
The biggest question facing every WNBA team in training camp
WNBA training camps open with key questions for each team.
The 2026 WNBA Draft features a diverse group of top prospects, including Azzi Fudd and Lauren Betts, marking a shift from previous drafts with standout No. 1 picks. This year's class is noted for its depth and balance, offering a range of intriguing players.
Meet the 2026 WNBA Draftâs top prospects, from Azzi Fudd to Lauren Betts
In recent years, the WNBA Draft has been headlined by a clear-cut No. 1 pick. Paige Bueckers was a sensation when she arrived at the 2025 ceremony, as was Caitlin Clark in 2024. But the forthcoming rookies walk the orange carpet as a deeper, more balanced draft class.
Rather than fixating on one north star, we get to meet a vast range of intriguing hoopers and potential cornerstones. Below, weâve packaged three interesting things to know about the 2026 ensemble, with prospects listed in alphabetical order. Let us know who youâre riding with in this yearâs draft.
Venue: The Shed at Hudson Yards â New York City
Time: 7 p.m. ET, Monday
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Fubo (Stream Free Now)
ESPN programs are also available with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
Sheâs an advocate for mental health. âI want to be HERE, experiencing life, in all its beauty and all its messiness, for a really, really long time. But I know now how thin that line is between having your whole future ahead of you, and not.â Betts wrote this in The Players Tribune, a meditation on her struggles with depression and her ongoing recovery.
She was on âRuPaulâs Drag Race All Stars.â Betts crossed over in the 10th season of the spinoff series. She was one of several NCAA players to sit for a glam session.
She has fully embraced this dance routine. Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker turned their choreography into a victory dance. It was a TikTok thing, but now itâs a real-life thing. Betts has gone viral for her general joyousness in the middle of the formation.
Sheâs been a pro since 15. The Fam family moved from Senegal to Alicante, a Spanish port city. Awa was a fast riser on the court, and she debuted for Valencia Basket in December 2021 as the youngest player in club history.
Her favorite artist is Drake. Fam led with her Drake fandom when Slam Magazine asked about her pregame playlist. She also cited Rihanna, Gunna, Future and Bad Bunny.
She has signed on to play in Project B. Six of her draft peers have signed on to Unrivaled for WNBA offseason ball. But Fam is rolling with Project B, the new overseas circuit.
She has a podcast called âFudd Around and Find Out.â Itâs where she bestowed the title of âEvil Azziâ to Gabby Williams. So far, guests have included Geno Auriemma, Sue Bird and Rhyne Howard.
Her mom was a WNBA Draft pick. Katie Smrcka-Duffy played at NC State and Georgetown from 1996 to 2001. She was selected by the now-defunct Sacramento Monarchs in the fourth round of the 2001 draft. Though she never stuck on a WNBA roster, Smrcka-Duffy (now Katie Smrcka-Duffy Fudd) instilled a love of basketball in her daughter. Azziâs dad, Tim Fudd, earned all-CAA honors at American University during the mid-1990s.
Sheâs dating Paige Bueckers. We all knew this, right? They were teammates on UConnâs 2025 title team. Fudd sent fans into a frenzy when she revealed her phone case that read âpaige bueckersâ girlfriend (sic),â and the two have since confirmed their relationship. Dallas has a chance to build around the couple, should the Wings go for Fudd at No. 1.
Her brother is in the NBA. Like Gabriela, Jaime Jaquez Jr. played college ball at UCLA. His third season with the Miami Heat has proved to be his best yet, with him averaging more than 15 points per game as a microwave off the bench. During the March Madness finale, Jaime joined the ESPN courtside alt-cast to hype up his sister.
She also joined the softball team. Jaquez made her collegiate debut at the 2024 NCAA Super Regionals. She pinch ran and wound up scoring a run. Side mission accomplished.
She plays for Team Mexico. The rangy wing repped the Mexican national team for its 2026 World Cup pre-qualifier. Jaquez finished with 20 points in a semifinal loss to Czechia.
