The start of the WNBA season is almost upon us, and with that in mind, it’s jersey release day around the league. This year the team’s are showing off their “Rebel Edition” uniforms, designed to evoke the culture and city built around the team. Some absolutely nailed the assignment — others, well, not so much.
Two new teams join the WNBA in 2026 with the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire adding to the ranks as expansion teams. That means big moments in franchise history with their jerseys being unveiled for the first time.
Let’s rank everyone in the WNBAs new look.
This isn’t just great by league standards, this is an unbelievably iconic jersey in any sport. The colorway is classic and just looks so good, but it’s the subtle rose pattern of the uniform that really puts this over the top.
Just a stunning fit. The lowercase bubble writing evokes the 70s in the best way, while the secondary logo of the “A” on the peach is just wonderful. These look great from a distance, but then you close in and see all the zip codes for Atlanta and it puts it over the top.
Another team that went with the 70s aesthetic, and for good reason. These Wings jerseys are so much better than their standard uniform, and helps evoke old Dallas Mavericks jerseys, but integrating the Wings’ colorway. Just so clean.
Really clean uniforms. The simple white and red with some small black accents looks great. A little piping around the neck could have set this off a little more, but the “Indy” logo is just great.
I really do like the idea of the purple and midnight blue swirling to evoke that mystical, crystal ball vibe. Not sure how I feel about “Of Change” being under the word “District,” I don’t think that addition really does much to the jersey and clutters it up a little too much.
The word “Keesusk” means “Sun” in the native Mohegan language, and it’s really neat to see elements of indigenous people integrated into a jersey like this. The design work on the neck, arms, and legs really stands out, making this feel unique.
It’s … fine. I like the radiating pinstripes being a new way to throw linework on a jersey, but the font feels wrong for the vibe of the uniform overall. Would have like to see something that felt a little more crafted and bespoke.
The cat print on the sides is great along with the ear tufts being evoked in the letter work. The only downside to this jersey is the goofy lynx on the waistband, which really didn’t need to be on this uniform at all.
I’m okay with a wordmark not being symmetrical, but this one just really irks me. The color and design are both solid overall, but having the peak of “SKYTOWN” happening three letters in to a seven-letter word gets under my skin. I also think the term “Skytown” is a little too on the nose. Yes, we get you’re the Sky and the term for Chicago is Chi-town, but I didn’t need the pun.
Really torn on this one. I like the front of the uniform, including the weather-shifted look of the number and the off-kilter wording, but I’m still deciding on the photorealistic storm clouds on the side. I can’t decide if I really like them, or I hate them.
Zero inspiration. Yes, you got in the Vegas font … cool. You could ask anyone to design a new jersey for Vegas and get 20 cliched versions of this look.
They took the uniform and put it in black with some geometric work. It’s fine, but doesn’t make me feel anything either good or bad.
This looks like the logo for a crypto company.
It’s difficult to branch out in your first year, but I really don’t understand what this evokes about Toronto at all. Basically, this looks like a normal jersey without anything special or unique. Didn’t pass the assignment.
The design is okay, but there’s nothing about this uniform that even feels like the Sparks anymore. It’s as if everything was stripped out of the franchise and handed over to the old New Orleans Pelicans. This really doesn’t work. If it’s inspired by “risk takers,” they should have played it safe.
The start of the WNBA season is almost upon us, and with that in mind, it’s jersey release day around the league. This year the team’s are showing off their “Rebel Edition” uniforms, designed to evoke the culture and city built around the team. Some absolutely nailed the assignment — others, well, not so much.
Two new teams join the WNBA in 2026 with the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire adding to the ranks as expansion teams. That means big moments in franchise history with their jerseys being unveiled for the first time.
Let’s rank everyone in the WNBAs new look.
This isn’t just great by league standards, this is an unbelievably iconic jersey in any sport. The colorway is classic and just looks so good, but it’s the subtle rose pattern of the uniform that really puts this over the top.
Just a stunning fit. The lowercase bubble writing evokes the 70s in the best way, while the secondary logo of the “A” on the peach is just wonderful. These look great from a distance, but then you close in and see all the zip codes for Atlanta and it puts it over the top.
Another team that went with the 70s aesthetic, and for good reason. These Wings jerseys are so much better than their standard uniform, and helps evoke old Dallas Mavericks jerseys, but integrating the Wings’ colorway. Just so clean.
Really clean uniforms. The simple white and red with some small black accents looks great. A little piping around the neck could have set this off a little more, but the “Indy” logo is just great.
I really do like the idea of the purple and midnight blue swirling to evoke that mystical, crystal ball vibe. Not sure how I feel about “Of Change” being under the word “District,” I don’t think that addition really does much to the jersey and clutters it up a little too much.
The word “Keesusk” means “Sun” in the native Mohegan language, and it’s really neat to see elements of indigenous people integrated into a jersey like this. The design work on the neck, arms, and legs really stands out, making this feel unique.
It’s … fine. I like the radiating pinstripes being a new way to throw linework on a jersey, but the font feels wrong for the vibe of the uniform overall. Would have like to see something that felt a little more crafted and bespoke.
The cat print on the sides is great along with the ear tufts being evoked in the letter work. The only downside to this jersey is the goofy lynx on the waistband, which really didn’t need to be on this uniform at all.
I’m okay with a wordmark not being symmetrical, but this one just really irks me. The color and design are both solid overall, but having the peak of “SKYTOWN” happening three letters in to a seven-letter word gets under my skin. I also think the term “Skytown” is a little too on the nose. Yes, we get you’re the Sky and the term for Chicago is Chi-town, but I didn’t need the pun.
Really torn on this one. I like the front of the uniform, including the weather-shifted look of the number and the off-kilter wording, but I’m still deciding on the photorealistic storm clouds on the side. I can’t decide if I really like them, or I hate them.
Zero inspiration. Yes, you got in the Vegas font … cool. You could ask anyone to design a new jersey for Vegas and get 20 cliched versions of this look.
They took the uniform and put it in black with some geometric work. It’s fine, but doesn’t make me feel anything either good or bad.
This looks like the logo for a crypto company.
It’s difficult to branch out in your first year, but I really don’t understand what this evokes about Toronto at all. Basically, this looks like a normal jersey without anything special or unique. Didn’t pass the assignment.
The design is okay, but there’s nothing about this uniform that even feels like the Sparks anymore. It’s as if everything was stripped out of the franchise and handed over to the old New Orleans Pelicans. This really doesn’t work. If it’s inspired by “risk takers,” they should have played it safe.
The start of the WNBA season is almost upon us, and with that in mind,…
We’re less than 24 hours into the WNBA season, and only 6 of the league’s 15 teams have made their season debuts. Still, let’s take a look at some way-too-early winners and losers from the first couple of games of the 2025-2026 WNBA season.
