WNBA mock draft 2026: Projecting all 45 picks

The 2026 WNBA Draft is almost here, and that’s always reason enough for excitement. The fact that it’s taking place in the middle of an unprecedented offseason makes things even more chaotic.

Fresh off the signing of a historic collective bargaining agreement, the WNBA is essentially speed running its offseason in order to begin the 2026 regular season on time. One week after the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo expansion draft, free agency has opened, and unlike a typical offseason in which the annual WNBA Draft happens long after things have cooled down, the 2026 Draft will be held next Monday – just a few days into the accelerated free agency period, and likely well before many key free agents have made their decisions.

Needless to say, there’s going to be a lot going on at once, and with teams around the WNBA juggling free agency and the draft at the same time, it’s going to be even tougher than usual to predict where each of the draftees will be headed. Nevertheless, this is a crucial moment for the WNBA to build upon the momentum it’s enjoying, and with two new teams and an unusually ambiguous situation near the top of the draft board, it’s better to embrace the chaos than to shy away from it.

So, in following an SB Nation tradition, here’s our 2026 WNBA Mock Draft, with projections for all three rounds and 45 players.

Fam is widely regarded as the top international prospect in this year’s draft class, and though she’s just 19 years old, she already has plenty of experience playing for the Spanish national team and in higher-level FIBA competitions. An excellent pick-and-roll player and a strong passer for her position, Fam’s game is tailor-made for WNBA offenses, and slotting her next to a future MVP candidate in Paige Bueckers would give the Wings one of the highest-upside guard/center duos in the league. To be clear, there’s not much that Dallas doesn’t need at the moment, but if the Wings are thinking about how to best complement their young star, it will be hard for them to pass on a talent like Fam.

The Lynx are in the enviable position of adding a top-two pick to what should be a championship-caliber roster, so there are plenty of directions they can go in here. Miles would improve Minnesota’s backcourt depth significantly and give the team its point guard of the future, and judging from the emphasis the Lynx have placed on ball movement and assisted shot rate in recent seasons, they should be excited by that idea. Miles is the best playmaker in the class; she excels at getting into the paint, pushing the ball in transition and creating shots for others, and she’d thrive in a Lynx culture that already values finding open teammates.

You won’t find a better jumpshooter in the class than Fudd. She averaged a career-best 17.3 points per game as a graduate student, shooting 44.7 percent on 6.7 3-point attempts per game, and her rock-solid mechanics made her one of the country’s most prolific off-screen scorers. While Fudd isn’t the type of guard who will consistently create shots off the dribble, her off-ball gravity and instincts will be tremendously useful wherever she’s drafted, and that’s something the Storm should be strongly considering.

Betts reminded everyone just how dominant she can be during UCLA’s championship run, averaging 21 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game and shooting 68.8 percent from the floor in NCAA Tournament play. While there’s no blindingly obvious fit for Betts early in the draft, 6-foot-7 centers who can move their feet, make consistent reads and score efficiently don’t grow on trees, and it would be surprising if the All-American fell out of lottery range due to teams’ positional needs. The Mystics showed last season that they’re comfortable accumulating young talent, and if Betts falls to them at No. 4, it’s feasible that they’ll take her there and figure the rest out later.

The Sky once again find themselves in a rebuild after trading franchise cornerstone Angel Reese to Atlanta, and without having much in the way of future assets, this is a pick they simply need to get right. Rice was one of the country’s more productive lead guards as a senior, averaging 14.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and over 90 percent on free throws, and with her size and skill she should be able to play at either guard position in the WNBA. She was also frequently hailed by UCLA’s coaches as the program’s culture-setter, which should appeal to a Sky team in desperate need of a dependable building block.

Not many players in this class have raised their draft stock as much as Johnson, who bet on herself by returning to college for another season and has been reaping the rewards. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year can guard at an elite level anywhere on the perimeter and isn’t afraid to mix it up against taller players, either. On offense, Johnson has become a dependable (albeit low-volume) 3-point shooter, and she’s unflappable with the ball in her hands, most recently posting an assist/turnover ratio of 3.16. Her on-court leadership and ability to set the tone on defense would make her a fine choice for Toronto’s first-ever draft pick.

