
The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled for Monday, April 13, 2026.
Lauren Betts from UCLA is currently projected to be the first pick by the Dallas Wings.
March Madness influenced player rankings significantly, with some players boosting their stock while others fell down the draft board.
Yes, Azzi Fudd is considered a potential top-five draft pick based on her performance and current evaluations.
The 2026 WNBA Draft is set for April 13 in New York, with the top pick still undecided. Key players like Awa Fam and Azzi Fudd are in the spotlight following March Madness, impacting their draft positions.
With the Women's Final Four complete, all eyes turn towards the 2026 WNBA Draft.
The WNBA draft takes place Monday, April 13, in New York, and this year's event has a different feel. Unlike the last two drafts, where Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers were consensus No. 1 overall picks, this year's top spot is up for grabs.
After an exciting March Madness, it's time to see who helped their stock and who fell down the draft board. Is Awa Fam still at the top? Is Azzi Fudd a top-five draft pick? Who vaulted into the first round?
Here's USA TODAY's latest 2026 WNBA mock draft:
After a stellar NCAA Tournament run, Betts has done enough to earn consideration for the No. 1 overall pick. While the Bruins center will need to work on shooting more baskets in the mid-range and later from deep, she can be inserted into Dallas's lineup when the season starts on May 8. Her length and size make her an immediate threat in the post, along with her passing abilities and rebounding prowess.
Minnesota doesn't struggle to move the ball, but adding Miles into the mix gives the Lynx the ability to take their offensive movement up a level. The TCU guard has a high basketball IQ, which should help her with the rookie learning curve on a team with championship aspirations. Head coach Cheryl Reeve can also bring out the best in Miles defensive skills as she adjusts to WNBA play.
Fudd had a very underwhelming NCAA Tournament aside from her second round game against Syracuse. The slump won't stop her from being drafted. The UConn guard's shot is still the purest in college basketball, and her ability to be an offensive threat at any moment is something you don't see as often at the rookie level. Fudd also rarely wastes a movement or a shot, making her a prime candidate to draft.
Fam has an extremely high upside and could start for a team now. However, at 19 years old, she's a raw prospect and might benefit from an environment where she doesn't have immediate pressure to produce. Washington could plug Fam in behind center Shakira Austin, allowing her time to learn, grow and gain confidence. An aggressive Fam would be a dangerous Fam.
Until veteran Courtney Vandersloot returns, the Sky need a guard who can facilitate, score when needed and defend. Rice, who finished a career year in a UCLA uniform, has proven she can do it all. The senior guard has improved her ability to read opposing defenses, maintain patience with solid footwork and recover in help defense. Rice would also take some pressure off Hailey Van Lith, who struggled during her rookie season.
Johnson has a score-first mentality, and she does it in a variety of ways: midrange, downhill in the paint and from the 3-point line. She's one of the top defensive guards in the 2026 class, and if she can improve her defensive awareness at the pro level, she can become an elite two-way guard. Head coach Sandy Brondello should also be a tremendous asset to Johnson's growth.
Latson's NCAA Tournament run was a mixed bag. That shouldn't hurt her WNBA draft stock, but it wasn't hard to notice as the level of competition rose (with games against TCU, UConn and UCLA), she struggled to find her shot or ways to contribute. At the pro level, she'll be asked to do more, and she'll need to lean into her aggressiveness to have success.
Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in the NCAA women's basketball tournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.
Denae Fritz #5 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts after a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts after a double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa.
Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes hugs her mother after the double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa.
Chance Gray #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Kennedy Cambridge #3 sit on the bench as time runs down in the fourth quarter of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Second Round game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Jerome Schottenstein Center on March 23, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Notre Dame defeated Ohio Sate 83-73.
Head coach Krista Gerlich of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Snudda Collins #0 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Kamy Peppler #1 of the Green Bay Phoenix reacts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the third quarter during the First Round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at Williams Arena on March 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Phoenix 75-58.
Audi Crooks #55 of the Iowa State Cyclones reacts during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament against the Syracuse Orange at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on March 21, 2026 in Storrs, Connecticut.
The Vermont women's basketball team starters consoled each other as the Caramounts lost to Louisville at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026.
