Back to the Future: The 2026 WNBA Re-Draft

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September 9, 2026September 9, 2026By Admin
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Back to the Future: The 2026 WNBA Re-Draft

Olivia Miles and Azzi Fudd swap spots at the top of Ballislife’s 2026 WNBA re-draft, but that’s not the only switch in store.

The kids, this season, have been quite all right in the WNBA.

2026 WNBA Draft
(Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)

The ongoing break for FIBA Women’s World Cup action has offered the domestic women’s basketball world a chance to pause and reflect on what has been and what’s to be. Nothing personifies such thoughts better than the 2026 rookie class, which has been fueled by the efforts of drafted talents and Rookies In Name Only (RINOs).

These featured freshmen, headlined by the downright historic work of second overall pick and Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles, have set a torrid pace to the league’s 30th anniversary season and many of them should leave a significant impact on the playoff picture. Top choice Azzi Fudd has also generated her share of headlines but she won’t be able to contribute any to the final stanzas after enduring a knee injury.

With that in mind, Ballislife is using this break in the action to go back to the future, re-envisioning the first round of last spring’s WNBA Draft to account and adjust for what we know now (including the fact that that draft will be the last to feature retiring commissioner Cathy Engelbert welcoming players to the league).

This list, of course, is subject to change over the years … heck, perhaps over the next few weeks depending on how the newcomers re-paint the playoff picture. 

The Re-Draft Format

To keep things simple and (relatively) peaceful, Ballislife will stick to the official members of the 2026 WNBA draft class, which will exclude impactful RINOs such as Pauline Astier, Maria Conde, Laura Jukaite, and Jovana Nogic. Injured/undrafted standouts making their WNBA debuts will also be exempt from this exercise, so don’t get offended if you don’t see, say, Georgia Amoore or Sydney Taylor on this list.

We’ll also stick with the draft order the way it was when the league’s 15 teams convened at Hudson Yards’ Shed, so the Golden State Valkyries will continue to hold the eighth pick of the draft rather than trading it to the Seattle Storm.

Criteria for re-drafting will fixate on what we know now through the four-game-to-go mark of the 2026 season. Rookies will be chosen based on what needs have surfaced through the first 40 games rather than the transactional chaos that transpired before it. Without further ado, let’s merge the past, present, and future with the 2026 WNBA Draft’s first round redux … 

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1. Dallas Wings: Olivia Miles, TCU

Reality: Azzi Fudd, UConn

At this point in their respective careers, calling for Miles to go No. 1 is less of a condemnation of reality’s top choice and more of an acknowledgement of just how dominant the former Horned Frog’s freshman fete has been.

There’s plenty of time for Fudd to fully live up to her top pick potential but the idea of Miles collaborating with Paige Bueckers will no doubt go down as one of the more persistent ‘what if’ conversations in women’s basketball history. The situations are eerily similar too, as Jessica Shepard‘s interior breakout is intriguingly similar to that of Natasha Howard, which could have Wings fans pondering how their championship chances may have fluctuated had they gone with Miles. 

The positive, however, is that Dallas can take its time rather than engage in the win-now situation Minnesota is presented. A cold silver lining that emerges from Fudd’s departure is that it essentially grants the Wings a consequence-free playoff trip, one where they’re fully aware of the landmarks that lie on the road ahead. That won’t stop anyone from playing literal fantasy basketball but it’s the simple reality of all situations involved.

2. Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago): Azzi Fudd, UConn

Reality: Olivia Miles, TCU

It’s hard to tell the cult of Miles to act like it has been there before … because no rookie (save for Candace Parker, perhaps) has truly been “there” before. It shouldn’t, however, discount what Fudd has done in her shortened rookie season.

Would Fudd have been able to stem the Napheesa Collier-less bleeding the way Miles was able to? Her early numbers suggest that might not have been the case but it’d be silly to discount her more recent outputs (such as a net rating that’s third-best since she’s entered Dallas’ starting five, behind only Miles and Astier) and how they could’ve helped the Lynx close in on the top seed, especially with the professional master molder Cheryl Reeve forming her game (a Minneapolis perk that Miles has frequently cited when discussing her success).

