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Pros and cons of Indiana Fever picking Vanderbilt's Justine Pissott in 2026 WNBA Draft
TL;DR
Justine Pissott was selected by the Indiana Fever as the 25th overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. She is the first Vanderbilt player to be drafted since 2014, following a successful college career including a Sweet 16 appearance.
Pros and cons of Indiana Fever picking Vanderbilt's Justine Pissott in 2026 WNBA Draft
Justine Pissott, formerly of Vanderbilt women's basketball, was drafted by the Indiana Fever in the 2026 WNBA Draft in the second round, 25th overall.
Pissott was a former 5-star recruit and McDonald's All-American out of high school who originally attended Tennessee, but after one year she transferred to play for Vanderbilt and Shea Ralph in 2023. She played for three years with the Commodores and was a key part of their Sweet 16 team in 2026.
She is the first Vanderbilt player drafted since 2014.
What Justine Pissott brings to the Indiana Fever in 2026 WNBA Draft
Pissott is a ready-made role player who brings excellent 3-point shooting with plus size for a shooter at 6-4. She primarily plays as a stretch-4, and she has a versatile skillset there. She has consistently improved her rebounding and passing throughout college. She is a catch-and-shoot threat who is long enough to block shots and can occasionally post up.
Though Pissott doesn't project as a WNBA starter, she brings a skillset that the majority of teams can use.
She overcame adversity in her college career after the loss of her grandfather. After playing minimal minutes in her junior season, she broke out as a senior.
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) rushes towards Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) sets up to shoot past Illinois center Lety Vasconcelos (35) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) sets up to shoot past Illinois forward Cearah Parchment (30) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Aubrey Galvan (3) shoots against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) shoots past Illinois center Lety Vasconcelos (35) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) shoots past Illinois guard Destiny Jackson (2) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph works with her team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) shoots against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) brings the ball up the court past Illinois guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger (8) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) brings the ball up the court against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Illinois guard Destiny Jackson (2) looks for an opening past Vanderbilt forward Sacha Washington (35) and guard Jada Brown (2) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Illinois coach Shauna Green yells to her players during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Vanderbilt at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) pushes past Illinois forward Cearah Parchment (30) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph works with her team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) shoots the ball against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) sets up to shoot past Illinois center Lety Vasconcelos (35) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt associate coach Tom Garrick, left, and coach Shea Ralph, far right, work with their team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Vanderbilt guard Aubrey Galvan (3) looks to pass the ball past Illinois forward Cearah Parchment (30) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Illinois coach Shauna Green works with her team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Vanderbilt at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Illinois guard Maddie Webber (34) looks for a path past Vanderbilt guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (15) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Marsha Lake claps as her daughter, Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph, is introduced before a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) rushes towards Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) rushes towards Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
2 / 22
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) sets up to shoot past Illinois center Lety Vasconcelos (35) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
3 / 22
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) sets up to shoot past Illinois forward Cearah Parchment (30) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
4 / 22
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Aubrey Galvan (3) shoots against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) shoots past Illinois center Lety Vasconcelos (35) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) shoots past Illinois guard Destiny Jackson (2) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph works with her team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) shoots against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
9 / 22
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) brings the ball up the court past Illinois guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger (8) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) brings the ball up the court against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
11 / 22
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Illinois guard Destiny Jackson (2) looks for an opening past Vanderbilt forward Sacha Washington (35) and guard Jada Brown (2) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Illinois coach Shauna Green yells to her players during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Vanderbilt at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
13 / 22
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) pushes past Illinois forward Cearah Parchment (30) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
14 / 22
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph works with her team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) shoots the ball against Illinois during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) sets up to shoot past Illinois center Lety Vasconcelos (35) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt associate coach Tom Garrick, left, and coach Shea Ralph, far right, work with their team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Vanderbilt guard Aubrey Galvan (3) looks to pass the ball past Illinois forward Cearah Parchment (30) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Illinois coach Shauna Green works with her team during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Vanderbilt at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Illinois guard Maddie Webber (34) looks for a path past Vanderbilt guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (15) during the first half of a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
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Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt basketball vs Illinois in March Madness second round
Marsha Lake claps as her daughter, Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph, is introduced before a second round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 23, 2026.
Justine Pissott highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Vanderbilt
Pissott was second in the SEC in 3-point percentage in 2025-26 among players with at least 75 3-point attempts. But Pissott had a much larger sample size than that. She attempted 225 threes and made 95 of them for a 42.2% 3-point percentage.
She came into Vanderbilt with a reputation as a limited defender, but she has improved there. Her 29 blocks were second on the team.
Pissott doesn't have the ball in her hands often and rarely drives to the rim. She attempted just 17 free throws all year. She did avoid turnovers (she had just 51 to 77 assists) and foul trouble.
Justine Pissott stats at Vanderbilt
In 2025-26, Pissott started all 34 games. She had a 43.7% field-goal percentage overall and a 42.2% 3-point percentage on 225 attempts. She was 13-for-17 on free throws for a 76.5% percentage. She had 77 assists, 51 turnovers, 29 blocks and 14 steals while averaging 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
In her career, she averaged 6.3 points per game, a 38.6% 3-point percentage and a 74.5% free-throw percentage with a 122:113 assist to turnover ratio.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Justine Pissott of Vanderbilt basketball picked by Indiana Fever in 2026 WNBA Draft
Q&A
What position does Justine Pissott play for the Indiana Fever?
Justine Pissott plays as a guard for the Indiana Fever.
Why did Justine Pissott transfer from Tennessee to Vanderbilt?
Justine Pissott transferred from Tennessee to Vanderbilt to continue her college basketball career under coach Shea Ralph after one year.
What was Justine Pissott's achievement in high school basketball?
Justine Pissott was a 5-star recruit and a McDonald's All-American in high school.
When was the last time a Vanderbilt player was drafted before Justine Pissott?
The last time a Vanderbilt player was drafted before Justine Pissott was in 2014.