Sonia Citron had a spectacular rookie season, and she started her sophomore year right where she left off. Citron was dominant in the Mystics’ 68-65 win over the Toronto Tempo on Friday night, posting a game-high 26 points on 9-12 FG and 3-6 from three. She also racked up 2 steals and 2 blocks, continuing to show signs of being one of the WNBA’s elite two-way guards.
Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson praised Citron’s performance.
Kaitlyn Chen was a third-round draft pick in 2025 and was cut by the Valkyries in the middle of her rookie season. But she had a tremendous offseason, made Golden State’s opening night roster, and looked tremendous in the season debut, tallying 14 points on 5-10 shooting, 2 assists, and 0 turnovers off the bench in a 91-80 win over the Seattle Storm.
After the game, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase credited Chen for her offseason work.
“She’s been working,” Nakase said. “That’s credit to her in the offseason, right? Just putting in extra time. She came, you know, to the bay for a couple of weeks too, to work on her game after she went overseas.”
“Just her ability to score on all three levels, that’s basically what she did. And I mean, you saw her playing AU. She just took over the games. It was really nice to kind of see that carry over.”
It’s extremely early, but the 2026 WNBA draftees look like they’re going to need a little bit more time. So far, only one rookie has scored double-digit points: Seattle Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson, who tallied 12 points on 25% shooting in Friday night’s loss to the Golden State Valkyries.
No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd came off the bench for the Dallas Wings and scored 3 points on 1-2 shooting in 18 minutes. No. 2 pick Awa Fam is still overseas, and No. 4 pick Lauren Betts went scoreless in her Mystics debut.
It’s early, and the rookies made their impact in other ways, but the first 24 hours of the WNBA season did not do anything to dispel the notion that the 2026 draft class is mostly filled with future role players.
The Sun were absolutely crushed by the New York Liberty on opening night. They led 36-13 after the first quarter, and never let go of the rope, ultimately winning 106-75. The Liberty are one of the WNBA’s most loaded teams, and the Sun are in the midst of a rebuild, but it was not the start to the season that Connecticut was hoping for.
Only three players scored in double-figures: Diamond Miller (16 points), Aneesah Morrow (15 points), and Brittney Griner (13 points). As a collective, Connecticut shot 39% from the field, 18% from three, and 47% from the three-point line.
Facing the Liberty on opening night is a tough way to start, and the Sun were without Leila Lacan, who was one of their best players last season. Still, it was not an optimal start to their last-ever season in Connecticut.
We’re less than 24 hours into the WNBA season, and only 6 of the league’s 15 teams have made their season debuts. Still, let’s take a look at some way-too-early winners and losers from the first couple of games of the 2025-2026 WNBA season.
Sonia Citron had a spectacular rookie season, and she started her sophomore year right where she left off. Citron was dominant in the Mystics’ 68-65 win over the Toronto Tempo on Friday night, posting a game-high 26 points on 9-12 FG and 3-6 from three. She also racked up 2 steals and 2 blocks, continuing to show signs of being one of the WNBA’s elite two-way guards.
Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson praised Citron’s performance.
Kaitlyn Chen was a third-round draft pick in 2025 and was cut by the Valkyries in the middle of her rookie season. But she had a tremendous offseason, made Golden State’s opening night roster, and looked tremendous in the season debut, tallying 14 points on 5-10 shooting, 2 assists, and 0 turnovers off the bench in a 91-80 win over the Seattle Storm.
After the game, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase credited Chen for her offseason work.
“She’s been working,” Nakase said. “That’s credit to her in the offseason, right? Just putting in extra time. She came, you know, to the bay for a couple of weeks too, to work on her game after she went overseas.”
“Just her ability to score on all three levels, that’s basically what she did. And I mean, you saw her playing AU. She just took over the games. It was really nice to kind of see that carry over.”
It’s extremely early, but the 2026 WNBA draftees look like they’re going to need a little bit more time. So far, only one rookie has scored double-digit points: Seattle Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson, who tallied 12 points on 25% shooting in Friday night’s loss to the Golden State Valkyries.
No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd came off the bench for the Dallas Wings and scored 3 points on 1-2 shooting in 18 minutes. No. 2 pick Awa Fam is still overseas, and No. 4 pick Lauren Betts went scoreless in her Mystics debut.
It’s early, and the rookies made their impact in other ways, but the first 24 hours of the WNBA season did not do anything to dispel the notion that the 2026 draft class is mostly filled with future role players.
The Sun were absolutely crushed by the New York Liberty on opening night. They led 36-13 after the first quarter, and never let go of the rope, ultimately winning 106-75. The Liberty are one of the WNBA’s most loaded teams, and the Sun are in the midst of a rebuild, but it was not the start to the season that Connecticut was hoping for.
Only three players scored in double-figures: Diamond Miller (16 points), Aneesah Morrow (15 points), and Brittney Griner (13 points). As a collective, Connecticut shot 39% from the field, 18% from three, and 47% from the three-point line.
Facing the Liberty on opening night is a tough way to start, and the Sun were without Leila Lacan, who was one of their best players last season. Still, it was not an optimal start to their last-ever season in Connecticut.
We’re less than 24 hours into the WNBA season, and only 6 of the league’s…
With Clark back in the lineup and rested, oddsmakers are projecting a big improvement for this year’s Indiana Fever. FanDuel has odds on WNBA season-long over/unders, and they project the Fever to win 30.5 games this regular season.
Thirty-one wins represents the second-highest projected over/under win total, tied with the Las Vegas Aces, and two fewer than projected for the reloaded New York Liberty. The Fever finished last season in sixth place overall at 24-20. They went 8-5 when Clark was healthy, for a 27-win pace. There’s little room for error in a 44-game schedule, but the Fever should be favored in around 25 games, and they have the combination of talent and coaching to be competitive in all the rest.
The Fever will always take their opponent’s best shot because of the extra media attention that Clark brings. But if Mitchell and Boston can continue the momentum they built in last season’s playoff run, they have the pieces in place to finish among the league’s very top teams.
The Fever made sure to return their big three of Clark, Mitchell, and Boston. They also held onto guards Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, but some of the team’s depth will be new faces.
Indiana lost two key bench contributors when Natasha Howard signed with the Minnesota Lynx and Brianna Turner signed with the Las Vegas Aces. They also lost two players in the WNBA expansion draft, with Chloe Bibby going to the Portland Fire and Kristy Wallace getting selected by the Toronto Tempo.
Those minutes will likely go to a combination of offseason additions. Indiana signed veteran two-way forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen as free agents, and they used their top draft pick on four-year South Carolina product Raven Johnson. Justine Pissott (Vanderbilt) and Jessica Timmons (Alabama) round out a draft class with a clear focus on shooting.
