Now that the 2025 WNBA Draft has come to a close, it's officially time to start preparing for next year's edition, which should be fascinating. The 2026 class is stacked, and unlike previous years, where the No. 1 overall pick was a lock well in advance, there are a number of players who will make their case for that honor. Over the next year, the WNBA will change tremendously. A new collective bargaining agreement is expected to be in place for the 2026 season, nearly every player who is not on a rookie scale contract will become a free agent next winter, and two more expansion teams -- the Toronto Tempo and a yet unnamed Portland franchise -- will officially join in 2026. All of that will have a huge impact on the 2026 WNBA Draft, which will expand to 15 picks per round and 45 selections overall. We still don't know the draft order, of course, but we do know the top prospects. Without further ado, here's a way-too-early look at how the first round could go next year.
1. Lauren Betts -- C, UCLA
Even as the women's game shifts more toward spacing and versatility, there's always going to be a place for 6-foot-7 centers who can dominate around the basket on both sides of the ball. Betts, who led UCLA to the program's first NCAA Final Four last season, is an extremely efficient scorer and an elite rim protector.
2. Olivia Miles -- G, TCU
Miles was expected to be the No. 2 overall pick this year, but made a shocking decision to return to college and enter the transfer portal. She will
play her fifth season at TCU and should excel in Mark Campbell's spread pick-and-roll system, which will highlight her elite playmaking skills.
3. Ta'Niya Latson -- G, South Carolina
Latson was the leading scorer in women's college basketball last season, and
transferred to South Carolina where Dawn Staley will ensure that she's prepared for the next level. While Latson may be a bit undersized, her ability to create her own shot and finish around the basket is largely unmatched.
4. Flau'jae Johnson -- G, LSU
Johnson contemplated turning pro early, but
decided to return to LSU for her senior season and a chance to compete for a national championship. She has improved in each of her first three seasons in Baton Rouge, and there's no reason to expect that development to slow down. Johnson should be one of college basketball's brightest stars next season.
5. Azzi Fudd -- G, UConn
There have never been any questions about Fudd's talent, only her ability to stay healthy. She largely did so this season upon her return from a torn ACL, and helped UConn win a national title while
earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player. In her fifth season in Storrs she'll have a chance to show she can be
more than just a shooter.
6. Awa Fam -- C, Spain
Fam was named MVP of the U20 Women's EuroBasket 2024 after leading Spain to a silver medal. She's still only 18, but will be eligible for the 2026 draft class, and it's not out of the question she ends up as the best overall prospect. Fam is an incredibly gifted player on both sides of the ball, and the only real knock against her is her lack of experience against the best competition.
7. Gianna Kneepkens -- G, TBD
There are few better shooters in the world than Kneepkens, who has made 43.2% of her 3-point attempts in college. She hit the transfer portal after four years at Utah, and will have her pick of elite programs. Kneepkens should benefit from another year to develop her complementary skills while possibly contending for a national title.
8. Kiki Rice -- G, UCLA
Rice has been a solid, productive point guard ever since she arrived at UCLA, and helped the team reach the Final Four this season. She's a good playmaker and a very efficient scorer inside the arc when she gets downhill. Can she improve as a 3-point shooter to make it easier for her to use her best skills?
9. Chloe Kitts -- F, South Carolina
Kitts is a long, rangy forward who has steadily improved during her first three seasons in Columbia, and was named MVP of the SEC Tournament in 2025. Still, it feels like there's room for her to grow, especially with her consistency. She has the ability to take over games, but didn't do so often enough last season.
10. Iyana Martin -- G, Spain
Martin is another Spaniard who should be a first-round pick in 2026. She was the MVP of the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2023 and was named EuroLeague Women Young Player of the Year in 2025. It's extremely rare for 19-year-old guards to be as productive in Europe as Martin was this season.
11. Janiah Barker -- F, UCLA
In her best moments, Barker looks like a lottery pick. In her worst moments, you wonder if she'll go undrafted. Few players swing between extremes more than the 2025 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year, who has entered the transfer portal again after one season at UCLA. She has all the tools to be a great pro, but will she ever put everything together?
12. Ashlyn Watkins -- F, South Carolina
This time a year ago, Watkins was potentially on lottery pick trajectory. Since then, she was arrested and charged with assault and battery and kidnapping after an incident on campus (the charges were later dropped after she completed a pre-trial intervention program), and tore her ACL in January. A lot of questions remain about her future, including when she'll be back on the court. Beyond that, will she declare for the 2026 draft or try to gain a medical redshirt and an extra year of collegiate eligibility?
13. Serah Williams -- F, TBD
Williams has been very productive on both sides of the ball during her first three seasons, but has largely flown under the radar on a poor Wisconsin team. That should change after she entered the transfer portal this winter. She could really boost her stock if she shows she can perform on a bigger stage.
14. Madina Okot -- C, TBD
Okot has only been playing basketball for four years, and began her career in her native Kenya before she was finally granted a visa last year. She impressed in her first NCAA season at Mississippi State, particularly as a finisher around the basket, and it will be interesting to see how she develops in a new program after entering the transfer portal.
15. Charlisse Leger-Walker -- G, UCLA
Leger-Walker tore her ACL in January of 2024 while playing for Washington State and we haven't seen her on the court since. She should be back in action next season for UCLA, and her draft prospects are interesting. There's no question she's a talented, versatile guard, but the extended time she needed to rehab her knee is concerning, and she'll be 24 when the 2026 draft rolls around.
