The 2026 WNBA draft set with Azzi Fudd, Lauren Betts and Olivia Miles leading top prospects

TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Apr 10, 2026, 04:36 IST

The 2026 WNBA Draft is set for April 13 at The Shed in New York City, with top college stars ready to begin their professional careers. Leading the class are Azzi Fudd from UConn Huskies women's basketball, Lauren Betts from UCLA Bruins women's basketball and Olivia Miles from TCU Horned Frogs women's basketball, all expected to be top picks. The league has invited 15 prospects, including Flau'jae Johnson, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez, highlighting the depth of this year’s class. The group features talent from powerhouse programs like UCLA, USC and LSU, along with international players. Notably, eight invitees come from UCLA, reflecting the program’s recent dominance. While many of these players are expected to be first-round selections, uncertainty remains over team fits. The draft promises to shape the league’s future with a diverse and highly skilled group of prospects.

The 2026 WNBA Draft, all set to begin, some of the biggest names in college basketball are preparing to take the centre stage. This year the WNBA draft is set to be hosted on 13th April at The Shed in New York City.

With only 3 days left for the draft, the anticipation surrounding this year’s prospects is really hard to ignore. UConn’s Azzi Fudd, UCLA’s Lauren Betts and TCU’s Olivia Miles are expected to be potential top three picks. All three of them have had a wonderful collegiate career and were the most talked about during the pre draft conversations.

The league has officially invited 15 players to be present on the draft night. Apart from Azzi Fudd, Lauren Betts and Olivia Miles, the invites include

Nell Angloma
Angela Dugalić
Awa Fam
Gabriela Jaquez
Flau'jae Johnson
Raven Johnson
Gianna Kneepkens
Ta'Niya Latson
Cotie McMahon
Madina Okot
Kiki Rice
Marta Suárez

This list consists of players from top programs in the country like UCLA, USC and LSU, as well as international prospects adding more variety to this year’s class. Eight of the players in the list come from UCLA, which recently won the NCAA women’s basketball championship and are all set to begin their professional careers. These players who were invited will most probably be drafted in the first round itself. However, there is no clear conclusion on who will end up playing for which team.

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