Johnson became one of college basketball’s biggest stars almost immediately, and though her production tapered off as a senior, she’s clearly still a first-round talent. One of the few guards in the class who can truly push the envelope on both ends of the floor, Johnson is a lithe, explosive scorer with a smooth pull-up jumpshot, and she makes plays on defense that most other guards simply aren’t physically capable of making. As an expansion team, it would make sense for Portland to make a bet on her upside.

Jaquez made a name for herself as one of the nation’s best “glue” players, and while that might seem like faint praise, she showed just how valuable a wing with such a malleable skillset can be. Jaquez posted elite shooting splits as a senior (62.2 percent on 2-pointers, 39 percent on 3-pointers and 86 percent on free throws), and her nose for the basketball makes her a constant threat on the offensive boards. She’d fit on any WNBA team, so don’t expect her to fall much further than this.

No WNBA team made or attempted fewer 3-pointers than the Mystics did last season, so they’ll probably be trying to modernize their shot profile through the draft. Kneepkens is an outstanding shooter, having made at least 42 percent of her threes in each season dating back to 2022. Kneepkens’ release is a bit unorthodox and she may have a hard time staying in front of quicker guards on defense, but she’s a good enough passer and cutter to contribute in areas beyond only shooting.

Indiana spent much of last season trying to make up for injuries to its backcourt, and while that was a somewhat extreme example of how a lack of depth can affect a team, the Fever should probably be looking to shore up their guard rotation anyway. They could certainly do much worse than Latson, who is among the most talented scorers in the country. A three-time All-ACC First-Teamer and former Division I scoring champ, Latson transferred to South Carolina from Florida State to compete for a championship and become a better all-around player, and under Dawn Staley’s tutelage she increased her field goal percentage (48.6 percent) while significantly cutting down on her turnovers. Latson’s strength will always be her scoring, though; she can get into the paint and draw fouls at will, and while she’s probably not going to be as prolific of a scorer in the WNBA as she was at Florida State, her shot creation will be invaluable.

Angloma has made a lot of noise playing for Montpellier in EuroCup Women and the Ligue Féminine, and though she slowed down a bit in the second half of the French season, at 19 years old her best days are still ahead of her. Angloma’s pure strength and relentlessness attacking the hoop make her a major threat in transition, and despite her age, she’ll be able to handle the WNBA’s physicality right away. Even if she can’t make it this summer, she’s plenty worthy of being drafted and stashed in the first round, which the Mystics would have no problem doing with one of their three first-round picks.

The Sun were one of the worst teams in the league last season and aren’t in a very favorable draft position, so they might need to think outside the box here. Martín is only 20 years old, but she’s already a featured player for Spanish club Perfumerias Avenida, and she was impressive for the Spanish national team in the recent FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Connecticut doesn’t have much going on at guard right now, so Martín would fill a need right away, and seeing as how the Sun are in the middle of a rebuild, they could afford to be a little more patient with her than other WNBA teams.

We all know that Dream head coach Karl Smesko wants his team to shoot a lot of threes, and judging from how Naz Hillmon transformed her game to fit that system last year, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Atlanta draft another stretch big. Suarez bombed away from long range in her graduate season, shooting 37 percent on six 3-point attempts per game, and she’d get plenty of open looks playing alongside Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese. She can also pass the ball better than most at her position, and while she’s been turnover-prone throughout her collegiate career, that’s hopefully something that can be mitigated in a pro system.

When McMahon transferred from Ohio State to Ole Miss for her senior season, she instantly became one of the SEC’s highest-profile players, and she was as good as advertised for the Rebels, averaging a career-best 19.1 points per game to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists. McMahon is known for her bull-in-a-china-shop style of play, and while Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin gave McMahon more reps as a passer than she ever had previously, her ability to slash and draw contact remained her greatest strength, yielding 6.6 free throw attempts per game.

