2026 WNBA Mock Draft Sees Lauren Betts Move Into Top 4 After UCLA Wins National Title
In 2023, South Carolina tied the record with five players taken in the WNBA draft. Less than two years later, national champion UCLA has six players projected to hear their names called on April 13, including as many as five in the first round.
After a dominant title run capped by a 30-point blowout, the Bruins' senior group has a case as one of the most talented teams we've ever seen. So where will the UCLA prospects land?
In this mock draft update, we're going through all 45 picks and taking a look at how the entire board could shake out with the NCAA tournament and expansion draft behind us.
1. Dallas Wings: Awa Fam, Spain
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Position: PF/C | Size: 6'4" | Age: 19
Pro Comp: Nneka Ogwumike
Last: 1
Awa Fam has been our No. 1 prospect through the entire draft process, and nothing changes here. She has the highest upside of any player in the class, thanks to her rare combination of size, skill, athleticism and processing speed at only 19 years old.
You'll hear "raw prospect" attached to Fam a lot, but that's far from reality. She's produced in big games everywhere she's played: 21 points against France at EuroBasket last summer, 17 against Fenerbahçe in October and 10 points in 19 minutes against Team USA.
Fam might not be the best player in this class right away, but she's going to be ready sooner than people expect. Put her next to Paige Bueckers, and that's the makings of a really dangerous pick-and-roll duo in Dallas.
2. Minnesota Lynx: Olivia Miles, TCU
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Position: PG | Size: 5'10" | Age: 23
Pro Comp: Lindsay Whalen
Last: 2
There are only a handful of point guards in WNBA history who can read the floor like a supercomputer and create their own shot from anywhere. That group is basically Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Gray, Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and soon enough, Olivia Miles.
It's reasonable to be concerned about her defensive projection—upright stance leading to blow-bys, and some disengagement off the ball—but it's not like we haven't seen offensive superstars supersede those kinds of defensive shortcomings. Miles is an all-time passing prospect, with real counters as a driver and pull-up scorer that keep defenders guessing at all times.
If there's an organization that can maximize what she does best, it's the Minnesota Lynx.
3. Seattle Storm: Azzi Fudd, UConn
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Position: SG | Size: 5'11" | Age: 23
Pro Comp: Two-Way Allie Quigley
Last: 3
The NCAA tournament didn't end the way Azzi Fudd wanted, as she averaged just 10.3 points on 30.8 percent shooting from the field from the Sweet 16 on. But the full body of work is most important to evaluators, and there's no question Fudd is one of the greatest shooting prospects ever, while also being a solid defender and a quick decision-maker on both ends.
Seattle can't find a better spacing option than Fudd as it builds around 20-year-old center Dominique Malonga.
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4. Washington Mystics: Lauren Betts, UCLA
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Position: C | Size: 6'7" | Age: 22
Pro Comp: All-Defense Kamilla Cardoso
Last: 6
Lauren Betts, the 2026 Final Four Most Outstanding Player, had an excellent tournament, averaging 21.0 points and 9.3 rebounds on at least 60 percent shooting in every game.
If Washington doesn't commit to Shakira Austin as its long-term center, Betts might just be too talented to pass on here. She is an exceptional defensive prospect, and it's not just because she's tall. She has great footwork, short-area quickness, timing and verticality to defend without fouling.
On the other end, she commands a ton of attention from defenses, drawing double teams and using her size to see over defenders to find kick-out shooters.
The biggest question is how her scoring holds up against WNBA rim protection, and how teams value her overall archetype in the modern era. Betts doesn't shoot, add much in transition or as a screener, so her skill set isn't going to be for everyone.
5. Chicago Sky: Kiki Rice, UCLA
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Position: PG | Size: 5'11" | Age: 22
Pro Comp: Natasha Cloud
Last: 4
Angel Reese is no longer in Chicago after being dealt to Atlanta for two future first-round picks. At this point, it's just best player available, and that's Kiki Rice.
Her game is built around her explosive, downhill driving style. Her low center of gravity allows her to quickly change directions and slip through tight spaces. She's also a standout on-ball defender with the size, strength and coordination to defend both guard spots.
