Karli Bell's way-too-early 2026 WNBA Mock Draft

The WNBA held their draft lottery on Sunday, November 23, and fans now finally know the full order for the 2026 WNBA Draft.

However, absolutely no one has any idea who can go No. 1, because there is no real idea around what any team can look like as the CBA negotiations are ongoing. The current extension of the CBA is set to expire on November 30.

So - with that in mind - let's have some fun with this first mock draft yeah? I'm basing these picks solely around who each team will have guaranteed on the 2026 roster. This draft order is almost guaranteed to change if and when free agency begins.

I've listed below each team who is on contract, a restricted free agent or a reserved player.

As a refresher: a restricted free agent is a player who has a restricted qualifying offer from their current team. That player can sign an offer sheet from another team, but their current team can match said offer. If the team matches, that player will stay with their current team; if they don't match, that player will sign the offer with their new team.

A reserved player can receive a qualifying offer from their team, is free to negotiate the terms of that qualifying offer but may not negotiate with other teams. Their current team can also not extend a qualifying offer which would make the player eligible to negotiate with other teams.

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1. Dallas Wings - Lauren Betts, C (UCLA)

Contract players: Paige Bueckers, Azaiha James, JJ Quinerly, Diamond Miller

Reserved players: Li Yueru, Haley Jones, Grace Berger, Luisa Geiselsöder

For the second year in a row, Dallas lands the No. 1 overall pick, and adding size would be the biggest need for the Wings. Just based off of who they have returning, Dallas needs that extra big inside, and Betts is that person. She’s having an incredible season with UCLA, averaging around 15 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. Also - 6-foot-7 is something you truly can’t overlook.

2. Minnesota Lynx - Awa Fam, C (Spain)

Contract players: Dorka Juhasz, Anastasiia Olairi Kosu

Reserved players: Jaylyn Sherrod, Camryn Taylor, Maria Kliundikova

Fam just recently appeared on draft boards this past week, garnering a lot of love of her potential. She’s a younger player - set to turn 20 in June - meaning that development will be key for her longevity in the league. I don’t think there’s a better coach to learn under than Cheryl Reeve; if the Lynx bring Napheesa Collier back as well, Fam is set to learn from some of the greatest minds in the game.

3. Seattle Storm - Olivia Miles, PG (TCU)

Contract players: Lexie Brown, Dominique Malonga, Jordan Horston, Nika Mühl

Reserved players: Mackenzie Holmes, Zia Cooke

Olivia Miles will most likely not drop out of the top 3 picks, seeing as she was a projected top 5 pick in the 2024 draft before she decided to play college ball for one more year. In her new Texas stomping grounds, she has showcased even more that she should be in this league. Pairing her with new head coach Sonia Raman and a returning Nika Mühl from injury, that could be an electric guard duo for the Storm.

4. Washington Mystics - Serah Williams, PF (UConn)

Contract players: Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoore, Jacy Sheldon, Lucy Olsen

Reserved players: Emily Engstler, Madison Scott

Restricted free agents: Sug Sutton, Shakira Austin

The 2026 WNBA Draft should just be called the Washington Mystics draft as they have three first round draft picks. They also are one of the few teams that has a huge chunk of their team returning, giving head coach Sydney Johnson a lot more form to what he wants his team to look like in year two of his reign. What the Mystics need more than anything is size, and Serah Williams fits that and Johnson’s play quite seamlessly. Could she be taken at one of their later picks? Yes, but in such a guard-heavy draft, go get your size now.

5. Chicago Sky - Azzi Fudd, SG (UConn)

Contract players: Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, Hailey Van Lith, Maddy Westbeld, Ajša Sivka, Aicha Coulilbaly

Reserved players: Sevgi Uzun

The Chicago Sky have the final pick of the lottery and are in desperate need of guard play frankly more than any other team. The Sky just looked lost and didn’t have that consistent sharp shooter on the outside except Rachel Banham who may or may not don a Sky uniform again. With that in mind, getting the hottest shooter coming out of this draft class would be incredible. In the long run, do I see Fudd dropping this far? Probably not, but if she did, the Sky would be incredibly foolish to pass on the UConn product.

6. Toronto Tempo - Flau’jae Johnson, SG (LSU)

As of now, we don’t know who will draft first between the two expansion teams in Toronto and Portland. For now, let’s just have Toronto here. Sandy Brondello is going to have a lot of fun in building her first team for the new franchise and getting a superstar name in Johnson would be a great way to play fast, have defensive intensity, get your shooting going and fill in the seats. Johnson would be the perfect addition for a brand new team to build an identity around and have her learn from a great guard coach in Brondello.

