The day has lastly arrived: the 2026 WNBA growth draft is right here, and the Portland Hearth and Toronto Tempo will choose their inaugural rosters. Practically two weeks have handed for the reason that Gamers’ Union and the WNBA agreed to a historic collective bargaining settlement. With a condensed schedule set in stone, the WNBA will welcome its 14th and fifteenth groups.
Finally, the WNBA will have a good time its thirtieth season, and what higher method to kick issues off than with two model new groups? There was a interval the place the season’s standing was in limbo till a CBA was reached. As soon as the deal is ratified, the WNBA season will get the inexperienced gentle, together with a compact offseason. Every thing is contingent as soon as the ink hits the paper.
On Friday, ESPN confirmed on air that the CBA has not but been ratified, although the league, gamers, and Board of Governors all voted “sure.” Consequently, particular dates relating to free company stay up within the air.
The league continues to broaden by welcoming its first worldwide franchise. By 2030, the league will broaden to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Portland, Detroit, Cleveland, and Houston as soon as outlined the WNBA’s inception, and now the league is delivering a promise followers waited many years for: these cities are gearing up for a return.
WNBA Expands Internationally
Toronto tabbed Masai Ujiri as its principal proprietor, a well-known title who was the previous President and Vice Chairman of the Toronto Raptors. Having been related to the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 championship season, Ujiri brings expertise and a confirmed monitor report to the league’s latest franchise. The workforce additionally employed two-time WNBA Champion Monica Wright Rogers as its first Common Supervisor and appointed Sandy Brondello as head coach.
Canada’s first WNBA workforce title was developed by concepts submitted by greater than 10,000 folks. Branded with a mixture of Bordeaux and Borealis Blue colours, the jerseys will have a good time followers, the neighborhood, and basketball. The uniforms will characteristic a signature “T”, representing six traces that make up a beginning 5 and the sixth participant.
The identification behind the Tempo title displays the “rhythm and tempo” of Canada and basketball. This season, the Tempo will play residence video games on the Coca-Cola Coliseum, additionally residence of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and PHWL’s Toronto Scepters. Included of their 44-game schedule are journeys to Scotiabank Area, residence to the Toronto Raptors, Bell Centre (Montreal), and Rogers Area (Vancouver).
Moda Middle Welcomes Again the WNBA
A brand new flame is igniting in Portland, a metropolis the place the WNBA legacy was beforehand born. Set to hitch forces with Portland as its first-ever Common Supervisor, Vanja Černivec lately served because the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Golden State Valkyries. The Hearth moreover named former WNBA star and Boston Celtics Scout Ashley Battle as Vice President of Basketball Operations, Technique, and Innovation. The primary-ever head coach is Alex Sarama, who lately held a task as an assistant coach for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.
Dwelling to the NBA’s Portland Path Blazers, Moda Middle can even welcome the Hearth, who will play their residence video games on the venue. Owned by Alex Bhathal and Michelle Bhathal of RAJ Sports activities, the Hearth aesthetic scheme contains tones of fireside pink, brown, blue, and pink. Branded by an area Portland company, the jerseys almost replicate the Path Blazers in shade: Set to characteristic Hearth, Portland, and PDX on the uniforms, the design carries a deeply rooted which means. PDX is comprised of and impressed by the Willamette River, the 2026 arrival, and the celebration of the “conviction, satisfaction, and particular person expression of Portland.”
The Hearth Branding
The Hearth returns to Portland after being one of many many defunct WNBA franchises that notably drafted former Rookie of the Yr Jackie Stiles. Since folding after operating from 2000 to 2002, the franchise will revitalize itself in entrance of the Rose Metropolis trustworthy. Mixing a contemporary twist with previous roots, the franchise is paying homage to Portland by figuring out its brand as a “Rose on Hearth.” Representing the town’s deep-rooted ardour and spirit for sports activities, the emblem encompasses a rose and a flame, together with a shade palette that “evokes the facility of grit, calm, and creativity that defines the workforce.”
On Friday, Apr. 3, each the Tempo and Hearth will full their first-ever growth draft. Underneath the brand new CBA deal, every workforce could have 12 gamers, with two further developmental spots. Ballislife breaks down the growth guidelines, dwell picks, and the evaluation behind the picks…
Enlargement Draft Guidelines
By a coin flip, it has been decided that Portland will select first within the 24-pick draft, which can function in a two-round snake format (which means Toronto will get the primary choose in spherical two).