With Clark back in the lineup and rested, oddsmakers are projecting a big improvement for this year’s Indiana Fever. FanDuel has odds on WNBA season-long over/unders, and they project the Fever to win 30.5 games this regular season.
Thirty-one wins represents the second-highest projected over/under win total, tied with the Las Vegas Aces, and two fewer than projected for the reloaded New York Liberty. The Fever finished last season in sixth place overall at 24-20. They went 8-5 when Clark was healthy, for a 27-win pace. There’s little room for error in a 44-game schedule, but the Fever should be favored in around 25 games, and they have the combination of talent and coaching to be competitive in all the rest.
The Fever will always take their opponent’s best shot because of the extra media attention that Clark brings. But if Mitchell and Boston can continue the momentum they built in last season’s playoff run, they have the pieces in place to finish among the league’s very top teams.
The Fever made sure to return their big three of Clark, Mitchell, and Boston. They also held onto guards Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, but some of the team’s depth will be new faces.
Indiana lost two key bench contributors when Natasha Howard signed with the Minnesota Lynx and Brianna Turner signed with the Las Vegas Aces. They also lost two players in the WNBA expansion draft, with Chloe Bibby going to the Portland Fire and Kristy Wallace getting selected by the Toronto Tempo.
Those minutes will likely go to a combination of offseason additions. Indiana signed veteran two-way forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen as free agents, and they used their top draft pick on four-year South Carolina product Raven Johnson. Justine Pissott (Vanderbilt) and Jessica Timmons (Alabama) round out a draft class with a clear focus on shooting.
The Indiana Fever surprised many last season when the short-handed Fever overcame the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the playoffs. Missing guard Caitlin Clark for all but 13 games due to a season-ending injury, the Fever’s ability to push the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces to a fifth game in the semifinals showed that coach Stephanie White’s team has legit star quality in Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
With Clark back in the lineup and rested, oddsmakers are projecting a big improvement for this year’s Indiana Fever. FanDuel has odds on WNBA season-long over/unders, and they project the Fever to win 30.5 games this regular season.
Thirty-one wins represents the second-highest projected over/under win total, tied with the Las Vegas Aces, and two fewer than projected for the reloaded New York Liberty. The Fever finished last season in sixth place overall at 24-20. They went 8-5 when Clark was healthy, for a 27-win pace. There’s little room for error in a 44-game schedule, but the Fever should be favored in around 25 games, and they have the combination of talent and coaching to be competitive in all the rest.
The Fever will always take their opponent’s best shot because of the extra media attention that Clark brings. But if Mitchell and Boston can continue the momentum they built in last season’s playoff run, they have the pieces in place to finish among the league’s very top teams.
The Fever made sure to return their big three of Clark, Mitchell, and Boston. They also held onto guards Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, but some of the team’s depth will be new faces.
Indiana lost two key bench contributors when Natasha Howard signed with the Minnesota Lynx and Brianna Turner signed with the Las Vegas Aces. They also lost two players in the WNBA expansion draft, with Chloe Bibby going to the Portland Fire and Kristy Wallace getting selected by the Toronto Tempo.
Those minutes will likely go to a combination of offseason additions. Indiana signed veteran two-way forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen as free agents, and they used their top draft pick on four-year South Carolina product Raven Johnson. Justine Pissott (Vanderbilt) and Jessica Timmons (Alabama) round out a draft class with a clear focus on shooting.
The Indiana Fever surprised many last season when the short-handed Fever overcame the Atlanta Dream…
As the WNBA races through a landmark free agency period, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is already looking beyond North America.
Speaking before Monday’s draft, Engelbert said the league is targeting its first game overseas in 2027, either as an exhibition or regular-season fixture. The WNBA expanded to Toronto this season, its first franchise outside the United States.
“We’re heavily looking at that,” Engelbert said. “Obviously this year we have the FIBA World Cup. Next year we expect that we’ll do something outside of North America as a true global game.”
The league welcomed its 2026 draft class days after a historic free agency window opened, featuring its first million-dollar contracts.
“I’m pretty emotional seeing 23 million-dollar contracts signed only two days into free agency,” Engelbert said. “Now these players can build real generational wealth.”
Engelbert brushed aside questions about her future.
“I do crack up, everyone’s focused on me and you should be focused on the hundreds and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself,” she said.
“I wonder if you would ask that of a man?”
She added she was “thrilled with the trajectory, growth and was really looking forward to the next few years.”
The Board of Governors is yet to approve the proposed sale of the Connecticut Sun to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. Engelbert said details around a potential move to Houston would be addressed later.
The league is also finalising its new collective bargaining agreement, estimated at 400-500 pages, featuring record salary increases, housing benefits, 401(k) contributions and support for former players.
A state-of-the-game task force has also been set up, including a focus on officiating.
“You’ll see some changes around physicality this year,” she said.
Training camps open Sunday, with the season tipping off May 8.
Published on Apr 15, 2026
As the WNBA races through a landmark free agency period, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is already looking beyond North America.
Speaking before Monday’s draft, Engelbert said the league is targeting its first game overseas in 2027, either as an exhibition or regular-season fixture. The WNBA expanded to Toronto this season, its first franchise outside the United States.
“We’re heavily looking at that,” Engelbert said. “Obviously this year we have the FIBA World Cup. Next year we expect that we’ll do something outside of North America as a true global game.”
The league welcomed its 2026 draft class days after a historic free agency window opened, featuring its first million-dollar contracts.
“I’m pretty emotional seeing 23 million-dollar contracts signed only two days into free agency,” Engelbert said. “Now these players can build real generational wealth.”
Engelbert brushed aside questions about her future.
“I do crack up, everyone’s focused on me and you should be focused on the hundreds and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself,” she said.
“I wonder if you would ask that of a man?”
She added she was “thrilled with the trajectory, growth and was really looking forward to the next few years.”
The Board of Governors is yet to approve the proposed sale of the Connecticut Sun to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. Engelbert said details around a potential move to Houston would be addressed later.
The league is also finalising its new collective bargaining agreement, estimated at 400-500 pages, featuring record salary increases, housing benefits, 401(k) contributions and support for former players.
A state-of-the-game task force has also been set up, including a focus on officiating.
“You’ll see some changes around physicality this year,” she said.
Training camps open Sunday, with the season tipping off May 8.
Published on Apr 15, 2026
As the WNBA races through a landmark free agency period, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is already…
The 2026 WNBA Draft had uncertainty at the top until the last moment. The Dallas Wings could have gone in a number of different directions with the first overall pick, but eventually the team settled on reuniting former UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd in the backcourt. Dallas’ Fudd pick at No. 1 set the course for the rest of the draft, which included several big surprises throughout the first round.
Find a full recap of every pick made during the 2026 WNBA Draft here. Now let’s dive into some winners and losers from the evening.
