The 2025 WNBA playoffs have begun, and league awards have been given out, as Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers took home the Rookie of the Year award despite her team missing the playoffs by a wide margin.
Bueckers’ situation in Dallas is common for high draft picks, as they can have terrific seasons despite being on struggling teams. The 2026 WNBA Draft class is considered a talented bunch, with several players expected to make an immediate impact, potentially alongside Bueckers.
In this piece, we created a way-too-early 2026 WNBA mock draft complete with full analysis for the entire first round — including two expansion teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo — making their first-ever draft picks.
Note: The draft order was determined via random lottery sim on Tankathon.com.
1) Dallas Wings
Lauren Betts, C, UCLA
Currently the consensus No. 1 pick, Betts would fill an immediate need at the center position for the Wings. Hailing from UCLA, she averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game a season ago, displaying her rim-running and shot-blocking abilities — extremely vital skills in today’s game.
With 2025 No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers excelling during her rookie campaign in winning the Rookie of the Year award, Dallas would have a strong backcourt-front court duo to build around for the future.
2) Minnesota Lynx (via Chicago Sky)
Azzi Fudd, G, UConn
Holding the best record in the WNBA this season, the Lynx will have a good chance to claim a top-three pick thanks to owning the Chicago Sky’s selection. This roster is loaded with several perimeter scorers — so why not add another?
Fudd is as sure-fire a pick as there is in this draft. Though she may not have Betts’s superstar potential, Fudd should be able to contribute right away to a championship-caliber team like Minnesota. She does many good things on the court; shooting, decision-making, and toughness define her game.
3) Seattle Storm (via Los Angeles Sparks)
Olivia Miles, G, TCU
A player who could’ve come out in 2025 but decided to return to school and transfer to TCU, Miles is a prototypical table-setter from her guard spot while filling up the stat sheet in nearly every category. Last season with Notre Dame, she was always a threat to record a triple-double, as she finished with three on the season, with several other close calls.
Though she’s far from an explosive scorer, Miles uses her height (5’10”) to score over her defender. But her most significant skill is her passing — something the Storm badly needs along with her youthful presence. Skylar Diggins has been the primary creator for Seattle the past two seasons, but she’s 35 years old. Adding Miles as an understudy to Diggins would be wise for the Storm.
4) Washington Mystics
Ta’Niya Latson, G, South Carolina
Latson rebounds the ball well for her size and can distribute well enough, but her calling card is most certainly scoring the basketball. As a junior at Florida State, she tallied 25.2 points per game on 45.1% from the field and 34.3% from 3-point range, a stark improvement from hitting just 27.0% of her triples in 2023.
The Seminole is a true three-level scorer, dashing to the rim, shooting a nice floater, and hitting shots from beyond the arc. The Mystics had their issues scoring the ball in 2025, with leading scorer Brittney Sykes averaging just 15.4 points per game. Washington has a solid young core of forwards Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron; adding Latson would only help them.
5) Chicago Sky (via Connecticut Sun)\
Flau’Jae Johnson, G, LSU
Assuming Angel Reese is still on the team by the time of the draft, reuniting her with a former LSU teammate in Johnson would be a nice fit. The Sky struggled to score from the perimeter, relying on Reese and Camilla Cardoso to put up points on the interior.
Scoring is exactly what Johnson does — demonstratively, as she’s not afraid to show her emotions on the court. It could be argued that Chicago needs a player like that on their roster after a disappointing season. On the court, she’d immediately upgrade the team’s backcourt.
6) Toronto Tempo
Awa Fam, C, Spain
A 6’4″ center from Spain, Fam has as much potential as anyone in this draft class. And for an expansion franchise like the Toronto Tempo, that risk is necessary. Fam, thanks to scoring 21 points in a EuroBasket semifinal, was named the MVP of the 2024 U20s.
Her mobility stands out, as he can easily glide up and down the floor. Her skills are raw, but with continued development, she could be a dominant force on both ends of the floor. If this pick hits, the Tempo will have its center for the next decade.
7) Portland Fire
Gianna Kneepkens, G, UCLA
It’s never a bad idea to start a team with a deep-shooting threat, and that’s where the Fire could go here with Kneepkens. Over the last four seasons at Utah, Kneepkens has knocked down a remarkable 43.2% of her triples, highlighted by 44.8% a season ago.
MORE: 2026 WNBA Mock Draft: Azzi Fudd Heads to Minnesota, Sky Select Top Scorer in the Draft
For her fifth-year senior season, she’ll be in Westwood with the Bruins. With the threat of Betts in the middle and a talented distributor in Kiki Rice handling the ball, expect Kneepkens to have yet another terrific season from long range and bolster her stock as a prime candidate as Portland’s first-ever draft pick.