Every of the incumbent 13 groups might be allowed to guard as much as 5 gamers (submitted by Sunday, March 29). Gamers on a respective workforce’s energetic roster, suspended, draft, reserved, core, or retired lists as of the ultimate day of the final common season might be eligible for cover or choice. Gamers on expired contracts with at the least 5 years of service might be labeled “potential unrestricted free brokers.” Portland and Toronto can choose such a participant every.
Subsequent week, Portland and Toronto might be permitted to barter offers that might characteristic both an settlement to take an unprotected participant and commerce her to a different workforce or an settlement to pick out or not choose a girl on the unprotected listing.
Every WNBA workforce was capable of shield as much as six gamers final yr within the Golden State Valkyries growth draft. That quantity has since dropped to 5, which suggests groups can shield fewer gamers. Every roster might be assembled by the growth draft, WNBA Draft, and free company interval.
How and The place to Watch
The 2026 WNBA Enlargement Draft Particular, introduced by State Avenue Administration SPY, will happen on Apr. 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Commerce! Commerce!
The WNBA season’s first commerce is amongst us, involving a number of groups. No, this wasn’t an April Idiot’s joke—the Hearth, Tempo, and Chicago Sky struck a deal. Such offers embody:
The Chicago Sky will obtain the No. 21 choose from the Hearth in alternate for the No. 17 choose. Subsequently, Portland won’t choose a member of the Sky within the growth draft.
The Sky despatched the No. 26 choose to the Tempo, and in return, Toronto won’t choose a Sky participant in growth.
My take: Chicago completed with a 10-34 report, and as soon as once more missed the playoffs underneath the Angel Reese/Kamilla Cardoso period. They have been prepared to surrender picks to guard gamers, however what does this imply? Chicago at the moment has 4 gamers underneath contract: Reese, Cardoso, Hailey Van Lith, and Maddy Westbeld. Will they try to re-sign Ariel Atkins in free company, who was acquired final February? Will Rachel Banham and Rebecca Allen return to the Windy Metropolis? Or is the Sky making an attempt to prepare dinner up one thing large?
Having completed with the worst report subsequent to the Dallas Wings, it does not make sense to surrender picks. In actual fact, they dropped 4 spots within the draft; maybe they’re banking on future gamers reminiscent of Van Lith and Westbeld.
2026 WNBA Draft
With the latest trades, here’s what every of the three groups holds for WNBA draft picks:
The Toronto Tempo: Picks Nos. 6, 22, 26, and 36
The Portland Hearth: Picks Nos. 7, 17, and 37
The Chicago Sky: Picks Nos. 5, 21, and 32
2026 WNBA Enlargement Draft Order & Picks
2026 WNBA Enlargement Draft Order
Spherical 1 (1-12)
Spherical 2 (13-24)
1. Portland
13. Toronto
2. Toronto
14. Portland
3. Portland
15. Toronto
4. Toronto
16. Portland
5. Portland
17. Toronto
6. Toronto
18. Portland
7. Portland
19. Toronto
8. Toronto
20. Portland
9. Portland
21. Toronto
10. Toronto
22. Portland
11. Portland
23. Toronto
12. Toronto
24. Portland
Portland Hearth’s Choices
Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx, ahead)—Chosen No. 1 total
Carla Leite (Golden State Valkyries, guard)
Luisa Geiselsoder (Dallas Wings, heart)
Emily Engstler (Washington Mystics, ahead)
Maya Caldwell (Atlanta Dream, guard)
Chloe Bibby (Indiana Fever, guard)
Second Spherical Picks
Haley Jones (Dallas Wings, guard)
Nyadiew Puoch (Atlanta Dream, ahead)
Sarah Ashlee Barger (Los Angeles Sparks, guard)
Sug Sutton (Washington Mystics, guard)
Nike Mühl (Seattle Storm, guard)
Toronto Tempo’s Choices
Julie Allemand (LA Sparks, guard)–Chosen No. 2 total
Nyara Sabally (New York Liberty, heart)
Marina Mabrey (Connecticut Solar, guard)
Aaliyah Nye (Las Vegas Aces, guard)
Lexi Held (Phoenix Suns, guard)
Maria Conde (Golden State Valkyries, ahead)
Second Spherical Picks
Maria Kliundikova (Minnesota Lynx, ahead)
Adja Kane (New York Liberty, ahead)
Nikolina Milić (Connecticut Solar, ahead)
Kitija Laksa (Phoenix Mercury, guard)
Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever, guard)
Portland Hearth Evaluation
Draft Grade:
The Portland Hearth opted to draft ahead Bridget Carleton from the Minnesota Lynx. Whereas I projected Carleton to be chosen excessive within the draft, I wasn’t anticipating the primary choose. As a substitute of heading to her native nation of Canada, Carleton is headed to Rip Metropolis. I initially thought she could be chosen by Toronto.
