Awa Fam to Storm, Fans Reacts as Spain Star Selected No. 3 in 2026 WNBA Draft

Awa Fam isn't a name familiar to a lot of women's basketball fans in the United States, but that's about to change.

The Seattle Storm selected the Spain center with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft.

Here's how social media reacted to the choice:

Hunter Cruse had Fam as the first player off the board in Bleacher Report's mock draft.

"Awa Fam has been our No. 1 prospect through the entire draft process, and nothing changes here," he wrote. "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. ... Fam might not be the best player in this class right away, but she's going to be ready sooner than people expect."

This time last year, Fam was helping Spain win silver in the Women's EuroBasket. In the semifinal victory, she finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

The 6'6" big also suited up for all 12 of Valencia Basket's EuroLeague games. She put up 7.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.7 steals in 20.5 minutes per contest.

Fam got a taste of what to expect in the WNBA when Spain played the United States in the group phase of World Cup qualifying. She played 19 minutes and went 5-of-8 for 10 points with five boards and two steals.

The WNBA has seen athletic bigs before. Three-time MVP Lauren Jackson was way ahead of her time.

But the league is in a place where players like Fam are valued like never before. She's an example of where the W is headed in terms of further embracing position-less basketball.

It took a few months for things to start clicking for the Seattle Storm's Dominique Malonga, another long, athletic forward who came over from Europe. As the 2025 season drew to a close, Malonga had made visible strides in her game.

Fam could be on a similar trajectory with the Storm.