Rhode Island Rams head coach Tammi Reiss gives a hug to Rhode Island Rams guard Sophia Vital (15) in the waning moments of the Rams' loss to Alabama in the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026.
Comari Mitchell #5 of the Jacksonville Dolphins reacts during the second half of the game against the LSU Tigers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Bailey Burns #11 of the Jacksonville Dolphins exits the court after the game against the LSU Tigers in first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
1 / 13
Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in the NCAA women's basketball tournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.
1 / 13
Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in the NCAA women's basketball tournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.
2 / 13
Denae Fritz #5 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts after a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
3 / 13
Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts after a double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa.
4 / 13
Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes hugs her mother after the double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa.
5 / 13
Chance Gray #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Kennedy Cambridge #3 sit on the bench as time runs down in the fourth quarter of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Second Round game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Jerome Schottenstein Center on March 23, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Notre Dame defeated Ohio Sate 83-73.
6 / 13
Head coach Krista Gerlich of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
7 / 13
Snudda Collins #0 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
8 / 13
Kamy Peppler #1 of the Green Bay Phoenix reacts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the third quarter during the First Round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at Williams Arena on March 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Phoenix 75-58.
9 / 13
Audi Crooks #55 of the Iowa State Cyclones reacts during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament against the Syracuse Orange at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on March 21, 2026 in Storrs, Connecticut.
10 / 13
The Vermont women's basketball team starters consoled each other as the Caramounts lost to Louisville at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026.
11 / 13
Rhode Island Rams head coach Tammi Reiss gives a hug to Rhode Island Rams guard Sophia Vital (15) in the waning moments of the Rams' loss to Alabama in the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026.
12 / 13
Comari Mitchell #5 of the Jacksonville Dolphins reacts during the second half of the game against the LSU Tigers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
13 / 13
Bailey Burns #11 of the Jacksonville Dolphins exits the court after the game against the LSU Tigers in first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
If a team gives her any space, Jaquez will make them pay. The guard can do it all, with assists, 3-pointers, in the paint, on the boards or by creating a steal. She should fit well within Golden State's "hard hat and lunch pail" culture, where they pride themselves on having energy on both sides of the ball.
While Johnson has proven she can score when needed, it's her facilitation skills and defense that will make her a top 10 pick. The South Carolina guard does a great job of feeding her bigs and spreading the offense out to find the best shot. She is also a lockdown defender who leaves little room for error and isn't afraid of anyone on a court, regardless of size.
Kneepkens ended her college career shooting nearly 50-40-90, which is impressive and rare in today's college landscape. The UCLA guard's game isn't flashy, but it's often timely. Kneepkens knows how to step into the big moments, as she did in the national championship when she delivered two massive 3-point baskets during an extended Bruins' run.
Angloma is another international player who, despite a fierce first step when getting downhill, would need time to develop. The Mystics could look at perhaps a draft and stash situation to help Angloma improve her shot release and eventually be ready to slide into a wing role.
Carrión is another young international prospect that teams might consider drafting and stashing for later. The 5-foot-9 Spanish guard might need a bit more size to play in the W, but she makes up for her slight build with her ability to create. Carrion can pass, shoot and score well, and she doesn't let her size stop her from defending well.
Atlanta needs depth. Adding Okot would help the Dream with their post presence and perimeter shooting. The South Carolina big can score from multiple levels and will crash the glass. If Atlanta brings veteran center Brittney Griner back, Okot would learn from one of the best in league history at the position.
Suarez's NCAA Tournament run wasn't great, but she did have a breakout game against Virginia during the Sweet 16, which included a career high 33 points plus 10 rebounds. The outing was a glimpse of Suarez at her best, which could entice Seattle to add Suarez as depth now and starter later.
McMahon would work well in a young core of players like Saniya Rivers, Leila Lacan, Aaliyah Edwards and Aneesah Morrow. The Ole Miss forward is a utility piece that the Sun could utilize to its advantage. She does most of her damage in the paint ― Connecticut's specialty ― and could also help facilitate, if needed. Once McMahon gets crisper as a defender, she'll be dynamite at the next level.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA draft drama: Who deserves to be chosen No. 1 in 2026
Share this article



See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.