Yes, you need a couple years at minimum before you can truly judge a team’s performance in the draft. So why do this exercise? It’s a fun way to see what we were thinking in the immediate aftermath of the draft. Teams get things wrong all the time, and writers do, too. Feel free to check back in the future to see what we got right, and where we missed.
Awa Fam was the best prospect in the class, and I thought she should have been the Wings’ choice at No. 1 overall over Fudd. Seattle got her with the No. 3 pick, which is just great business. The Storm weren’t done: they also swung a shocking trade for former LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson. Seattle landed the two best athletes in the draft, and it gives them arguably the league’s best young core moving forward.
Fam, a 6’4 big out of Spain, is everything the league wants out of a modern front court player with a tremendous combination of length and mobility. She should thrive as a pick-and-roll target offensively, and have coverage versatility defensively. Fam joins Seattle’s first round pick last year, French big Dominique Malonga, for the league’s scariest young front court. Malonga is blessed with world class length (7’1 wingspan) and athleticism, and already proved to be a productive player in the W at only 20 years old last season. Fam and Malonga is just an unfair combination if both hit their ceiling. Adding Johnson to the wing — where she can lock down defensively, thrive in transition, and hit some open threes — makes the whole package even more enticing.
The Storm will need a couple years before the two young bigs really hit their stride, but the upside here is terrifying.
It’s not that Gabriela Jaquez is a bad player. She was one of my favorite role players in this class for her high-motor, Swiss army knife skill set on the wing. It’s just that Jaquez felt more like a late first-rounder than a top-5 pick, and Chicago left better players on the board by choosing her at No. 5 overall.
It felt like the Sky drafted for fit instead of upside. That’s a strange move for a team that has gone 23-61 combined over the last two years. GM Jeff Pagliocca has a reputation for making short-sighted decisions that mortgage the team’s future to try to save his job, and he did it again. The Sky signed Skylar Diggins in free agency, traded for Jacy Sheldon, and also have Courtney VanderSloot, so maybe that’s why they passed on lead guard Kiki Rice at No. 5 overall. Well, Diggins is 35 years old, VanderSloot is 37, and the Sky just aren’t good enough to be passing up the long-term upside of Rice for a player who fits the current lineup better right now in Jaquez.
My main issue with Jaquez is that she operated at such low usage at UCLA with only an 18 percent usage rate. Drafting low usage college players is always a risky move even if teams project them for similar roles in the pros. It’s always easier to scale down than it is to scale up. Jaquez also had nearly as many turnovers (70) as assists (78) this season with the Bruins. Her outside shooting development was encouraging, but she doesn’t have nearly the same track record as a shooter as someone like Sonia Citron, who Pagliocca foolishly traded the draft rights to last season.
Jaquez will probably be a solid role player, but the Sky needed to be shooting for something more than that without a true franchise player on the roster. I think they will regret passing on Rice.
The Bruins won the national championship in women’s college basketball, then watched six players get chosen in the top-18 picks of this draft, including four of the first nine picks. That’s a hell of a recruiting pitch going forward. Head coach Cori Close is building a power program out in Los Angeles.
Want to get the steal of the draft? All you have to do is pick behind the Chicago Sky. Kiki Rice slipping to No. 6 is almost unfathomable. The former No. 1 overall recruit took a few years to develop her outside shot, but this season she looked like the player she was promised to be out of high school. Rice is more of a combo guard than a pure point, but she still combines a fantastic first step with advanced driving ability and an understand of how to get to the cup and finish. Her shooting touch is developing nicely: she made 90 percent of her free throws, and 38.5 percent of her threes this season — a big improvement from the 21 percent three-point stroke she showed as a freshman.
While the other expansion team, the Portland Fire, is very much playing the long game in their first season, Toronto could be pretty good right away. Marina Mabrey was a nice pick in the expansion draft who will be a good starter from day one, and signing Brittney Sykes in free agency was an inspired move. Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally is a solid veteran front court. Rice feels like she could be one of the three best players to come out of this draft five years from now, giving Toronto a future face of the franchise if they can continue to develop her.
There’s been some criticism about Washington’s other picks in the 2026 draft, but it really doesn’t matter if Betts if as good as I think she can be. The 6’7 center was absolutely dominant in the post on UCLA’s national championship run, and she has a multi-year history of being an on/off monster. I know that everyone wants more mobile bigs with floor spacing potential these days, but there’s still no substitute for a physically dominant big inside with soft touch. Betts and Sonia Citron is going to be a killer combination. Yes, the Mystics need to add a lot more shooting. Yes, it’s weird that they didn’t try to get shooting with any of their other picks. I just think Betts is a home run at No. 4 overall, and Washington will have a long runway to surround her with better-fitting pieces.
I just don’t understand the value behind the Flae’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State said that the trade was completed before the draft, which is fine, but it still strikes me as bad value even without factoring in that Johnson was available. I’d rather have the No. 8 overall pick than two second rounders in the WNBA Draft. Historically the talent in these drafts tends to thin out after the early second round, and adding three expansion teams in the last two years will only take away from more late round value. I was excited about Flae’Jae Johnson on the Valkyries after their awesome debut season last year. It just wasn’t meant to be.
The Minnesota Lynx had the best record in the WNBA last year at 34-10, but their dream season fell apart in the playoffs against the Phoenix Mercury when Napheesa Collier went down with an ankle injury. The Lynx received the No. 2 overall pick thanks to a pick swap with the Sky from the original Angel Reese trade, and they used it to add an elite point guard prospect in Miles. The 5’10 ball handler left Notre Dame for TCU for her senior season, and put up fantastic overall numbers with a 36.4 percent assist rate, excellent rim finishing, and a 35 percent three-point stroke. Miles is so quick off the dribble, and she made 62 percent of her shots at the rim with only 17 percent of them being assisted. She’s also really good at getting into the passing lanes defensively.
It’s not often an elite team adds a great prospect with a top pick, but the Lynx pulled it off. This continues to be one of the best run franchises in the W.
The 2026 WNBA Draft had uncertainty at the top until the last moment. The Dallas Wings could have gone in a number of different directions with the first overall pick, but eventually the team settled on reuniting former UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd in the backcourt. Dallas’ Fudd pick at No. 1 set the course for the rest of the draft, which included several big surprises throughout the first round.
Find a full recap of every pick made during the 2026 WNBA Draft here. Now let’s dive into some winners and losers from the evening.
Yes, you need a couple years at minimum before you can truly judge a team’s performance in the draft. So why do this exercise? It’s a fun way to see what we were thinking in the immediate aftermath of the draft. Teams get things wrong all the time, and writers do, too. Feel free to check back in the future to see what we got right, and where we missed.
