The WNBA Draft Is Wide Open Tonight

Did someone share this email with you? Get daily women’s basketball updates straight to your inbox. Sign up here!

What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today

The 2026 WNBA Draft is set for tonight in New York, with coverage starting at 6:30 PM ET on ESPN. The Dallas Wings hold the No. 1 pick, followed by the Lynx, Storm, Mystics, and Sky, and expansion teams Toronto and Portland picking 6th and 7th.

👉 See the WNBA Draft board

WHY IT MATTERS: This is the final major roster-building moment before the season, and this year feels wide open at the top. There’s no clear No. 1 pick, with names like Lauren Betts, Azzi Fudd, and Awa Fam all in the mix. With free agency reshaping rosters, GMs now have a clearer sense of what they need and will look to fill those gaps with the right mix of college and international talent.

The WNBA free agency signing period opened Saturday, and it’s been a whirlwind. More than 100 players hit the market, leading to major re-signings, surprising moves, and even a trade to shake things up.

👉 Track all the moves

WHY IT MATTERS: This is one of the most active free agency periods we’ve ever seen. Rosters are changing fast, and players are cashing in with record-setting, seven-figure deals under the new CBA.

Let’s start with the stars who stayed. The Aces brought back Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, the Mercury kept Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, and DeWanna Bonner, and the Lynx locked in Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride. The Dream also held onto their core with Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Brionna Jones.

Then came the movement. Satou Sabally is headed to New York, Brittney Griner to Connecticut, Nneka Ogwumike to LA, and Gabby Williams to Golden State. Chicago made a big splash too, adding Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, and Azurá Stevens.

Expansion teams are starting to take shape, with Toronto adding Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey, and Portland signing Bridget Carleton. And we’ve already seen major trade action, with the Sky and Sparks swapping Rickea Jackson and Ariel Atkins.

UConn sophomore Sarah Strong has been named the 2026 Wooden Award winner, given to the most outstanding player in women’s college basketball. She averaged 18.4 points and 7.7 rebounds while leading the Huskies to the Final Four. (UConn)

WHY IT MATTERS: Strong joins Maya Moore, Paige Bueckers, and Juju Watkins as the only underclassmen to win the Wooden Award. It also caps off a full sweep of the major national honors this season, including AP Player of the Year, the Naismith Trophy, the Wade Trophy, and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award.