8) Golden State Valkyries
Chloe Kitts, F, South Carolina
Kitts is another player who mainly played a minor role during her college career, heightening her chances of having a successful WNBA career, albeit not as a star. As a 6’2″ forward, she’s been the glue for South Carolina over the past two seasons. She’s a terrific rebounder, reeling in 7.7 boards and 10.2 points per game last season.
The Valkyries surprised the entire league with a playoff push in their first year of existence, thanks to a slew of reliable players. None are stars necessarily, making the group a perfect fit for Kitts, who could step in and contribute from Day 1.
9) Washington Mystics (via Seattle Storm)
Yarden Garzon, G, Maryland
The all-time leader in 3-point makes for the Indiana Hoosiers, Garzon can absolutely shoot the ball. Last season, she took 6.5 triples per game and converted 40.7% — an impressive mark for how many shots she’s getting up. At 6’3″, Garzon also mixed it up in the middle, grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game.
Extremely versatile and a terrific shooter on the move, the recent Maryland transfer would fit in nicely in Washington. The Mystics spread the ball around, especially to shooters like Garzon.
10) Indiana Fever
Cotie McMahon, F, Ole Miss
The Fever have their point guard (Caitlin Clark), shooting guard (Kelsey Mitchell), and center (Aliyah Boston) of the future. Their next pick must target the two forward positions, where the 6’0″ McMahon thrives.
During three seasons at Ohio State, McMahon was a consistent scorer in all aspects of the game, showing her versatility and mind for the game. Playing alongside the ball-dominant Clark isn’t always easy, but the Ole Miss transfer has shown that he can also excel off the ball.
11) Washington Mystics (via New York Liberty)
Kiki Rice, G, UCLA
The leader in the Bruins’ backcourt, Rice has shown herself to have excellent vision in terms of finding teammates. She averaged 5.0 assists per game last season. She also kept the defense honest, knocking down 36.5% of her 3-pointers and scoring 12.8 points per game.
Though the Mystics would be grabbing their third guard of the first round here, all three are different players and fill various roles. Rice would be an on-ball creator on a team largely bereft of creation in 2025.
12) Connecticut Sun (via Phoenix Mercury)
Serah Williams, F/C, UConn
A 6’4″ forward, Williams has been a physical presence at either the forward or center position for the Wisconsin Badgers for the first three seasons of her career. She averaged a double-double in 2023 and a near double-double in 2024, with 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last season. Williams is also a presence at the rim, blocking 2.3 shots per game last season.
Now that she is transferring to UConn, her game will be even more on display and potentially accentuated while playing alongside several other talented players. The Sun should be in talent acquisition mode, as they severely lack young talent. Adding Williams down low would be very beneficial for their prospects.
13) Atlanta Dream
Charlisse Leger-Walker, G, UCLA
Another UCLA player in the first round, Leger-Walker excels in nearly every phase of the game. Competing for the Washington State Cougars for the first four seasons of her career, Leger-Walker routinely carried a significant load for her team. Her career averages tell the story, as she averages 16.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Though not the fastest, Leger-Walker projects as a solid off-ball scorer at the next level, whether starting or as a spark-plug off the bench. The Dream have had a solid season in 2025 and shouldn’t be looking to hit a home run with the 13th pick. Leger-Walker, now with the Bruins, would fit nicely in their system.
14) Seattle Storm (via Las Vegas Aces)
Ashlon Jackson, G, Duke
Teams on the edge of contending can always benefit from adding a knockdown shooter, which is precisely Jackson’s archetype. During her junior season at Duke, she took 6.3 3-pointers per game and connected on 37.2% despite having to create most of those looks on her own.
With Diggins creating for the Storm, Jackson’s 3-point attempts would be much cleaner and in more favorable spots on the court. Simply drafting a floor-spacer who’s a near guarantee to be a solid role player would be a win for Seattle.
15) Connecticut Sun (via Minnesota Lynx)
Ayanna Patterson, F, UConn
A highly rated recruit, Patterson is largely a projection at this point after averaging just 2.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game last season. But when she was on the court in high school, she revealed herself as an electric scorer and an ultra-talented basketball player overall.
She should see more time for the Huskies this coming season, giving her more runway to showcase herself in time for the 2026 draft. Connecticut has had multiple disappointing seasons in a row and could be looking to hit a home run with the final pick in the first round.