Awa Fam was the best prospect in the class, and I thought she should have been the Wings’ choice at No. 1 overall over Fudd. Seattle got her with the No. 3 pick, which is just great business. The Storm weren’t done: they also swung a shocking trade for former LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson. Seattle landed the two best athletes in the draft, and it gives them arguably the league’s best young core moving forward.
Fam, a 6’4 big out of Spain, is everything the league wants out of a modern front court player with a tremendous combination of length and mobility. She should thrive as a pick-and-roll target offensively, and have coverage versatility defensively. Fam joins Seattle’s first round pick last year, French big Dominique Malonga, for the league’s scariest young front court. Malonga is blessed with world class length (7’1 wingspan) and athleticism, and already proved to be a productive player in the W at only 20 years old last season. Fam and Malonga is just an unfair combination if both hit their ceiling. Adding Johnson to the wing — where she can lock down defensively, thrive in transition, and hit some open threes — makes the whole package even more enticing.
The Storm will need a couple years before the two young bigs really hit their stride, but the upside here is terrifying.
It’s not that Gabriela Jaquez is a bad player. She was one of my favorite role players in this class for her high-motor, Swiss army knife skill set on the wing. It’s just that Jaquez felt more like a late first-rounder than a top-5 pick, and Chicago left better players on the board by choosing her at No. 5 overall.
It felt like the Sky drafted for fit instead of upside. That’s a strange move for a team that has gone 23-61 combined over the last two years. GM Jeff Pagliocca has a reputation for making short-sighted decisions that mortgage the team’s future to try to save his job, and he did it again. The Sky signed Skylar Diggins in free agency, traded for Jacy Sheldon, and also have Courtney VanderSloot, so maybe that’s why they passed on lead guard Kiki Rice at No. 5 overall. Well, Diggins is 35 years old, VanderSloot is 37, and the Sky just aren’t good enough to be passing up the long-term upside of Rice for a player who fits the current lineup better right now in Jaquez.
My main issue with Jaquez is that she operated at such low usage at UCLA with only an 18 percent usage rate. Drafting low usage college players is always a risky move even if teams project them for similar roles in the pros. It’s always easier to scale down than it is to scale up. Jaquez also had nearly as many turnovers (70) as assists (78) this season with the Bruins. Her outside shooting development was encouraging, but she doesn’t have nearly the same track record as a shooter as someone like Sonia Citron, who Pagliocca foolishly traded the draft rights to last season.
Jaquez will probably be a solid role player, but the Sky needed to be shooting for something more than that without a true franchise player on the roster. I think they will regret passing on Rice.
The Bruins won the national championship in women’s college basketball, then watched six players get chosen in the top-18 picks of this draft, including four of the first nine picks. That’s a hell of a recruiting pitch going forward. Head coach Cori Close is building a power program out in Los Angeles.
Want to get the steal of the draft? All you have to do is pick behind the Chicago Sky. Kiki Rice slipping to No. 6 is almost unfathomable. The former No. 1 overall recruit took a few years to develop her outside shot, but this season she looked like the player she was promised to be out of high school. Rice is more of a combo guard than a pure point, but she still combines a fantastic first step with advanced driving ability and an understand of how to get to the cup and finish. Her shooting touch is developing nicely: she made 90 percent of her free throws, and 38.5 percent of her threes this season — a big improvement from the 21 percent three-point stroke she showed as a freshman.
While the other expansion team, the Portland Fire, is very much playing the long game in their first season, Toronto could be pretty good right away. Marina Mabrey was a nice pick in the expansion draft who will be a good starter from day one, and signing Brittney Sykes in free agency was an inspired move. Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally is a solid veteran front court. Rice feels like she could be one of the three best players to come out of this draft five years from now, giving Toronto a future face of the franchise if they can continue to develop her.
There’s been some criticism about Washington’s other picks in the 2026 draft, but it really doesn’t matter if Betts if as good as I think she can be. The 6’7 center was absolutely dominant in the post on UCLA’s national championship run, and she has a multi-year history of being an on/off monster. I know that everyone wants more mobile bigs with floor spacing potential these days, but there’s still no substitute for a physically dominant big inside with soft touch. Betts and Sonia Citron is going to be a killer combination. Yes, the Mystics need to add a lot more shooting. Yes, it’s weird that they didn’t try to get shooting with any of their other picks. I just think Betts is a home run at No. 4 overall, and Washington will have a long runway to surround her with better-fitting pieces.
I just don’t understand the value behind the Flae’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State said that the trade was completed before the draft, which is fine, but it still strikes me as bad value even without factoring in that Johnson was available. I’d rather have the No. 8 overall pick than two second rounders in the WNBA Draft. Historically the talent in these drafts tends to thin out after the early second round, and adding three expansion teams in the last two years will only take away from more late round value. I was excited about Flae’Jae Johnson on the Valkyries after their awesome debut season last year. It just wasn’t meant to be.
The Minnesota Lynx had the best record in the WNBA last year at 34-10, but their dream season fell apart in the playoffs against the Phoenix Mercury when Napheesa Collier went down with an ankle injury. The Lynx received the No. 2 overall pick thanks to a pick swap with the Sky from the original Angel Reese trade, and they used it to add an elite point guard prospect in Miles. The 5’10 ball handler left Notre Dame for TCU for her senior season, and put up fantastic overall numbers with a 36.4 percent assist rate, excellent rim finishing, and a 35 percent three-point stroke. Miles is so quick off the dribble, and she made 62 percent of her shots at the rim with only 17 percent of them being assisted. She’s also really good at getting into the passing lanes defensively.
It’s not often an elite team adds a great prospect with a top pick, but the Lynx pulled it off. This continues to be one of the best run franchises in the W.
The 2026 WNBA Draft had uncertainty at the top until the last moment. The Dallas…
The 2026 WNBA Draft is here, and the Dallas Wings are on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. Dallas hit the jackpot last year with Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and now the team needs to find a co-star for the all-world lead guard if it’s going to eventually get into the playoff mix. Check out our 2026 WNBA mock draft here for more analysis on this class.
UCLA recently won the women’s national championship, and it should be represented well in this draft. Star center Lauren Betts is expected to go in the top-3 as a 6’7 big with graceful scoring moves inside. Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, and Gianna Kneepkens are also considered potential first-round picks after helping the Bruins win it all.
There’s something for everyone in this class. TCU’s Olivia Miles is a brilliant point guard prospect who provides elite playmaking with improved shooting ability. Betts is a dominant classic post player, while Spain’s Awa Fam is the type of mobile big teams dreams about. UConn’s Azzi Fudd is a knockdown three-point shooter, while LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson is an athletic wing who can defend at a high level.
This draft is especially exciting because it marks the first selections for two new expansion teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Both teams already had their expansion drafts, and now Toronto will be picking at No. 6 while Portland chooses at No. 7.
