The countdown to one of the most anticipated nights in women’s basketball is officially on. On April 9, 2026, the WNBA announced the 15 prospects who will attend the WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY, set for Monday, April 13 at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will announce the draft picks live on ESPN, with exclusive coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can also tune in for the WNBA Orange Carpet Special on ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m. ET and WNBA Countdown Presented by Google on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. ET. The draft will also be available on the ESPN App.
The Headliners
UCLA center Lauren Betts, Connecticut guard Azzi Fudd, Spain National Team center Awa Fam Thiam, and TCU guard Olivia Miles headline the list of 15 prospects expected to be in attendance.
Betts arrives as arguably the most decorated prospect in the class. The 6-7 center led UCLA to the national championship and was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. In both 2025 and 2026, she earned AP All-America First Team honors, the Lisa Leslie Award as the nation’s best center, and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year distinction. This season, Betts was also named Big Ten Player of the Year while averaging 17.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
Awa Fam Thiam, the 6-4 center from Spain, has been a rising international prospect. The 19-year-old had an excellent showing against Team USA during the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico last month, which was another reminder of her ability to hold her own against top-level competition.
The Full Invitee List
Beyond the four headliners, the other prospects set to attend are forward Nell Angloma (France), forward Angela Dugalić (UCLA), guard Gabriela Jaquez (UCLA), guard Flau’jae Johnson (LSU), guard Raven Johnson (South Carolina), guard Gianna Kneepkens (UCLA), guard Ta’Niya Latson (South Carolina), forward Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss), center Madina Okot (South Carolina/Kenya), guard Kiki Rice (UCLA), and forward Marta Suárez (TCU/Spain).
The invitee list reflects the strong representation of the UCLA Bruins, who just captured the national championship. Lauren Betts and three of her UCLA teammates are projected as first-round picks.
Internationally, the class has notable depth. Nell Angloma, a 5-11 forward from France, earned All-Second Team honors at the FIBA Women’s Basketball U19 World Cup after averaging a team-leading 17.0 points per game and adding 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists — capping an MVP performance at the FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket 2024 where she led France to the title.
The Draft Order
As determined by the 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery on November 23, the Dallas Wings hold the top pick, followed by the Minnesota Lynx at No. 2 and the Seattle Storm at No. 3. The Washington Mystics hold the fourth selection and the Chicago Sky the fifth. The WNBA’s newest expansion teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, will select sixth and seventh, respectively.
This year’s draft is considered the most difficult to predict in recent memory because there is no clear-cut number-one pick the way there was with Caitlin Clark or Paige Bueckers in recent years , making it an especially suspenseful night for fans, teams, and prospects alike.
Draft Night Festivities
The festivities will kick off with the invited players showcasing their personalities and fashion on the WNBA’s iconic Orange Carpet presented by Coach. Earlier in the day, the prospects will visit the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony celebrating the draft.
This marks the third consecutive year the draft will be a marquee live event with fans in attendance. With a historic class, two new expansion teams making their first-ever picks, and the WNBA entering its landmark 30th season tipping off Friday, May 8, the 2026 draft promises to be one for the books.