Toronto Tempo Evaluation
Draft Grade:
I did not see this coming, however the Toronto Tempo selected Julie Allemand as the primary participant within the growth draft. Common Supervisor Monica Wright Rogers acknowledged that Tempo’s technique shifted after the coin toss in Toronto, which favored Toronto over Portland within the 2026 WNBA Draft. With that, she alluded to the draft class being deep, and that is seemingly the place the Tempo will spherical out their roster, together with free company.
At a look, Toronto merely values the next WNBA Draft choose over an growth draft choose. For my part, Toronto received this draft by a landslide.
Chosen No. 33 total within the 2016 WNBA Draft, Allemand, 29, has performed three WNBA seasons, and most lately performed 34 video games for the Los Angeles Sparks final season. She averaged simply 5.4 factors, 3.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals, however Allemand was a key participant who stuffed in for numerous injured gamers underneath head coach Lynne Roberts. A Belgian native, the 5-foot-8 guard joined the workforce after lacking your entire 2024 season with an ankle harm.
A 2025 EuroBasket Champion, Allemand brings a veteran presence and offers Toronto a participant who cannot solely facilitate effectively but in addition be a flexible scorer.
Rogers wasn’t incorrect when she stated Allemand is that participant who can “contribute straight away.” Searching for fast success, the Tempo hit a house run by choosing guard Marina Mabrey, who was not protected by the Connecticut Solar.
This was a shock to me, however the extra I give it some thought, maybe Mabrey does not wish to make the trek to Houston subsequent season. Mabrey was Toronto’s unrestricted free agent choose and is core eligible. Toronto may very well be the proper vacation spot to revitalize her profession.
Tempo Choose Marina Mabrey, Expert Guards
Toronto moreover chosen guards Aaliyah Nye (Las Vegas Aces), Lexi Held (Phoenix Mercury), Kitija Laksa (Phoenix Mercury), and Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever). This group of guards wouldn’t solely give head coach Sandy Brondello some severe sharpshooters but in addition present versatility and ball safety. I am a bit of shocked that the Aces selected to not shield Nye, who was chosen No. 13 total by the Aces within the 2025 WNBA Draft. Though she had a restricted position, particularly within the playoffs, Nye showcased her 3-point prowess early within the season.
The identical goes for Laska, who confirmed some severe vary with the Mercury final season.
Free company nonetheless has to happen, however I like Toronto’s thought course of. It offers gamers reminiscent of Nikolina Milić, Maria Conde, and Maria Kliundikova the chance to progress as worldwide gamers within the WNBA. I am not shocked that the New York Liberty parted methods with Nyara Sabally, who was a hero in Sport 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals. She’s battled accidents however has proven true potential when wholesome. Now, she reunites along with her former coach.
My Response
I am not saying this workforce strikes the needle fully, and with out free company, it is troublesome to say who will signal and who will not. Both means, the draft lays a strong basis for Toronto, which is about to embark on its inaugural season. This workforce brings firepower on each ends of the ground.
The WNBA Championship expertise introduced by each Rogers and Brondello really confirmed within the draft. If Mabrey decides to signal, I’d anticipate her to guide this workforce, which may very well be enjoyable to observe. Primarily based on their draft technique, the Tempo could comply with within the footsteps of the Golden State Valkyries. I anticipate Brondello
What’s Subsequent?
Subsequent up is free company, which runs from Apr. 3-12. Quickly after, the 2026 WNBA Draft might be held on Apr. 13. On its heels is the preseason, which is about to tip off on Apr. 25. The thirtieth WNBA season will start on Friday, Might 8, with a conflict between Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings. For extra offseason dates and knowledge, click on HERE. Observe the motion and sustain with Ballislife all WNBA season lengthy!
Sara Jane Gamelli is the Managing Editor and Senior Workers Author at Ballislife.com, in addition to Director of Ballislife Bets. Observe her on X at @SaraJGamelli.