South Carolina would have loved to keep Okot for another season, but the appeal they submitted was recently denied, so the 6-foot-6 center will be headed to the WNBA instead. Okot’s physical gifts are obvious, and even though she’s only been playing basketball for a few years, finishing her collegiate career for a Gamecocks program that regularly churns out WNBA talent could only have done her good; she averaged 12.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and even showed glimpses of a 3-point shot. The Sun are still firmly in the phase of acquiring as much young talent as possible and seeing what sticks, so they can afford to take a swing on Okot at the end of the first round.

Morgan’s decision to transfer from Georgia Tech to Kentucky for her senior season turned out to be a beneficial one, as she ranked second in the country in assists per game (7.9) for a Wildcats team that made the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. An athletic downhill attacker, Morgan excels in the drive-and-kick game, and while her 3-point shot is still a bit shaky, she has the physical tools to be an above-average defender in a more aggressive scheme. She’d be a solid addition to the Storm, especially if they lose Skylar Diggins-Smith in free agency.

As a mobile, 6-foot-4 forward who can dribble, shoot from the midrange and move well laterally, Barker’s ceiling has never been in question, but she never truly put it all together at any of her three programs (Texas A&M, UCLA and Tennessee). Still, Barker is too talented to fall much further than this, and though she has possibly the widest range of outcomes of any player in this class, if a team like Portland has patience and invests in her development, she could significantly outplay her draft position.

White was a bit of a late bloomer, having only been a full-time starter in her junior and senior seasons, but she finished her collegiate career strong, averaging 15.9 points per game and shooting 40.4 percent from long range. Factor in her size on the perimeter (6-foot-0) and there’s a lot to like about White’s chances in the pros, especially on a team that could use a reliable 3-point shooter.

Bühner has been playing for the German senior national team since 2024, and she most recently averaged 19 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in EuroCup Women for Spanish club Movistar Estudiantes. Bühner’s lack of size in the frontcourt (6-foot-1) will likely limit her positional versatility, but she’s a highly efficient scorer, and she shoots the 3-pointer well enough (40.7 percent in EuroCup play) to be drafted as a stretch big early in the second round.

The Sparks had size last season, but it didn’t translate to good team defense, so don’t be surprised if they try to shore that up through this year’s draft. At 6-foot-5, Key is more of a traditional center, and though she had to share the paint with All-SEC forward Clara Strack, Kentucky made it work, ranking second in Division I in block rate (16.3 percent) as a team. Key’s experience anchoring that kind of defensive infrastructure would make her a welcome addition to the Sparks, especially if they’re looking for a more physical big to play alongside Cameron Brink.

Dunn has averaged better than 15 points per game in each of her last three seasons (two at Georgia Tech and one at USC) and has been efficient in doing so, most recently shooting 57.3 percent on 2-pointers and 37.8 percent on threes. The Sky could stand to improve their shot profile for 2026, and a big part of that will be adding wing players who are willing to shoot the ball; Dunn, an All-Big Ten Second-Teamer, is someone who could bring more of a scoring punch.

Leger-Walker may have been the least-heralded player in UCLA’s stacked starting lineup, but the former Washington State standout provided a crucial, steady-handed backcourt presence next to Kiki Rice, averaging a team-high 5.6 assists per game and keeping the Bruins’ offense moving. Granted, her role was much smaller than it had been in past seasons, when she stuffed the stat sheet on a daily basis. Leger-Walker will surely get drafted by a team in need of guard depth such as Toronto, though she may need to prove that she’s still capable of being more than a game manager in training camp.

Ciezki finished her collegiate career with a bang, nearly doubling her scoring effort from last season at 22.8 points per game and knocking down 2.5 3-pointers per game at a 44.6 percent clip. There will inevitably be questions about how effectively the 5-foot-7 Ciezki will be able to get her shot off at the pro level, but with range that extends well beyond the arc, she could find a role as a gunner off of Golden State’s bench.

Dugalić may have sacrificed her spot in UCLA’s starting lineup in her final season, but she was still a key contributor to the Bruins’ championship run, providing efficient scoring and defensive versatility at power forward. It’s fair to wonder if Dugalić’s graduate season wasn’t just a one-off (her 58.8 percent 2-point shooting percentage was by far a career-best), but at a mobile and skilled 6-foot-4, she’s going to be coveted regardless.