Besides, even if the Lynx weren’t reaping in the benefits of a Fudd selection now, they’d be able to later as an apprentice to a 30-and-older core featuring Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams.

There are plenty of rightful superlatives to heap upon Miles. It shouldn’t come at the expense of Fudd’s adaptation and development.

3. Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles): Kiki Rice, UCLA

Reality: Awa Fam, Spain

After a couple of seasons of patchwork (i.e. trading for Brittney Sykes at last year’s trade deadline), Seattle decided to finally hunker down for the storm of a post-Sue Bird/Breanna Stewart rebuild. Such acceptance is obviously prudent but that doesn’t mean it comes without the consequences of learning what you need. In the Storm’s case … it’s a lot.

Seattle did reasonably well for itself as is with the selection of Fam, creating a formidable post pairing thanks to Dominique Malonga building upon a late surge in her freshman year. With Ezi Magbegor back (after multiple delays), it’s clear that the Storm’s next priority should be ending the quest for extensive backcourt help and facilitation. Natisha Hiedeman is a solid stopgap in the department but probably isn’t a long-term solution in the grand scheme of things.

That would make Rice the first of UCLA’s championship sleuth to hear her name called on a list such as this, one that gives Hiedeman some immediate backcourt assistance, as well as a future project to work with. Rice, the second-leading rookie shooter with a minimum of eight tries a game and the runner-up in freshman scoring through June 1, has had an otherwise strong debut interrupted by injury but Seattle was one of the few places (along with her actual employer Toronto) that could be patient with such a situation. 

4. Washington Mystics: Flau’jae Johnson, LSU

Reality: Lauren Betts, UCLA

The evening of April 13 was an eventful one in the nation’s capital: the local Mystics matched a Toronto Tempo offer sheet for Shakira Austin before drafting Betts, fortifying the interior for the foreseeable future. 

Re-upping with Austin may have eaten away at Betts’ early minutes, though she’s been more than happy to take on a learner’s role in the early going (especially under designated team veteran and collegiate overseer Michaela Onyenwere). If the Mystics were looking for a more immediate contributor, however, the case of Johnson seems quite intriguing this time around.

Johnson stood as one of the more twisty subplots of draft night, originally chosen by the Golden State Valkyries before they sent her rights over to Seattle. Her sterling two-way game, one that has her averaging over 14 points per game and tying Miles for most steals among active rookies (behind only the injured Fudd) would be something that would benefit the Mystics as they stage a surprising pursuit of one of the playoff bracket’s upper seeds.

Washington has done a lot of things right this year but forcing turnovers (dead-last in steals) has been an issue, one that led them to go after the similarly-skilled veteran Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. Johnson could have helped soothe some of these concerns had she donned red instead of green.

5. Chicago Sky (from Connecticut): Lauren Betts, UCLA

Reality: Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA

If this Sky season, essentially rendered moot by Rickea Jackson‘s early injury, truly wanted to move on from Angel Reese, that’s one thing. But beyond expecting the next step in Kamilla Cardoso‘s development (one she has, admittedly, mostly flourished in taking) and opting for the familiarity of Azurá Stevens, Chicago did little to revamp its post game, further adding to the sense of this being a lost tour.

In our redraft, that situation is remedied with Betts being left available by Johnson’s leap. Betts would be granted an immediate opportunity in Chicago’s sparser post, whereas Jaquez has gotten a bit lost in the backcourt fold that only added more contestants (i.e. Natasha Cloud, Sydney Taylor, DiJonai Carrington) in the immediate aftermath of her drafting. This revamp bestows Betts gets an instant, relatively consequence-free opportunity with a rebuilding squad while Cardoso gets an early chance to prove her veteran mettle as a leader and mentor.

6. Toronto Tempo: Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA

With Rice off the board in this alternate universe, it was tempting to put Fam in this spot considering the Tempo’s highly-publicized rebounding issues. It feels wrong to essentially punish Fam further but Ontario still doesn’t feel like the right destination for instant opportunities on both ends considering what has transpired up north (namely the trade for Aneesah Morrow in the attempt to make up for the post problems created by the injuries to Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally). 

