Marquette, MI – April 10th, 2026 – Monday night, 45 players will get the opportunity to live out a lifelong dream, hearing their names called at the WNBA Draft. This year’s event will take place at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City, with coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Back in July, the WNBA announced a major expansion plan that will grow the league to 18 teams by 2030, and that vision is already coming to life. This season introduces two new franchises, the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire, both of whom recently completed an expansion draft. In that process, existing teams were allowed to protect up to five players, leaving the rest eligible to be selected. The Tempo and Fire alternated picks, selecting a combined 22 players to begin building their rosters. Click this link to view the full expansion draft.
The league’s growth won’t stop there. Additional teams are set to join in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030). While those franchises have yet to announce official names, both Cleveland and Detroit could potentially revive historic identities from past WNBA teams.
Now, turning to the draft order, the Dallas Wings hold the No. 1 overall pick for the second consecutive year, giving them another chance to add elite talent alongside last year’s top selection and Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers. Following Dallas, the top of the draft order includes the Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, and Chicago Sky.
History will also be made shortly after, as the Tempo will be on the clock for the first time in franchise history after winning a coin flip that allowed them to choose between the No. 1 pick in the expansion draft or the WNBA Draft. They opted for this moment, while the Fire will follow with their first selection at No. 7. Rounding out the top 10 are the Golden State Valkyries, the Mystics (again), and the Indiana Fever.
As for the top of this year’s draft, there’s still plenty of uncertainty. According to ESPN mock drafts, four different players have been projected at No. 1 at various points, including TCU guard Olivia Miles, UConn guard Azzi Fudd, Spanish center Awa Fam, and UCLA Lauren Betts.
Tune in Monday night at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN to see who rises above the rest and becomes the No. 1 overall pick.