We’re keeping track of the every pick for the 2026 WNBA Draft right here.
| Pick | Team | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Wings | ||
| 2 | Minnesota Lynx | ||
| 3 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 4 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 5 | Chicago Sky | ||
| 6 | Toronto Tempo | ||
| 7 | Portland Fire | ||
| 8 | Golden State Valkyries | ||
| 9 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 10 | Indiana Fever | ||
| 11 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 12 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 13 | Atlanta Dream | ||
| 14 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 15 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 16 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 17 | Portland Fire | ||
| 18 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 19 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 20 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||
| 21 | Chicago Sky | ||
| 22 | Toronto Tempo | ||
| 23 | Golden State Valkyries | ||
| 24 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||
| 25 | Indiana Fever |
The 2026 WNBA Draft is here, and the Dallas Wings are on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. Dallas hit the jackpot last year with Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and now the team needs to find a co-star for the all-world lead guard if it’s going to eventually get into the playoff mix. Check out our 2026 WNBA mock draft here for more analysis on this class.
UCLA recently won the women’s national championship, and it should be represented well in this draft. Star center Lauren Betts is expected to go in the top-3 as a 6’7 big with graceful scoring moves inside. Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, and Gianna Kneepkens are also considered potential first-round picks after helping the Bruins win it all.
There’s something for everyone in this class. TCU’s Olivia Miles is a brilliant point guard prospect who provides elite playmaking with improved shooting ability. Betts is a dominant classic post player, while Spain’s Awa Fam is the type of mobile big teams dreams about. UConn’s Azzi Fudd is a knockdown three-point shooter, while LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson is an athletic wing who can defend at a high level.
This draft is especially exciting because it marks the first selections for two new expansion teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Both teams already had their expansion drafts, and now Toronto will be picking at No. 6 while Portland chooses at No. 7.
We’re keeping track of the every pick for the 2026 WNBA Draft right here.
| Pick | Team | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Wings | ||
| 2 | Minnesota Lynx | ||
| 3 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 4 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 5 | Chicago Sky | ||
| 6 | Toronto Tempo | ||
| 7 | Portland Fire | ||
| 8 | Golden State Valkyries | ||
| 9 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 10 | Indiana Fever | ||
| 11 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 12 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 13 | Atlanta Dream | ||
| 14 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 15 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 16 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 17 | Portland Fire | ||
| 18 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 19 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 20 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||
| 21 | Chicago Sky | ||
| 22 | Toronto Tempo | ||
| 23 | Golden State Valkyries | ||
| 24 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||
| 25 | Indiana Fever |
The 2026 WNBA Draft is here, and the Dallas Wings are on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. Dallas hit the jackpot last year with Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and now the team needs to find a co-star for the all-world lead guard if it’s going to eventually get into the playoff mix. Check out our 2026 WNBA mock draft here for more analysis on this class.
UCLA recently won the women’s national championship, and it should be represented well in this draft. Star center Lauren Betts is expected to go in the top-3 as a 6’7 big with graceful scoring moves inside. Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, and Gianna Kneepkens are also considered potential first-round picks after helping the Bruins win it all.
There’s something for everyone in this class. TCU’s Olivia Miles is a brilliant point guard prospect who provides elite playmaking with improved shooting ability. Betts is a dominant classic post player, while Spain’s Awa Fam is the type of mobile big teams dreams about. UConn’s Azzi Fudd is a knockdown three-point shooter, while LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson is an athletic wing who can defend at a high level.
This draft is especially exciting because it marks the first selections for two new expansion teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Both teams already had their expansion drafts, and now Toronto will be picking at No. 6 while Portland chooses at No. 7.
We’re keeping track of the every pick for the 2026 WNBA Draft right here.
| Pick | Team | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Wings | ||
| 2 | Minnesota Lynx | ||
| 3 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 4 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 5 | Chicago Sky | ||
| 6 | Toronto Tempo | ||
| 7 | Portland Fire | ||
| 8 | Golden State Valkyries | ||
| 9 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 10 | Indiana Fever | ||
| 11 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 12 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 13 | Atlanta Dream | ||
| 14 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 15 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 16 | Seattle Storm | ||
| 17 | Portland Fire | ||
| 18 | Connecticut Sun | ||
| 19 | Washington Mystics | ||
| 20 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||
| 21 | Chicago Sky | ||
| 22 | Toronto Tempo | ||
| 23 | Golden State Valkyries | ||
| 24 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||
| 25 | Indiana Fever |
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins shoots the ball…
The Minnesota Lynx just lost one of their cornerstones, as in one of the biggest moves of WNBA free agency so far, Alanna Smith is headed to Texas. The 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year is signing a max contract to join Paige Bueckers, the 2026 No. 1 Draft Pick, and Arike Ogunbowale on the Dallas Wings.
Paige, for one, was thrilled:
This is a deal that works so well for both sides. For Smith, she goes from someone who was waived just a few seasons ago to being paid the $1.19 million max salary in year one of a three-year contract. Dallas gets a much-needed presence in their frontcourt and a boost in defensive power and rim protection.
Smith also has chemistry with Arike, having just won an Unrivaled championship together last month. Her signing immediately boosts the potential of this rebuilding Wings team, and at +4,000, they now have the 8th best odds to win the 2026 championship, according to our friends at FanDuel.
This now shifts the offseason attention to the WNBA Draft, where there is no clear consensus on who the Wings will pick as they select No. 1 overall for the second year in a row. Before Smith signed, there was a clear need for a frontcourt presence, but now the situation is different. Will they pick a more traditional point guard option like Olivia Miles? A shooter in Azzi Fudd? Build out the depth behind Smith and draft her a rookie in Awa Fam or Lauren Betts?
All eyes are on Dallas now.
#Dallas #Wings #Paige #Bueckers #major">
The Minnesota Lynx just lost one of their cornerstones, as in one of the biggest moves of WNBA free agency so far, Alanna Smith is headed to Texas. The 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year is signing a max contract to join Paige Bueckers, the 2026 No. 1 Draft Pick, and Arike Ogunbowale on the Dallas Wings.
Paige, for one, was thrilled:
This is a deal that works so well for both sides. For Smith, she goes from someone who was waived just a few seasons ago to being paid the $1.19 million max salary in year one of a three-year contract. Dallas gets a much-needed presence in their frontcourt and a boost in defensive power and rim protection.
Smith also has chemistry with Arike, having just won an Unrivaled championship together last month. Her signing immediately boosts the potential of this rebuilding Wings team, and at +4,000, they now have the 8th best odds to win the 2026 championship, according to our friends at FanDuel.
This now shifts the offseason attention to the WNBA Draft, where there is no clear consensus on who the Wings will pick as they select No. 1 overall for the second year in a row. Before Smith signed, there was a clear need for a frontcourt presence, but now the situation is different. Will they pick a more traditional point guard option like Olivia Miles? A shooter in Azzi Fudd? Build out the depth behind Smith and draft her a rookie in Awa Fam or Lauren Betts?