The heart and soul of a Tar Heels team that made the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen, Harris is an exceptionally hard worker whose numbers (11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game) often undersold her overall impact. Even so, she averaged 3.1 offensive rebounds per game and shot 60.2 percent on 2-pointers, and she’s the type of big who can make an instant impact if she’s paired with a good pick-and-roll guard.

In terms of pure athletic potential, Lattimore is one of the most intriguing prospects in the class. A rangy 6-foot-4, Lattimore gets off the floor quickly and blocks shots with ease, and though she was often used on the perimeter during her stint at Ole Miss, she showed the ability to attack closeouts off the dribble as well. Lattimore doesn’t currently have an ideal position on either end of the court, but she still has a path to WNBA success, should she land with the right player development coach.

Doogan is the classic example of an immensely productive mid-major player who doesn’t get the same kind of shine as her power conference peers. She led Richmond to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments and won Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors twice, most recently averaging 21.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game as a senior. Doogan obviously won’t be asked to carry a team like that as a pro, but the fact that she shot 59.2 on 2-pointers and 40.4 percent on 3-pointers while commanding that much defensive attention bodes well for how she’ll fit alongside WNBA talent.

Another shooter for the Dream. West Virginia has been known for its press defense and the tenacity of its guards, and while Shaw proved to be more than capable in playing in such a system, most of her value came via her 3-point shooting. Shaw got up 6.4 threes per game as a senior, making 42.4 percent of them, which was crucial for a team whose other players preferred to get into the paint and get to the free throw line.

Small point guards who don’t shoot many 3-pointers generally don’t have long shelf lives in the WNBA, but if any such player can buck that trend, it’s Harmon. One of the peskiest point-of-attack defenders in the country, Harmon was named to four All-Defense Teams during her time at Texas (two in the Big 12 and two in the SEC), and the 3.78 assist/turnover ratio she posted this season ranked No. 3 in Division I.

A change of scenery was all Timmons needed to prove that she was one of the country’s deadliest scorers. After struggling to get consistent playing time at NC State, she was much more successful at Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide in scoring (16.3 points per game) and earning All-SEC honors. While Timmons didn’t contribute nearly as much peripherally, her quickness with the ball and ability to knock down shots off the dribble will be what WNBA teams value.

No one embodies Texas toughness quite like Oladacre. The 6-foot-6 center is nearly impossible to keep off the boards, and the physicality she plays with ensures that she draws plenty of fouls. She’s not going to play heavy minutes no matter where she gets drafted, but she’ll be productive in her time on the court; according to Her Hoop Stats, Oldacre posted an offensive rebounding rate of 15.5 percent, a block rate of 6.0 percent and a free throw rate of 26.7 percent as a senior.

If the Sky are still looking for help at forward in the third round, Prosper would be a good choice. The ACC’s Most Improved Player, Prosper stepped into a consistent starting role for the first time as a senior, and she posted career-highs in scoring (13.6 points), rebounding (6.5 rebounds) and defensive stats (1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks). She also moves her feet better than most power forwards and brings a good amount of versatility in defending the pick and roll as a result.

Though an eye injury derailed Phelia’s once-promising collegiate career, she was able to regain some momentum after transferring to Syracuse for her senior season, averaging 13.7 points and two steals per game and earning All-ACC Second Team honors. Phelia isn’t the most efficient scorer, but as a large perimeter defender who can knock down the 3-pointer at a decent clip, she’ll have some appeal as a complementary player later in the draft.

Brown had to sacrifice her high-usage role when she transferred from Arizona State to Michigan State, but she turned in the most efficient scoring season of her career, shooting 56.6 on 2-pointers and 41.3 on threes. At 6-foot-1, Brown brings plenty of size to the perimeter, so if her jump in scoring efficiency is for real, she offers decent two-way potential for a team looking to add to its wing depth.

What Harrison lacks in size (5-foot-6) she makes up for in relentlessness, especially defensively. An All-Big 12 First Team and All-Defense Team selection, Harrison was the head of the snake for a havoc-inducing Mountaineers team, averaging 5.2 assists and 3.2 steals per game. It may be difficult for Harrison to stick on a team that already has several options at point guard, but she’s absolutely the kind of player who can unseat an established veteran if they’re too complacent in training camp.

