Azzi Fudd with the Dallas Wings Jersey | photo taken from @dallaswings on instagram
On Monday (13th April), the WNBA Draft returned for 2026 and was hosted in New York with multiple rookies turning up to be drafted into the WNBA. Projected #1 in the last couple of weeks was changing between Azzi Fudd, Awa Fam Thiam and Olivia Miles across a number of different news outlets.
#1 Dallas Wings – Azzi Fudd / Guard
First pick of the night was UConn’s Azzi Fudd after her impressive collegiate season in the east. Playing as a guard, she spent five years in Connecticut and will now join old-teammate Paige Bueckers in Dallas, giving fans nostalgia. She averaged 14.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.1 APG and 47.2 FG% across her career so far and looks to improve her statistics in the South.
Over her career, she has won multiple awards including being the NCAA Champion in 2025 alongside being Tournament MOP the same year. Alongside this, she won WBCA Coaches’ All-American (2026), First-team All-American-AP, USBWA (2026), First-team All-Big East (2025, 2026), Big East All-Freshman Team (2022) and McDonald’s All American (2021).
#2 Minnesota Lynx – Olivia Miles / Guard
Second pick of the night went to the Lynx where they picked TCU’s Olivia Miles after her standout career in College. Playing as a guard, she spent her previous four years at Notre Dame before moving to TCU last season averaging 15.6 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. Her other stats include 6.5 assists per game and 47.2 FG%
2026 was a big year for Miles after winning multiple awards across the board including Big 12 Player of the year, WBCA Coaches’ All-American, Second-team All-American AP, Second-team All-American – USBWA and First-team All-Big 12. Over her career, she also received Second-team All-American AP (2023, 2025), Second-team All-American – USBWA (2025), and First-team All-ACC (2022, 2023, 2025).
Seattle Storm – #3 Awa Fam Thiam / Center and #14 Taina Mair / Guard
Seattle was next to pick with them selecting Spanish Center Awa Fam Thiam. Born in 2006, she is only 19 years old, coming straight from Valencia Basket being a one to watch outside collegiate basketball. Their other pick was Taina Mair (#14 pick) who played as a guard for Duke averaging 9.8 PPG and 4.4 RPG.
Awa Fam Thiam’s statistics are also impressive at such a young age, with 2024 being a big year for the Spanish international. In 2025, She was the Runner-up for FIBA Women’s EuroBasket, FIBA U19 Women’s EuroBasket All-Star Second Team (2023) and FIBA U16 Women’s European Championship All-Star (2022). In 2024, She was in the U18 Women’s EuroBasket All-Star, FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket MVP and All-Star for the same group.
Washington Mystics – #4 Lauren Betts / Center, #9 Angela Dugalić / Forward and #11 Cotie McMahon / Forward
Mystics had three picks in the top 15 with the first being Lauren Betts from UCLA. The Center is coming off the back of a NCAA Championship win with the Bruins and previously was with Stanford in her first year of college. Her statistics across her career were also impressive but the win helped her cross the line to secure her place in Washington averaging 14.6 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.9 APG and 61.9 FG%.
Her best highlights were across the last two years mainly including NCAA Tournament MOP (2026), 2x Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, 2x First-team All-Big Ten, 2x Big Ten All-Defensive Team, Naismith Defensive Player of the Year (2025), Big Ten Player of the Year (2026) and Big Ten tournament MOP (2025).
The next pick was Angela Dugalić from UCLA, so the pair will have a familiar face together in their rookie season. The forward was originally at Oregon between 2020-2021 and across her career she won two awards in 2026 which was the NCAA Championship and Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year. She averaged 7.3PPG, 5.4RPG, 1.8APG and 43 FG% across her time so far and hopes to improve during her time with the Washington Mystics.
Finally, their 11th pick was Cotie McMahon from Ole Miss who plays as a Forward. She was with Ohio State University until her senior year (2022-25) before moving to Ole Miss and received three honours in 2026 including SEC Newcomer of the Year, All-SEC First Team and SEC Championship All-Tournament Team. Across her career, she averaged 16.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.4 APG and 46.5 RG% and looks to remain consistent in her time at Washington.
#5 Chicago Stars – Gabriela Jaquez / Guard
Gabriela Jaquez was 5th pick in the draft and was highly rated after her performance in the NCAA Championship game vs South Carolina. The guard’s stats through her career averaged as 9.9PPG, 5.0 RPG and 1.6APG. 2026 was a big year for the California native winning the Championship, being in the NCAA All-Tournament and Second-team All-Big Ten.
#6 Toronto Tempo – Kiki Rice / Guard
UCLA’s Kiki Rice was next, making it three picks in a row for the Bruins as she joined the inaugural side, Toronto Tempo. The guard averaged 13.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 4.2 APG with 2026 also being a big year for her highlights. Alongside being a NCAA Champion, in 2026 she was part of the First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Defense, All-Big Ten Tournament, Big Ten Tournament MVP and NCAA All-Tournament.
#7 Portland Fire – Iyana Martín Carrión / Guard
Iyana Martín Carrión was the next pick with the guard originating from Spain and joining from Club Baloncesto Avenida. The 20-year old has career highlights including FIBA Women’s EuroBasket Runner-up (2025), EuroLeague Young Player of the Year (2025) and FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2023) proving her one to watch this season for the new side.
#8 Golden State Valkyries – Flau’jae Johnson / Guard (later traded to Seattle Storm)
Being drafted for Valkyries, and then immediately traded to Seattle Storm, Flau’jae Johnson joins from LSU with her averaging 14.6PPG, 5.3RPG and 2.3APG. The guard won the NCAA Championship in 2023 with the highlights for her including 2x First-team All SEC (2025/26), Second-team All-SEC (2024), SEC Freshman of the Year (2023), SEC All-Freshman Team (2023) and McDonald’s All-American (2022).
#10 Indiana Fever – Raven Johnson / Guard
The guard from South Carolina joins Indiana Fever averaging 6.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 4.0 APG. Her highlights throughout her college career were impressive too after being two-time NCAA Champion (2022, 2024), 2x SEC All-Defensive Team (2025/26), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2026), Second-team All-SEC (2026), SEC All-Freshman Team (2023).
Connecticut Sun – #12 Nell Angloma / Forward and #15 Gianna Kneepkens / Guard
Connecticut Sun had two picks including Nell Angloma which was first out of the two and 12th overall. The French forward arrives in Connecticut from Basket Lattes Montpellier Association with the 19 year old’s best year in 2025, averaging 11.4PPG, 4.9RPG and 1.9APG in her career. Some of her career highlights include, FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup All-Star Second Team (2025), FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket MVP (2024), FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket All-Star (2024), FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket Champion (2024), FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship Runner-up (2023), FIBA U16 Women’s European Championship (2022).
Their second pick was Gianna Kneepkens from UCLA who was last in the first round of picks. The guard was at Utah from 2022-2025 before transferring for her final year and averaged 14.8PPG, 4.4RPG and 2.4APG during her career so far, looking to improve her skills throughout her rookie season. Some of her highlights include Second-team All-Big Ten (2026), First-team All-Big 12 (2025) and 2x All-Pac-12 Team (2022/23).
#13 Atlanta Dream – Madina Okot / Center
Madina Okot from South Carolina joins the Dream with the Center averaging across her career 12.1PPG, 10.1RPG and 0.9APG. She was at Mississippi State in 2025 before transferring to South Carolina and was on the All-SEC Second Team across both years.