All eyes are on Dallas now.
#Dallas #Wings #Paige #Bueckers #major">The Dallas Wings just got Paige Bueckers some major help
The Minnesota Lynx just lost one of their cornerstones, as in one of the biggest moves of WNBA free agency so far, Alanna Smith is headed to Texas. The 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year is signing a max contract to join Paige Bueckers, the 2026 No. 1 Draft Pick, and Arike Ogunbowale on the Dallas Wings.
Paige, for one, was thrilled:
This is a deal that works so well for both sides. For Smith, she goes from someone who was waived just a few seasons ago to being paid the $1.19 million max salary in year one of a three-year contract. Dallas gets a much-needed presence in their frontcourt and a boost in defensive power and rim protection.
Smith also has chemistry with Arike, having just won an Unrivaled championship together last month. Her signing immediately boosts the potential of this rebuilding Wings team, and at +4,000, they now have the 8th best odds to win the 2026 championship, according to our friends at FanDuel.
This now shifts the offseason attention to the WNBA Draft, where there is no clear consensus on who the Wings will pick as they select No. 1 overall for the second year in a row. Before Smith signed, there was a clear need for a frontcourt presence, but now the situation is different. Will they pick a more traditional point guard option like Olivia Miles? A shooter in Azzi Fudd? Build out the depth behind Smith and draft her a rookie in Awa Fam or Lauren Betts?
All eyes are on Dallas now.
#Dallas #Wings #Paige #Bueckers #majorMINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 19: Alanna Smith #8 of the Minnesota Lynx poses with the…
Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is entering its third season, which will begin in January of 2027.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the long list of incredible players playing in Unrivaled,” Miles said in an official statement. “This league is building something special for the women’s game, and I’m excited to be a part of its long-term growth. I can’t wait to hit the floor next winter to compete alongside the absolute best in the world.”
Previously, Miles joined Unrivaled through an NIL deal as part of the league’s Future is Unrivaled Class of 2025, designed to empower the next generation of women’s basketball stars on and off the court. But now, as she turns pro, she is signing a full basketball contract with the league, becoming the latest in a long line of basketball phenoms to join.
Before transferring to TCU, Miles spent four years at Notre Dame. The 5’10 guard is expected to be a Top 5 pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft.
Unrivaled already boasts a slew of women’s basketball’s best young players, a list that includes Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, Aaliyah Edwards, Sonia Citron, Dominique Malonga, and Rickea Jackson, among others. The league also includes many of the league’s more veteran players, like Collier, Skylar Diggins, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and others.
Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is entering its third season, which will begin in January of 2027.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the long list of incredible players playing in Unrivaled,” Miles said in an official statement. “This league is building something special for the women’s game, and I’m excited to be a part of its long-term growth. I can’t wait to hit the floor next winter to compete alongside the absolute best in the world.”
Previously, Miles joined Unrivaled through an NIL deal as part of the league’s Future is Unrivaled Class of 2025, designed to empower the next generation of women’s basketball stars on and off the court. But now, as she turns pro, she is signing a full basketball contract with the league, becoming the latest in a long line of basketball phenoms to join.
Before transferring to TCU, Miles spent four years at Notre Dame. The 5’10 guard is expected to be a Top 5 pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft.
Unrivaled already boasts a slew of women’s basketball’s best young players, a list that includes Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, Aaliyah Edwards, Sonia Citron, Dominique Malonga, and Rickea Jackson, among others. The league also includes many of the league’s more veteran players, like Collier, Skylar Diggins, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and others.
Unrivaled announced today that Texas Christian University star guard Olivia Miles has been signed to a multi-year playing contract. Miles, a projected lottery pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft, is coming off a career-best 19.6-point-per-game season in which she led TCU to the Elite Eight.
Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is entering its third season, which will begin in January of 2027.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the long list of incredible players playing in Unrivaled,” Miles said in an official statement. “This league is building something special for the women’s game, and I’m excited to be a part of its long-term growth. I can’t wait to hit the floor next winter to compete alongside the absolute best in the world.”
Previously, Miles joined Unrivaled through an NIL deal as part of the league’s Future is Unrivaled Class of 2025, designed to empower the next generation of women’s basketball stars on and off the court. But now, as she turns pro, she is signing a full basketball contract with the league, becoming the latest in a long line of basketball phenoms to join.
Before transferring to TCU, Miles spent four years at Notre Dame. The 5’10 guard is expected to be a Top 5 pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft.
Unrivaled already boasts a slew of women’s basketball’s best young players, a list that includes Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, Aaliyah Edwards, Sonia Citron, Dominique Malonga, and Rickea Jackson, among others. The league also includes many of the league’s more veteran players, like Collier, Skylar Diggins, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and others.
Unrivaled announced today that Texas Christian University star guard Olivia Miles has been signed to…
One of the biggest free agents on the market has a new home, as Skylar Diggins is heading to Chicago. The 7x WNBA All-Star, Olympic Gold Medalist, and 4x First Team All-WNBA selection is moving on from the Seattle Storm after two seasons.
This is Diggins’s fourth WNBA franchise — she started her career with the Tulsa Shock, which ultimately became the Dallas Wings. Then she moved to Phoenix before coming to Seattle, and will now land in Chicago.
Skylar’s time in Seattle saw her average about 15 points per game through two seasons, which is solid. She has room to return to her former stats on a Sky team that will be focused around her as a scorer, too. If Vandersloot comes back at some point in the season from ACL recovery, Diggins can slot into an off-ball role, but she’s also comfortable bringing the ball up.
The Sky’s reluctance to fully go into rebuild/development mode after trading Angel Reese is helped by the amount of cap space they now have, which is obviously a factor in getting Diggins. They are putting all their eggs in one basket, though, given that they don’t have the rights to their first-round picks for the next two seasons, in two VERY strong draft classes.
Ultimately, this move didn’t immediately shift the Sky’s championship odds much, either. They are still tied for second-worst championship odds in the WNBA at +40,000, but only time will tell if this surprising direction change will pay off in the long run.
#Chicago #Sky #signed #player">
One of the biggest free agents on the market has a new home, as Skylar Diggins is heading to Chicago. The 7x WNBA All-Star, Olympic Gold Medalist, and 4x First Team All-WNBA selection is moving on from the Seattle Storm after two seasons.
This is Diggins’s fourth WNBA franchise — she started her career with the Tulsa Shock, which ultimately became the Dallas Wings. Then she moved to Phoenix before coming to Seattle, and will now land in Chicago.