7. Portland Fire - Gianna Kneepkens, SG (UCLA)

On to Portland. The expansion team added Alex Sarama as their first head coach, and what Sarama thrives on is player development. Kneepkens is a player who got some looks for the 2025 draft, but she made the decision to return to college for one more year and at UCLA. With the Bruins, she’s been the hot hand around the arc and disrupts a lot of defensive schemes against her (similar to Sonia Citron). She could be a great starting guard to develop under Sarama.

8. Golden State Valkyries - Cotie McMahon, F (Ole Miss)

Contract players: Carla Leite, Kate Martin

Reserved players: Kaitlyn Chen, Iliana Rupert, Laeticia Amihere, Janelle Salaün

Restricted free agents: Veronica Burton, Cecilia Zandalasini

Golden State set an incredible standard and foundation in their first year with an interesting conglomeration of players that Nakase and the franchise knew may not return in 2026. Their guard group is in a good spot, especially if Veronica Burton does return to the Valkyries. With that in mind, the bigs and forwards are the next area of focus. McMahon brings a bit of size, but she’s an efficient shooter with some room to grow defensively. Nakase’s coaching staff is the best place for her to develop that part of her game even more.

9. Washington Mystics - Ta’Niya Latson, SG (South Carolina)

Pick No. 2 for the Mystics, and this is where you add to your guard group. Could this also be where they take Williams? Yes. But, let’s focus on Latson. Latson is a very small guard, standing at 5-foot-8; what she lacks in size, she makes up for in her lights-out shooting ability. She led all of Division I in 2024, averaging 25.2 points a game with Florida State, Now under Dawn Staley, there’s nowhere for Latson to go but up, and pairing her with Citron, Sheldon and Amoore creates incredible depth for the Mystics.

10. Indiana Fever - Madina Okot, C (South Carolina)

Contract players: Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Makayla Timpson

Reserved players: Chloe Bibby

Restricted free agents: Lexie Hull

The Indiana Fever are one of the few teams who can really re-define their franchise in free agency and in the draft. They have a lot of open roster spots and can go any way they really want in terms of the guard and forward group. What would set the Fever apart is getting a backup for Boston, and the 6-foot-6 center also from South Carolina is the perfect fit. That size creates depth and the opportunity to never be smaller than another team which ended up being an issue (outside of the injuries) as the team made their way through the postseason.

11. Washington Mystics - Kiki Rice, PG (UCLA)

Pick No. 3 in the DMV. Again, this is a guard-heavy draft. The timetable of Amoore’s return is still a bit unclear on whether or not she’d be ready at the start of the season. With that in mind, getting another PG that could help run some offensive sets as Amoore works back is not a bad move. Rice provides consistent offense, a bit more size than most point guards and can light it up from behind the arc when needed.

12. Connecticut Sun - Iyana Martin Carrion, PG (Spain)

Contract players: Aneesah Morrow, Saniya Rivers, Aaliyah Edwards, Leila Lacan, Rayah Marshall

Reserved players: Mamignan Touré

Restricted free agents: Haley Peters, Olivia Nelson-Ododa

Connecticut is similar to Washington in having a good chunk of their 2025 roster returning for 2026. However, what they’re bringing back is size and post players. Therefore, turn the focus to the guard group. The Sun do like the international market a bit more than other franchises. She’s also young - set to turn 20 this year - so developing alongside the rest of this youthful team provides some playfulness in terms of looks that the Sun could bring.

13. Atlanta Dream - Janiah Barker, PF (Tennessee)

Contract players: Te-Hina Paopao, Taylor Thierry

Reserved players: Maya Caldwell, Sika Koné

Restricted free agents: Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon

Atlanta is similar to Indiana in having the free range to re-brand their franchise if they wanted to do so. Just looking at who they have returning, the Dream is in desperate need for size inside, and Barker can do that. Just like some other names in this draft, Barker got some looks for 2025 before deciding to play one more season of college ball. The 6-foot-4 forward can slide in but her biggest flaw is finding consistency. She would be a solid option to have in building post depth for 2026.

14. Seattle Storm - Yarden Garzon, SG (Maryland)

Now, I can see the Storm going one of two ways with this pick: another guard or adding some size. I truly believe this pick won’t be solidified until some free agency moves happen, so let’s have some fun with a guard selection. Garzon is a very tall guard, standing at 6-foot-3, and has shown consistency throughout her collegiate career. She’s shooting around 40% and can facilitate as well with her 3.3 assist average thus far into her season at Maryland. I think Garzon could be a sneaky pick for any team.

15. Connecticut Sun - Nell Angloma, F (France)

To round out the first round is another international pick for the Connecticut Sun. Connecticut head coach Rachid Meziane is very familiar with the French basketball circuit, so it wouldn’t shock me if Angloma ended up in Uncasville. Angloma is another young player set to turn 20 in 2026.