Sheâs a musical artist. The Athleticâs Mirin Fader has a fantastic profile on Johnsonâs dual stardom. Flauâjae the artist is signed to Roc Nation. Sheâs collaborated with Lil Wayne, BossMan Dlow and Public Enemy, remarkable range in the rap game.
Her father was also an artist. Jason Johnson rapped as Camoflauge, whose 2002 album âKeepin It Realâ reached No. 24 on Billboardâs Top Independent Albums chart. Tragically, Johnson was murdered in 2003, six months before Flauâjae was born. She told the âClub Shay Shayâ podcast that fellow rapper Lil Boosie was a paternal presence in her fatherâs absence.
She practices the fine art of unserious British accents. Johnsonâs spontaneous poshness got Keke Palmer to lose it during an episode of Palmerâs podcast.
She was the first high school girl to play in a boys All-American game. Johnson took the floor at the 2021 Iverson Classic. She was Miss Georgia Basketball in her junior and senior seasons, then traveled to the Memphis invitational with pioneering spirit. âGirls can compete at the highest level with the boys,â she told the Memphis Commercial Appeal, âand we should get the same publicity as the boys are getting.â
She reached the Final Four in each of her college seasons. Johnson comes into the W with sizable big-game experience: two national championships (2022 and 2024), plus two runner-up campaigns and a fifth semifinal.
She is not a fan of X/Twitter. Johnson chided social media in general during South Carolinaâs Final Four presser this year. She mentioned Twitter by name, calling it a âtoxic appâ for college athletes.
Her family moved throughout her childhood. Latsonâs father was in the military, so she relocated between Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and even Hawaii as a kid. In high school, she played three seasons in Atlanta before a senior stint in Miami.
Sheâs a selective texter. Latson and Raven Johnson have been friends since they were teammates at Atlantaâs Westlake High. The duo played a round of âBestie Checkâ in February, and Latson admitted that she can let messages pile up. âI donât text back that fast,â she said. âWhen itâs [Johnson], I do though.â WNBA group chats are now on notice.
She won a national scoring title before she joined South Carolina. She scored 25.2 points per game with Florida State in 2024-25, the best mark across Division I. Latsonâs high that season was a brilliant 40-piece versus Virginia Tech.
She has a degree in political science from Notre Dame. The dynamic point guard got her bachelorâs degree in political science and her masterâs in nonprofit administration.
She couldâve been in last yearâs draft. Miles was slated among the best prospects in the 2025 class, but she ultimately chose to extend her college career and transfer to TCU. She had extra eligibility due to her medical redshirt in 2023-24. She told Slam Magazine that she planned to enter last yearâs draft up until Notre Dameâs season-ending Sweet 16 loss. That bet on herself is now primed to pay off.
Sheâs a firm no-go on any future camping excursions. âIâm not camping ever in my life,â she said during a sponsored Instagram post with Venmo.
Sheâs dating Cason Wallace. Both are champions, Rice with UCLA and Wallace with the NBAâs Oklahoma City Thunder. Thatâs a power couple right out of âLove & Basketball.â Last week, Wallace wore Riceâs merch for his OKC arena walk-in. The two 22-year-olds first met at the Jr. NBA World Championship in Orlando.
She and Allan Houston are cousins. The former Detroit Piston and New York Knick has visited his cousin at Pauley Pavilion. Like Houston, Rice is a three-level scorer with a silky jumper and playoff mettle. (Funnily enough, Rice University is in Houston. A mere coincidence or a basketball cipher? Probably coincidence.)
Sheâs Jordan Brandâs first NIL athlete. Rice signed as the sportswear brandâs first NIL athlete. The deal was inked ahead of her freshman season, a testament to her undeniable potential. She got her âPlayer Editionâ sneaker in 2024, a cherry blossom colorway for the Air Jordan 38 Low shoes. Her next color scheme hangs in the balance of Mondayâs draft results.
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The top prospects for the 2026 WNBA Draft include Azzi Fudd and Lauren Betts, among others.
The 2026 WNBA Draft is characterized by a deeper and more balanced class, rather than a focus on a single standout player.
The exact date for the 2026 WNBA Draft has not been specified in the provided information.
Details on how to watch the 2026 WNBA Draft are expected to be announced closer to the event date.

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