Skylar’s time in Seattle saw her average about 15 points per game through two seasons, which is solid. She has room to return to her former stats on a Sky team that will be focused around her as a scorer, too. If Vandersloot comes back at some point in the season from ACL recovery, Diggins can slot into an off-ball role, but she’s also comfortable bringing the ball up.
The Sky’s reluctance to fully go into rebuild/development mode after trading Angel Reese is helped by the amount of cap space they now have, which is obviously a factor in getting Diggins. They are putting all their eggs in one basket, though, given that they don’t have the rights to their first-round picks for the next two seasons, in two VERY strong draft classes.
Ultimately, this move didn’t immediately shift the Sky’s championship odds much, either. They are still tied for second-worst championship odds in the WNBA at +40,000, but only time will tell if this surprising direction change will pay off in the long run.
#Chicago #Sky #signed #player">The Chicago Sky just signed the most unlikely player
One of the biggest free agents on the market has a new home, as Skylar Diggins is heading to Chicago. The 7x WNBA All-Star, Olympic Gold Medalist, and 4x First Team All-WNBA selection is moving on from the Seattle Storm after two seasons.
This is Diggins’s fourth WNBA franchise — she started her career with the Tulsa Shock, which ultimately became the Dallas Wings. Then she moved to Phoenix before coming to Seattle, and will now land in Chicago.
Skylar’s time in Seattle saw her average about 15 points per game through two seasons, which is solid. She has room to return to her former stats on a Sky team that will be focused around her as a scorer, too. If Vandersloot comes back at some point in the season from ACL recovery, Diggins can slot into an off-ball role, but she’s also comfortable bringing the ball up.
The Sky’s reluctance to fully go into rebuild/development mode after trading Angel Reese is helped by the amount of cap space they now have, which is obviously a factor in getting Diggins. They are putting all their eggs in one basket, though, given that they don’t have the rights to their first-round picks for the next two seasons, in two VERY strong draft classes.
Ultimately, this move didn’t immediately shift the Sky’s championship odds much, either. They are still tied for second-worst championship odds in the WNBA at +40,000, but only time will tell if this surprising direction change will pay off in the long run.
#Chicago #Sky #signed #playerSEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 16: Skylar Diggins #4 of the Seattle Storm shoots a free…
When Nneka Ogwumike committed to go back to the LA Sparks, it was clear Azura Stevens was likely heading out the door.
Stevens is a very talented forward who took on a starter role for the Sparks during a rebuilding era, and will now head back to Chicago. Stevens was part of the 2021 Sky Championship squad, but things look a lot different in Chicago these days, and Stevens is now a veteran player in her return.
First of all, Azura, get your bag. The grade isn’t about that. It’s more about the confusion in the way the Chicago Sky are moving. Are you tanking, or are you trying to be competitive? Signing veterans like Skylar Diggins and Stevens appear to be win-now moves, but Angel Reese was just traded away. You appear set to give up Ariel Atkins in a presumed trade, who is a player you traded away the No. 3 pick in 2025 (Sonia Citron) for. Getting back Rickea Jackson (reportedly) would be a good move. Yet, just today, the Sky traded away their 2028 first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon… make it make sense?
The Sky are currently tied for the second-worst odds to win the WNBA Championship in 2026. They also gave the Mystics the right to swap first-round picks with them in 2027, and now outright gave them their 2028 pick.
This is more a grade on the Sky’s choices than Azura as a prospect. She raises their level of play substantially and will be an excellent floor spacer around Kamilla Cardoso. The fact that she’s on a three-year deal probably impacts the overall money she will make, but that also locks her in to another rebuilding team for three years. Overall this has just been a strange offseason for the Sky, so it’s hard to give this move too high of marks.
#Chicago #Sky #WNBAs #confusing #team">
When Nneka Ogwumike committed to go back to the LA Sparks, it was clear Azura Stevens was likely heading out the door.
Stevens is a very talented forward who took on a starter role for the Sparks during a rebuilding era, and will now head back to Chicago. Stevens was part of the 2021 Sky Championship squad, but things look a lot different in Chicago these days, and Stevens is now a veteran player in her return.
First of all, Azura, get your bag. The grade isn’t about that. It’s more about the confusion in the way the Chicago Sky are moving. Are you tanking, or are you trying to be competitive? Signing veterans like Skylar Diggins and Stevens appear to be win-now moves, but Angel Reese was just traded away. You appear set to give up Ariel Atkins in a presumed trade, who is a player you traded away the No. 3 pick in 2025 (Sonia Citron) for. Getting back Rickea Jackson (reportedly) would be a good move. Yet, just today, the Sky traded away their 2028 first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon… make it make sense?
The Sky are currently tied for the second-worst odds to win the WNBA Championship in 2026. They also gave the Mystics the right to swap first-round picks with them in 2027, and now outright gave them their 2028 pick.
This is more a grade on the Sky’s choices than Azura as a prospect. She raises their level of play substantially and will be an excellent floor spacer around Kamilla Cardoso. The fact that she’s on a three-year deal probably impacts the overall money she will make, but that also locks her in to another rebuilding team for three years. Overall this has just been a strange offseason for the Sky, so it’s hard to give this move too high of marks.
#Chicago #Sky #WNBAs #confusing #team">The Chicago Sky are the WNBA’s most confusing team
When Nneka Ogwumike committed to go back to the LA Sparks, it was clear Azura Stevens was likely heading out the door.
Stevens is a very talented forward who took on a starter role for the Sparks during a rebuilding era, and will now head back to Chicago. Stevens was part of the 2021 Sky Championship squad, but things look a lot different in Chicago these days, and Stevens is now a veteran player in her return.
First of all, Azura, get your bag. The grade isn’t about that. It’s more about the confusion in the way the Chicago Sky are moving. Are you tanking, or are you trying to be competitive? Signing veterans like Skylar Diggins and Stevens appear to be win-now moves, but Angel Reese was just traded away. You appear set to give up Ariel Atkins in a presumed trade, who is a player you traded away the No. 3 pick in 2025 (Sonia Citron) for. Getting back Rickea Jackson (reportedly) would be a good move. Yet, just today, the Sky traded away their 2028 first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon… make it make sense?
The Sky are currently tied for the second-worst odds to win the WNBA Championship in 2026. They also gave the Mystics the right to swap first-round picks with them in 2027, and now outright gave them their 2028 pick.
This is more a grade on the Sky’s choices than Azura as a prospect. She raises their level of play substantially and will be an excellent floor spacer around Kamilla Cardoso. The fact that she’s on a three-year deal probably impacts the overall money she will make, but that also locks her in to another rebuilding team for three years. Overall this has just been a strange offseason for the Sky, so it’s hard to give this move too high of marks.
#Chicago #Sky #WNBAs #confusing #teamCOLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 5: Azura Stevens #23 of the Los Angeles Sparks shoots…
