WNBA Draft 2026 Start Time, Schedule, Round 1 Order and Mock Predictions

As fans are still trying to sort out which stars are signing where in the WNBA, it got somewhat easy to forget the 2026 draft is right around the corner.

Having negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement stretch into March meant that teams would be in a mad scramble to complete their offseason business.

Whereas the draft typically takes place months after free agency is underway, five days separated the opening of the negotiating window from when the Dallas Wings will be on the clock with the No. 1 pick.

Because of that, some general managers might be flying a bit blind in terms of their draft evaluations and what their rosters will look like on opening night.

Here's a quick primer for Monday night.

2026 WNBA Draft Viewing Info

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Date: Monday, April 13

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV Info: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN app

First-Round Mock Draft

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Round 1	Pick
1. Wings	Awa Fam, C, Spain
2. Lynx	Olivia Miles, G, TCU
3. Storm	Azzi Fudd, G, UConn
4. Mystics	Lauren Betts, C, UCLA
5. Sky	Kiki Rice, G, UCLA
6. Tempo	Flau'jae Johnson, G, LSU
7. Fire	Nell Angloma, F, France
8. Valkyries	Ta'Niya Latson, G, South Carolina
9. Mystics	Gianna Kneepkens, F, UCLA
10. Fever	Gabriela Jaquez, F, UCLA
11. Mystics	Raven Johnson, G, South Carolina
12. Sun	Madina Okot, C, South Carolina
13. Dream	Angela Dugalić, F, UCLA
14. Storm	Iyana Martín, G, Spain
15. Sun	Lani White, G, Utah

Mock draft via Hunter Cruse for Bleacher Report

Does Anybody Disrupt the 'Core Fore'?

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For the most part, it looks as though the quartet of Awa Fam, Olivia Miles, Azzi Fudd and Lauren Betts is fairly settled. Fam and Miles are ahead of the pack by themselves, while Fudd and Betts are in the next tier.

Fudd and Betts both have some flaws that could cool the interest of the Seattle Storm or Washington Mystics.

Fudd could prove to be a little one-dimensional offensively. She was an elite three-point shooter at UConn, and floor-spacing is a valuable facet of offenses in the WNBA. But Storm general manager Talisa Rhea may question whether a three-point specialist merits a pick that early into the draft.

The Mystics may look to re-sign Shakira Austin, who's a restricted free agent, in which case adding another big with limited scoring range won't make a ton of sense.

Perhaps Washington or Seattle bets on Flau'jae Johnson's upside as an individual scorer. Kiki Rice could be a long-term piece in a Storm backcourt that might lose Skylar Diggins. Likewise, taking Nell Angloma would mean pairing her with fellow French international Dominique Malonga in the Pacific Northwest.

How Many UCLA Players are off the Board in the 1st Round?

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General managers don't totally disregard what happens in the NCAA tournament, but a player's stock typically doesn't move much as a result of their performance in the Big Dance.

Te-Hina Paopao, Bree and Sania Feagin were all second-rounders after South Carolina was the national runner-up in 2025.

Still, UCLA might be able to challenge UConn's record of having four players picked in the first round of a single WNBA draft (2002).

Betts and Rice are locks, so the Bruins are halfway there. Then it's a matter of how much teams are sold on Gianna Kneepkens, Gabriela Jaquez, Angela Dugalić and Charlisse Leger-Walker. Any of those four could plausibly go within the first 15 selections.

The WNBA's continued expansion means the first round of the draft keeps getting bigger. The Huskies' mark will probably go down sooner or later. History could happen Monday.