WNBA Draft 2026 winners and losers, together with Storm, Sky, Tempo, and Valkyries

The 2026 WNBA Draft had uncertainty on the prime till the final second. The Dallas Wings might have gone in a variety of completely different instructions with the primary general decide, however ultimately the staff settled on reuniting former UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd within the backcourt. Dallas’ Fudd decide at No. 1 set the course for the remainder of the draft, which included a number of massive surprises all through the primary spherical.

Discover a full recap of each decide made throughout the 2026 WNBA Draft right here. Now let’s dive into some winners and losers from the night.

Sure, you want a pair years at minimal earlier than you’ll be able to really choose a staff’s efficiency within the draft. So why do that train? It’s a enjoyable approach to see what we had been pondering within the rapid aftermath of the draft. Groups get issues flawed on a regular basis, and writers do, too. Be happy to verify again sooner or later to see what we acquired proper, and the place we missed.

Awa Fam was one of the best prospect within the class, and I believed she ought to have been the Wings’ alternative at No. 1 general over Fudd. Seattle acquired her with the No. 3 decide, which is simply nice enterprise. The Storm weren’t carried out: in addition they swung a surprising commerce for former LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson. Seattle landed the 2 greatest athletes within the draft, and it provides them arguably the league’s greatest younger core transferring ahead.

Fam, a 6’4 massive out of Spain, is every thing the league desires out of a contemporary entrance courtroom participant with an incredible mixture of size and mobility. She ought to thrive as a pick-and-roll goal offensively, and have protection versatility defensively. Fam joins Seattle’s first spherical decide final 12 months, French massive Dominique Malonga, for the league’s scariest younger entrance courtroom. Malonga is blessed with world class size (7’1 wingspan) and athleticism, and already proved to be a productive participant within the W at solely 20 years outdated final season. Fam and Malonga is simply an unfair mixture if each hit their ceiling. Including Johnson to the wing — the place she will lock down defensively, thrive in transition, and hit some open threes — makes the entire package deal much more engaging.

The Storm will want a pair years earlier than the 2 younger bigs actually hit their stride, however the upside right here is terrifying.

It’s not that Gabriela Jaquez is a foul participant. She was one among my favourite function gamers on this class for her high-motor, Swiss military knife talent set on the wing. It’s simply that Jaquez felt extra like a late first-rounder than a top-5 decide, and Chicago left higher gamers on the board by selecting her at No. 5 general.

It felt just like the Sky drafted for match as a substitute of upside. That’s an odd transfer for a staff that has gone 23-61 mixed during the last two years. GM Jeff Pagliocca has a repute for making short-sighted choices that mortgage the staff’s future to attempt to save his job, and he did it once more. The Sky signed Skylar Diggins in free company, traded for Jacy Sheldon, and now have Courtney Vandersloot, so perhaps that’s why they handed on lead guard Kiki Rice at No. 5 general. Effectively, Diggins is 35 years outdated, Vandersloot is 37, and the Sky simply aren’t ok to be passing up the long-term upside of Rice for a participant who suits the present lineup higher proper now in Jaquez.

My principal subject with Jaquez is that she operated at such low utilization at UCLA with solely an 18 % utilization charge. Drafting low utilization school gamers is at all times a dangerous transfer even when groups undertaking them for related roles within the professionals. It’s at all times simpler to scale down than it’s to scale up. Jaquez additionally had practically as many turnovers (70) as assists (78) this season with the Bruins. Her exterior capturing improvement was encouraging, however she doesn’t have practically the identical observe file as a shooter as somebody like Sonia Citron, who Pagliocca foolishly traded the draft rights to final season.

Jaquez will in all probability be a stable function participant, however the Sky wanted to be capturing for one thing greater than that and not using a true franchise participant on the roster. I believe they are going to remorse passing on Rice.

The Bruins gained the nationwide championship in ladies’s school basketball, then watched six gamers get chosen within the top-18 picks of this draft, together with 4 of the primary 9 picks. That’s a hell of a recruiting pitch going ahead. Head coach Cori Shut is constructing an influence program out in Los Angeles.

Wish to get the steal of the draft? All it’s a must to do is decide behind the Chicago Sky. Kiki Rice slipping to No. 6 is nearly unfathomable. The previous No. 1 general recruit took just a few years to develop her exterior shot, however this season she regarded just like the participant she was promised to be out of highschool. Rice is extra of a combo guard than a pure level, however she nonetheless combines a improbable first step with superior driving skill and an perceive of easy methods to get to the cup and end. Her capturing contact is creating properly: she made 90 % of her free throws, and 38.5 % of her threes this season — a giant enchancment from the 21 % three-point stroke she confirmed as a freshman.

Whereas the opposite growth staff, the Portland Fireplace, may be very a lot enjoying the lengthy sport of their first season, Toronto could possibly be fairly good immediately. Marina Mabrey was a pleasant decide within the growth draft who will probably be a very good starter from day one, and signing Brittney Sykes in free company was an impressed transfer. Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally is a stable veteran entrance courtroom. Rice looks like she could possibly be one of many three greatest gamers to come back out of this draft 5 years from now, giving Toronto a future face of the franchise if they’ll proceed to develop her.

Winner: The Mystics drafting Lauren Betts

There’s been some criticism about Washington’s different picks within the 2026 draft, nevertheless it actually doesn’t matter if Betts if pretty much as good as I believe she may be. The 6’7 middle was completely dominant within the submit on UCLA’s nationwide championship run, and she has a multi-year historical past of being an on/off monster. I do know that everybody desires extra cellular bigs with flooring spacing potential lately, however there’s nonetheless no substitute for a bodily dominant massive inside with gentle contact. Betts and Sonia Citron goes to be a killer mixture. Sure, the Mystics want so as to add much more capturing. Sure, it’s bizarre that they didn’t attempt to get capturing with any of their different picks. I simply assume Betts is a house run at No. 4 general, and Washington may have an extended runway to encompass her with better-fitting items.

Loser: Golden State Valkyries

I simply don’t perceive the worth behind the Flae’Jae Johnson commerce. Golden State stated that the commerce was accomplished earlier than the draft, which is okay, nevertheless it nonetheless strikes me as unhealthy worth even with out factoring in that Johnson was obtainable. I’d slightly have the No. 8 general decide than two second rounders within the WNBA Draft. Traditionally the expertise in these drafts tends to skinny out after the early second spherical, and including three growth groups within the final two years will solely take away from extra late spherical worth. I used to be enthusiastic about Flae’Jae Johnson on the Valkyries after their superior debut season final 12 months. It simply wasn’t meant to be.

The Minnesota Lynx had one of the best file within the WNBA final 12 months at 34-10, however their dream season fell aside within the playoffs in opposition to the Phoenix Mercury when Napheesa Collier went down with an ankle harm. The Lynx acquired the No. 2 general decide due to a decide swap with the Sky from the unique Angel Reese commerce, and so they used it so as to add an elite level guard prospect in Miles. The 5’10 ball handler left Notre Dame for TCU for her senior season, and put up improbable general numbers with a 36.4 % help charge, wonderful rim ending, and a 35 % three-point stroke. Miles is so fast off the dribble, and he or she made 62 % of her pictures on the rim with solely 17 % of them being assisted. She’s additionally actually good at stepping into the passing lanes defensively.

It’s not typically an elite staff provides a terrific prospect with a prime decide, however the Lynx pulled it off. This continues to be the most effective run franchises within the W.