draft boards? Her numbers haven’t been as eye-popping as those of her peers, but she did drop 21 points in Minnesota’s opening-round win over Green Bay, and she recorded a double-double two days later against Ole Miss. What everyone will remember, though, is her game-winning shot that sent the Gophers to the Sweet 16. Battle is the kind of player who can contribute in any area that her team needs, and the further Minnesota goes in the tournament, the better their senior leader will look.
Lauren Betts (UCLA)
Around this time last year, Betts was looking like the favorite to be drafted No. 1 overall. Things aren’t as clear-cut now, but games like UCLA’s second-round win over Oklahoma State remind us just how much of a force Betts can be when she’s locked in. Betts scored 35 points on 15-for-19 shooting from the field against the Cowgirls while also recording nine rebounds and five assists; we’ve come to expect these types of games from Betts (especially against teams with smaller frontcourts), but that doesn’t make her current run any less impressive.