Rice's year-over-year improvements are staggering. This season, her half-court finishing jumped from 45.5% to 58.6%, pull-up mid-range from 37.9% to 43.1% and pull-up threes from 13.3% to 35.5%.
Rice continues to answer every question scouts have, and that makes you wonder what her upside looks like if she continues on this developmental arc. She's smart, athletic, defends and scores from everywhere. That's someone Chicago desperately needs.
6. Toronto Tempo: Flau'jae Johnson, LSU
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Position: SG/SF | Size: 5'11" | Age: 22
Pro Comp: More athletic Bridget Carleton
Last: 5
Flau'jae Johnson didn't make any meaningful improvements in her senior season, but between the athleticism, shot creation and defense, the ceiling is just too high for Toronto to pass on here.
She struggled in big games for LSU this season when the pace slowed down. She shot just 44.4 percent on half-court rim attempts and 39.2 percent from the field overall in half-court settings against tournament teams, per Synergy.
To reach her high-end outcome, Johnson will need to improve as a decision-maker and develop a left hand.
7. Portland Fire: Nell Angloma, France
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Position: SF | Size: 6'0" | Age: 19
Pro Comp: Dallas Kayla Thornton
Last: 8
Nell Angloma is having one of the most productive seasons by an international prospect ever, leading Lattes Montpellier to a No. 5 seed in the French league as a teenager.
Angloma's game is built around what she can do as a driver. She gets to the rim whenever she wants, with strength development and ambidextrous finishing almost unheard of at her age.
Angel Reese was one of the few prospects this decade who drew fouls at a higher rate than Angloma.
Meanwhile, the French prospect is doing this without anyone respecting her jumper. If that comes along, we might look back and wonder why Angloma fell out of the lottery.
8. Golden State Valkyries: Ta'Niya Latson, South Carolina
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Position: SG | Size: 5'8" | Age: 22
Pro Comp: Carla Leite
Last: 10
The biggest loss for Golden State in the expansion draft was 21-year-old guard Carla Leite, whom Portland selected. If the Valkyries are looking to replace her skill set, Ta'Niya Latson is still on the board.
She was the best transition scorer in the country and showed serious improvement on the defensive end this season. Like Leite, her shooting remains a major question, but if the Valkyries want to keep adding high-end guard talent, Latson is the kind of prospect they could build around alongside Veronica Burton and 2025 first-round pick Justė Jocytė.
9. Washington Mystics: Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA
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Position: SG/SF | Size: 6'0" | Age: 22
Pro Comp: Karlie Samuelson
Last: 9
Gianna Kneepkens is an obvious fit for the Mystics, who ranked last in three-point attempts per game (17.1) last season.
Kneepkens has been a high-level shooter everywhere she's been. She's never shot below 38 percent from three in her college career, and that came as a freshman at Utah. Kneepkens is excellent at shooting off the catch, with consistent, repeatable mechanics and a great feel for perimeter movement.
Most of her concerns as a prospect come on the defensive end, where her athletic limitations and tendency to drift out of position off the ball can be exposed.
10. Indiana Fever: Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA
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Position: SG/SF | Size: 6'0" | Age: 22
Pro Comp: Maya Caldwell
Last: 12
Gabriela Jaquez just makes too much sense with what Indiana likes to do. She's a good shooter, instinctive cutter and a smart defender who never stops moving on both ends.
Jaquez became just the fifth player in NCAA history to put up 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a national title game, joining Breanna Stewart, Chamique Holdsclaw, Dawn Staley and Sarah Strong.
Her WNBA translation comes down to whether she can hit catch-and-shoot threes consistently. Jaquez led the country in three-point percentage through nonconference play (54.2 percent) before that dropped to under 30 percent for the remainder of the season.
If Jaquez proves to be a real shooter, she could be an impactful rotation wing for many years in the league.