Let’s instead grant Marina Mabrey some help in the backcourt in the form of Jaquez, where she gets a master class of mentors in Mabrey, Julie Allemand, and RINO Maria Conde. It would probably take Jaquez some time to adjust but at least she escapes the Chicago logjam, even if it’s through some literally painful means. If Jaquez goes to Toronto, the medically-induced departure of Sykes is easier for the Tempo to bear, thus giving her an extended opportunity that has eluded her in Chicago (averaging less than 15 minutes a game with the Sky since July 1).

7. Portland Fire: Awa Fam, Spain

Reality: Iyana Martin

Portland opted for a future RINO in Martin, who stayed stationed overseas and is currently pacing Spain in scoring after a couple of World Cup showings. Her Spanish sister Fam thus finally gets the nod, ending a bit of a cruel four-spot fall brought about by necessity and developments from elsewhere.

Like their partners in expansion up north, the Fire has foundered in the rebounding game, as the Tempo’s acquisition of Morrow has relegated the Pacific Northwest to the bottom of such rankings. That issue, one where only Emily Engstler is averaging over five a game, is remedied by the arrival of Fam, the only freshman participant putting up at least 10 points and five rebounds this season. It might force Portland to rethink its strategy later in the draft (where it landed third-round contributor Serah Williams) but it’s not often that any team, much less one making its maiden voyage, stumbles into such fortune on (hypothetical) draft night.

8. Golden State Valkyries: Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss

Reality: Flau’jae Johnson, LSU

If the Valkyries could do it all over again, would they do it all over again? They originally drafted Johnson but sent her north to Seattle, content to roll with a roster led by All-Star Game starter-to-be Gabby Williams. Let’s assume they keep the pick for argument’s sake: would they opt for further facilitation (the temptation to give Charlisse Leger-Walker a first-round promotion looms large as these picks continue) or further bolster their trademark defense?

With the selection of McMahon, who lands a three-pick step-up from her actual destination in Washington, the already-suffocating Valkyries defense opts for the latter. McMahon’s current defensive rating is second to only her teammate-in-reality Betts among rookies putting up at least 15 minutes per game and she has the seventh-most defensive rebounds per game at 2.4 among all freshmen, cleaning up a rare tough spot for Golden State (11th in the league at the FIBA break). The one area where “too much of a good thing” doesn’t exist has to be the defensive front. In this alternate reality, McMahon perfectly defines that in purple.

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9. Washington Mystics (from Seattle): Charlisse Leger-Walker, UCLA

Reality: Angela Dugalić, UCLA  

If the Mystics were told that Austin was going to break out the way she did—if not for the continued emergence of Shepard in Dallas and the late surge of Makayla Timpson in Indiana, she’d have Most Improved Player locked up—they could be tempted to perhaps spread the wealth of the first round’s latter stages. To keep things simple, again, let’s have them stay put and try to fix some of the issues that have surfaced this year.

Our first non-first round riser comes in the form of a Bruin trade, as Leger-Walker has made something of a name for herself with fearless shooting with the Connecticut Sun (just under seven a game at the FIBA break). With the Mystics apparently trying to cop the Valkyries’ defense-first game (hard not to with Austin, McMahon, and Kiki Iriafen in tow), they’ve taken the fewest shots in basketball and could rectify such a situation with the outputs of Leger-Walker, who is second among rookies in assists at 3.7 (which would also be second-best on the current Mystic ledgers).

10. Indiana Fever: Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA

Reality: Raven Johnson, South Carolina

If we were adding trades to the realm of the hypothetical, the Fever could be persuaded to move up in pursuit of McMahon, whose perimeter defense would no doubt be valued on a team that’s giving up the second-most shots in basketball. It’s tempting to swap Gamecocks here, exchanging the presumed project nature of Johnson for the apparent game-ready nature of Madina Okot, though that would disrespect the breakout of Timpson. 