It’s easy to look at Littlepage-Buggs and imagine swiss-army-knife potential, especially as a defensive player. She’s mobile, long-limbed, and aggressive on the glass, and her ability to rebound and push the ball herself added a unique dimension to Baylor’s offense. What’s not as clear is how Littlepage-Buggs will contribute to a WNBA team in the halfcourt; her physical gifts may be enough to sneak her onto the right roster, but everything else is still mostly theoretical.

Iwuala broke out as a senior, averaging a career-best 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds (3.4 offensive) per game while shooting 60.1 percent from the field, and that was on an Ole Miss team that didn’t exactly put a premium on floor spacing. Iwuala may not have the height to play center at the WNBA level, but there aren’t many harder workers on the offensive glass, and she could really do some damage alongside pro-level guard play.

The Bearcats’ leading scorer at 17.8 points per game, Perry is open the second she walks into the gym, with a quick release and the ability to can deep 3-pointers coming off screens. Perry’s peripheral statistics were nothing to write home about, both at Cincinnati and her prior school, Florida Atlantic, but her talents as a shooter are not in question, and she might be able to find a home in the WNBA as more of a specialist than a go-to scorer.

Jackson has a knack for hitting big shots, and she cemented herself as a Duke legend when her game-winning jumper lifted the Blue Devils past LSU in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. This might be a case of the lore exceeding the production – Jackson wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of efficiency as a senior, shooting 40 percent on 2-pointers and 30.7 percent on 3-pointers – but her shot quality could improve greatly playing alongside WNBA talent, and this late in the draft, teams will want to bet on her basketball pedigree.

Williams transferred to UConn after three seasons as Wisconsin’s featured player, and though her counting stats took a major hit, she posted career-highs in scoring efficiency (58.8 field goal percentage) and block rate (9.8 percent). Williams can definitely score, as evidenced by her time with the Badgers (17.4 points per game as a sophomore and 19.2 as a junior), but it’s more likely she makes a WNBA roster because of her defense.

VanSlooten showed considerable improvement after transferring from Oregon to Michigan State, averaging at least 15 points per game and shooting better than 50 percent from the field in two seasons as a Spartan. She’s not a great free throw shooter and lacks range on her jumpshot – two factors that are going to limit her draft appeal as a combo forward – but she’s a hard worker on the offensive glass and showed that she can compete in an uptempo defensive system, so she’ll have more than enough going for her as she competes for a roster spot.

Nivar certainly has the physical tools to be a WNBA guard – at least on defense, where her quickness and top-notch instincts make her one of the country’s most prolific ball hawks (2.7 steals per game). Her poor free throw shooting and finishing at the rim are red flags, however, so until those get resolved, she’ll have to lean on her hustle and defense to earn herself a spot on a training camp roster.

Garzon’s stock took a hit after an underwhelming senior season at Maryland, but her size on the perimeter (6-foot-3) and ability to launch 3-pointers from well beyond the arc should still be enough to get her drafted. As she showed earlier in her collegiate career at Indiana, Garzon is perfectly capable of shooting above 40 percent on threes on high volume; the question will be whether she can hang well enough athletically to take advantage of that skill.

Ziegler finished her collegiate career at Louisville after three strong seasons at Saint Joseph’s, and while that meant she was no longer her team’s go-to player, she still made the All-ACC First Team after averaging 11 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Ziegler isn’t much of a defensive playmaker at power forward, but she’s an above-average passer for her position and can knock down the 3-pointer at a decent clip, making her an intriguing later-round option for a team looking to add some offensive skill to their frontcourt.

A two-time All-SEC First Team honoree, Beers made a name for herself as one of the country’s most efficient low-post scorers, and on the surface her numbers are impressive: In each of the past three seasons, she averaged better than 15 points and nine rebounds per game, and shot well above 60 percent from the field. She’s strictly a drop coverage defender, however, and that’s not going to change in the WNBA; Beers’ offensive ability should still get her drafted, but she’ll have to land on a team in major need of frontcourt depth in order to stick.