11. Washington Mystics: Raven Johnson, South Carolina
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Position: PG | Size: 5'9" | Age: 23
Pro Comp: Tanisha Wright
Last: 7
No prospect helped themselves more this season than Raven Johnson. She's an improved shooter, a more confident driver and continues to play otherworldly defense.
It's fair to be wary of a fifth-year senior breakout like this, but with a player this smart, athletic and advanced defensively, it's hard to imagine she won't be a rotation-caliber point guard.
Although Washington selected Georgia Amoore in the first round in 2025, her defensive limitations and off-ball shooting ability make her a viable backcourt partner alongside Johnson in some lineups.
12. Connecticut Sun: Madina Okot, South Carolina
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Position: C | Size: 6'6" | Age: 21
Pro Comp: Krystal Thomas
Last: Not ranked
WNBA teams are always going to take a chance on a player as tall and disruptive on the boards as Madina Okot. She also started hitting threes the last couple of months, which is interesting.
Okot's struggles reading the floor, finishing around the rim and defending in space will be her biggest hurdles at the next level. But she's also the youngest college prospect in the draft and didn't start playing basketball until she was 16. If the skill development and processing catch up, there's a lot of upside to work with.
13. Atlanta Dream: Angela Dugalić
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Position: PF | Size: 6'4" | Age: 24
Pro Comp: Kathryn Westbeld
Last: Not ranked
Dugalić has good size, moves pretty well and knows how to fit in next to other talent, whether that's at UCLA or with the Serbian national team.
She's long been inconsistent game-to-game, but during UCLA's title run she did a bit of everything on both ends.
For Atlanta, which is trying to win now, the 24-year-old—one of the older prospects in the class—could give them something right away. It just probably comes down to the jumper.
Dugalić is a career 32.2 percent shooter and was just 21.7 percent from three over her last 10 games.
14. Seattle Storm: Iyana Martín, Spain
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Position: PG | Size: 5'8" | Age: 20
Pro Comp: Julie Allemand
Last: 14
The way Iyana Martín reads the court, plays at her own pace and produces at her age is rare.
In 2023, she earned MVP honors at the U19 World Cup. Last year, she was named the EuroLeague's Young Player of the Year as a teenager. And at last month's FIBA World Cup qualifiers, she averaged 10.0 points, 4.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 51.4 percent from the field.
For Seattle, Martín likely profiles as a draft-and-stash. As she adds strength, the Storm's existing defensive infrastructure would help cover for her early, and her playmaking would fit smoothly alongside Fudd and Malonga.
15. Connecticut Sun: Lani White, Utah
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Position: SG | Size: 5'11" | Age: 22
Pro Comp: Aaliyah Nye
Last: Not ranked
Connecticut has a strong nucleus of young talent, between Leïla Lacan, Saniya Rivers, Aneesah Morrow and Aaliyah Edwards. Each is an outstanding athlete, but all have significant shooting questions.
Here, the best floor-spacing option on the board is Lani White, who is a premier movement shooter with a lightning-quick release and solid athleticism. She shot an obscene 64.0 percent on off-screen threes (16-25) and 42 percent on spot-ups—including transition—this season.
One potential concern for White's WNBA transition is her prior college production at just 5.3 points per game over her three previous seasons. She's also likely a below-average defender at the next level.
Nos. 16-20
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16. Seattle: Frieda Bühner, F, Germany
Bühner, who played in four games for Florida in 2022 before returning home, is older than your typical international prospect at 21. Still, she's a strong play finisher, off-ball mover and a smart defender who's already producing at the professional level, averaging 16.8 points in Spain.
17. Portland: Janiah Barker, F, Tennessee
Barker is one of the biggest boom-or-bust prospects in WNBA draft history. She's a supremely talented scorer with athleticism you can't teach, but her processing speed, shot selection and body language all leave a lot to be desired. Though, at the very least, Barker is worth a flier in this range.
18. Connecticut: Cotie McMahon, F, Ole Miss
Simply best player available for the Sun here. McMahon converts speed to power like an elite NFL edge rusher, and once she gets downhill, there's often little a defense can do to keep her out of the paint. Whether she can improve at the connective skills—spot-up shooting, quick decision-making and consistent off-ball defense—will determine how her game translates.