It seems like a stretch to grant Kneepkens a five-spot jump from the end of the first round considering that her time with the Sun continues to be limited. But she’s one of the best defensive prospects left on our revamped board and the one who could flip the fortunes of a team that has pretty much everything except a (postseason) championship spark.

Though still averaging just over 10 minutes a game in the span, Kneepkens has the third-best defensive rating among freshmen getting that kind of workload since August. She’d still be a bit of a project pick with the Fever but there’s at least the possibility of making at least some sort of impact, fulfilling the point of an exercise such as this.

11. Washington Mystics (from New York): Angela Dugalić, UCLA

Reality: Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss

The deeper we go into this draft, the more likely it will be that teams opt to go for projects rather than immediate contributors. Addressing a team that has everything, at least in terms of youth, seems like a good place to start, especially with Laney-Hamilton being the only capital free agent of note. 

That brings Dugalić back to where she started, albeit two picks from her original posting. It doesn’t offer any immediate opportunities for further entry (adding Laney-Hamilton for the playoff push likely only compacts things further) but at least the Mystics get their de facto Dugalić cake and get to bake it as well.

12. Connecticut Sun: Frieda Bühner, Germany

Reality: Nell Angloma, France

Again, Okot has played better than her original posting. But, for all its flaws in its final season, the future Comets have handled their rebounding well, placing third in offensive rebounding for and against. Brittney Griner has been as advertised, Olivia Nelson-Ododa has enjoyed a breakout farewell tour while Aaliyah Edwards and undrafted mainstay Raegan Beers have been complementary pieces. 

Simply put, the Sun has to score, being dead last in a good number of scoreboard metrics. Bühner, a second-round choice of Portland’s (17th overall), is one of the top available remedies in such a situation. Taking on a larger role in the Pacific Northwest after losing Sarah Ashlee Barker for the season, Bühner has been one of the hotter shooters of the dog days of summer, her three-point success rate of 42.9% being the third-best among rookies with at least 20 such tries (Leger-Walker and Miles respectively lead the way in that department).

13. Atlanta Dream: Madina Okot, South Carolina

Reality: Madina Okot

It took 13 picks, but we finally get a familiar name in a familiar (numerical) place. In what has been admittedly limited time (less than 10 minutes a game), Okot has played like someone who could take advantage of larger opportunities in a new locale: she and another rookie Georgian, second-round choice Indya Nivar, lead all rookies in rebounds per 40 minutes. 

Circumstances beyond her control get her right back where she started from, backing up Angel Reese (and, when she’s healthy, Brionna Jones) in the Peach State. That’s a perfectly fine place for a late first-round pick to find herself in and gives Reese a nice developmental project to work with as she reaches a professional landmark third year with a contending club.

14. Seattle Storm (from Las Vegas): Chance Gray, Ohio State

Reality: Taina Mair, Duke

The bittersweet part about a rebuild is that one knows exactly what it needs to work on in its effort to get back to the top. What’s even more sour/helpful in the Storm’s class is that it has plenty to work on … affording it a chance to full-on embrace the “best player available” situation. 

As our list winds down, the second-round pick Gray (24th overall to Los Angeles) has been one of the better athletes found at this stage and she could be another solid backcourt project for Sonia Raman to work with as she seeks to make things right. She’s gotten a little extra time since Kelsey Plum was traded and has taken advantage to the tune of over 41% from three-point range in the last six showings before the break.

15. Connecticut Sun (from Minnesota): Iyana Martin, Spain

Reality: Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA

There’s only so much rebuilding one can do in a single season, especially when that campaign is set to be the last in a certain locale. Hence, let’s give one slot for the RINOs, whose absence would make this freshman fracas just a little more boring.

Hence comes the hypothetical hype around Martin, one of the leading scorers of early World Cup play. Despite her delayed debut, she has often been labeled one of the top shooters and creators of this draft class and she previously captured the MVP award at the World Cup amateur level, joining an elite list of trophy hoisters that includes Stewart, Wilson, Bueckers, and Clark. Again, Connecticut needs all the help it can on the scoring front to get to the point its new/old Houston fanbase is expecting. Martin would’ve been an intriguing project on that front. 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags

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