The 2026 WNBA Draft achieved record viewership, becoming the second most-watched event in league history with over 1.8 million peak viewers. Notable picks included Azzi Fudd by the Dallas Wings, highlighting the league's growth and emerging talent.
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The 2026 WNBA Draft is turning out to be one of the biggest successes in league history after posting massive viewership numbers. Many emerging talents like former UConn star Azzi Fudd are now set to make their impact in the WNBA. Meanwhile, itâs clear that the leagueâs growth is undeniable based on early results from the 2026 draft. **MORE: Caitlin Clark has controversial history with Indiana Feverâs first WNBA draft pick** In fact, ESPN revealed Thursday that this yearâs WNBA Draft is the second most-watched event in league history. The evening full of college basketball stars featured over 1.8 million peak viewers tuning in.
ESPN delivered the 2nd most-watched WNBA Draft EVER
đ 1.5M viewers tuned in to Monday's '26 presentation, up 20% YoY đ Peak 1.8M
Details: pic.twitter.com/OJvFTRf8gS
â ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) April 15, 2026 The 2026 WNBA Draft certainly wasnât short of storylines, which absolutely plays into ESPNâs massive TV ratings. Roughly 1.5 million fans watched the eveningâs draft coverage as the Dallas Wings secured Fudd with their first pick. Meanwhile, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert became a viral topic of her own for all the wrong reasons after awkwardly attacking a reporterâs question. Engelbert was simply asked how long she intends on staying on as WNBA commissioner after taking the job in 2019. However, the 61 year old quickly drew outrage online after questioning the reporterâs motives. âI do crack up how everybodyâs focused on me, and you should be focused on the hundreds of amazing women and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself,â Engelbert said, via USA Today. **MORE: **
The 2026 WNBA Draft had over 1.5 million viewers, peaking at 1.8 million, making it the second most-watched draft in league history.
Azzi Fudd was selected first by the Dallas Wings, with other notable picks including Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, and Kiki Rice from UCLA.
Cathy Engelbert faced backlash after awkwardly responding to a reporter's question about her tenure as commissioner, which drew significant online outrage.
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The draft festivities still managed to shine a light on many incredible athletes looking to make an immediate impact with their new teams. NCAA womenâs basketball champions UCLA proved to be a force as well.