19. Washington: Justine Pissott, F, Vanderbilt
Pissott is 6'4" and shoots over 40 percent from three with deep range. She may not be able to do anything else at the WNBA level, but there's no question the Mystics could use her floor spacing.
20. Los Angeles: Charlisse Leger-Walker, G, UCLA
With Julie Allemand being drafted by Toronto in the expansion draft, the Sparks could look at a playmaker like Leger-Walker. She's a basketball savant and an extension of the coach on the court.
Nos. 21-25
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21. Chicago: Shay Ciezki, G, Indiana
If Ciezki, listed at 5'7", was even a few inches taller, we'd be looking at a Top 10 pick. This season, she shot 51.2 percent on pull-up 2s, 42.6 percent on pull-up 3s and 45.3 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s. Ciezki's just small and not a point guard, either, but the shot-making is undeniable.
22. Toronto: Taina Mair, G, Duke
Mair was outstanding down the stretch, winning ACC tournament MVP, and averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists over her last six games of the season. She defends, is a solid shooter and ran Duke's offense efficiently.
23. Golden State: Teonni Key, F, Kentucky
Key is a mobile, high-energy big who can run the floor and defend both frontcourt spots. She's still a long way from being a WNBA rotation player, but the tools are there if she can develop a respectable 15-foot jumper and cut down on fouls.
24. Los Angeles: Kara Dunn, F, USC
Dunn is slightly undersized for a combo forward, but she's physical, a great cutter and developed into a good shooter over her last two seasons.
25. Indiana: Maggie Doogan, F, Richmond
Doogan was the best mid-major player in the country and a statistical model's draft darling. She put up 21.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 64.1% true shooting. But the bigger questions are whether she can defend anyone at the next level and if she does enough offensively without the ball in her hands.
Picks 26-30
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26. Toronto: Laila Phelia, G, Syracuse
Phelia was once viewed as a potential first-round pick, and though that's no longer the case, she's a solid three-and-D player. She shot 38 percent on catch-and-shoot threes this season while defending both guards and wings.
27. Phoenix: Tonie Morgan, G, Kentucky
Morgan went cold in SEC play, which led to this slide into the late second round. Even so, her athleticism, comfort in ball screens and mid-range scoring are interesting enough here.
28. Atlanta: Marta Suárez, F, TCU
Suárez's highs as a 6'3" shot-maker and bully-ball scorer are fun—she's just far too streaky for a sixth-year senior. If she's available, there's probably not a better system for her skill set than in Atlanta.
29. Las Vegas: Hannah Stuelke, F, Iowa
Stuelke is worth a look in training camp for Las Vegas as an athletic big with a great motor and improved passing. However, it'll be an uphill battle to make a roster, considering her struggles scoring outside of five feet and at the free throw line (55.4 percent, the worst in the class).
30. Washington: Ines Pitarch-Granel, G, France
The Mystics have already made four picks, so if they keep No. 30 and/or No. 34, a draft-and-stash option makes sense. Pitarch-Granel is the best one available here as an athletic, defense-first wing who averaged 5.6 points in the EuroLeague this season.
Third Round
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31. Dallas: Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, F, Baylor
32. Chicago: Latasha Lattimore, F, Ole Miss
33. Connecticut: Saffron Shiels, F, Australia
34. Washington: Jessica Timmons, G, Alabama
35. Los Angeles: Ashlon Jackson, G, Duke
36. Toronto: Rori Harmon, G, Texas
37. Portland: Serah Williams, C, UConn
38. Golden State: Yarden Garzon, F, Maryland
39. Seattle: Christeen Iwuala, C, Ole Miss
40. Indiana: Jordan Harrison, G, West Virginia
41. New York: Grace VanSlooten, F, Michigan State
42. Phoenix: Amelia Hassett, F, Kentucky
43. Atlanta: Yulia Savukova, G, Russia
44. Las Vegas: Mya Perry, G, Cincinnati
45. Minnesota: Kyla Oldacre, C, Texas
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