After three years of wire-to-wire No. 1 picks (Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers), the WNBA is entering a draft cycle with a little more mystery. The top of this class is talented, but no single player stands head and shoulders above the rest as we take an early look at the best prospects for the 2026 draft.

The best players represent three positional archetypes: multi-talented wing, table-setting lead guard and paint-bound center. Individual teams might vary in preference for specific styles, but there is a lot of value to be had throughout the lottery. All four top players could have declared for the 2025 draft — and been high selections this season — but, as college seniors, they’ll first have the opportunity to further distinguish themselves.

A few caveats: This is a list of only NCAA players. International prospects will assuredly factor into next year’s draft, but for this exercise, the scope is domestic. Furthermore, the pandemic bonus year is mostly behind us, as only a couple of prospects (Charlisse Leger-Walker and Angela Dugalić) are benefiting from that extra year of eligibility. As a result, the only asterisks are for players who can return to school with a medical redshirt. Finally, this is merely a big board, not a mock draft; there are no team fits.

1. Flau’jae Johnson | 5-10 guard | LSU

Johnson took another step forward as a junior, shouldering a larger offensive load after Angel Reese’s graduation. She continued to excel in transition and in the midrange, though her efficiency around the basket tailed off in the half court. Johnson also made at least 38 percent of her 3-pointers for the second straight season. She was once again an elite defender, tasked with opponents’ best perimeter option, but also serving as a help defender in the paint and closing possessions out with defensive rebounds.

Johnson hasn’t yet been the No. 1 option at LSU, but she’ll be thrust into that role as a senior. If she leads the Tigers to a similar level of success (they’ve made the Elite Eight in each of her three seasons), it will allow her to leapfrog her competition at this spot. She has already proven to be a dynamic athlete, scorer and defender. The only thing left is to be a leader.

Flau’jae Johnson comes over for the block on 6’7 Lauren Betts. Flau’jae’s defense is every bit as good as her offense, and maybe better pic.twitter.com/5V5kmS6bVE

— Ricky O’Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) March 30, 2025

2. Olivia Miles | 5-10 guard | TCU

Miles is the best passer in this draft — surgical in the half court and dynamic in transition. Now, she gets to play a full season in a spread pick-and-roll offense under Mark Campbell at TCU. Miles’ defensive shortcomings keep her below Johnson for the time being, as she was benched down the stretch for Notre Dame on defensive possessions, but the fifth-year guard is about as complete an offensive player as possible.

Miles made 40.6 percent of her 3-pointers and 79 percent on free throws during 2024-25, shoring up the only weakness in her scoring package. She can still get to the basket with regularity, finish around the rim and draw fouls. She’s also adept at converting in floater range and midrange. But her scoring is secondary to the shots she creates for her teammates, which is already WNBA-ready. The only worry with Miles is if her shooting was a one-year blip and doesn’t hold up at the same levels at TCU. If she remains above average from long range and learns how to play in a different system, she’ll be in the conversation for the top pick.

3. Azzi Fudd | 5-11 guard | UConn

The Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 Final Four can score in so many ways. She made 43.6 percent of her 3-pointers last season, excelling in transition and off hand-offs. She also moves well off the ball and bends defenses with her relocating, thanks to her superb shooting ability. Fudd is a big guard, and she used that size effectively as a defender later in the season — her steals from MiLaysia Fulwiley were momentum-killers in the national championship game.

The main problem with Fudd is that she hasn’t showcased her peak for extended periods, mostly due to injury. Remaining healthy for a full season will be critical to elevating her draft stock. She also doesn’t fill up the box score as much as a top prospect should. She isn’t a great rebounder and doesn’t get to the foul line much; plus she has always benefited from other players commanding the defense’s attention at UConn.

The upside with Fudd is that the player she was during the NCAA Tournament, albeit a small sample size, is the kind of off-ball guard any WNBA team would love to have. Even if she isn’t a No. 1 option, she can fit in any offensive and defensive context. Playing without Bueckers will force Fudd to show more of her game, for better or worse.

4. Lauren Betts | 6-7 center | UCLA

What Betts does well is incredibly clear. She owns the paint on both ends. She is a dominant finisher around the rim and protects the basket with her length and shot blocking. She can catch practically any pass thrown to her, and she keeps herself on the court by limiting her fouling.

The question is whether a player who doesn’t usually venture outside of the paint can succeed at the next level. Betts took 11 jump shots last season and often didn’t look at the basket when given the ball on the perimeter. Although she was capable of contesting shooters beyond the arc, she mostly stayed in the lane defensively, which will not be an option in the WNBA due to the three-second rule.

Still, Betts is so good at what she does that it’s hard not to imagine her succeeding in that role as a professional. Her massive improvement year-to-year also suggests that she’ll figure out how to expand her skill set on the court when forced to do so. But because she hasn’t shown that capacity yet, she slots behind more pace-and-space-friendly players in these initial rankings.

5. Ashlyn Watkins | 6-3 forward | South Carolina

Perhaps this is too high for a player who has averaged 7.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in college. But Watkins plays at South Carolina, where she has started only nine games through three seasons. Furthermore, the appeal of Watkins is primarily defensive, where she is my favorite frontcourt defender in the country. Watkins can deal with big, strong posts in the paint — she did well against Betts even when the Gamecocks lost to the Bruins in November. But she also has the mobility and IQ to switch, recover and handle a variety of non-traditional assignments for a big.

Offensively, Watkins hasn’t been asked to do much, but she is an athletic finisher (perhaps an obvious assessment considering she has dunked in a game) and a good hi-lo passer. She also has a decent touch on her floater. At the moment, she is in a tier below the previous four players, but she could join them if she showed any amount of offensive self-creation, or even stretched her shooting range to the free-throw line.

6. Yarden Garzon | 6-3 wing | Maryland

Garzon has been a little under the radar on Indiana, falling behind Mackenzie Holmes in the pecking order her first two seasons and then leading the Hoosiers when they landed in the middle of the Big Ten pack as a junior. However, that shouldn’t obscure Garzon’s elite shooting (42.6 percent from 3-point range over seasons) and her excellent size as a potential WNBA wing. She has an efficient shot profile, can run the pick-and-roll and rebounds well. She isn’t necessarily a defensive playmaker, but she is positionally stout and pretty good as a shot blocker.

Garzon now heads to a Maryland squad that is graduating a lot of talent. She’ll play for a coach, Brenda Frese, who knows how to incorporate transfers quickly. Garzon has a chance to boost her national profile and her draft stock.

7. Ta’Niya Latson | 5-8 guard | South Carolina

The nation’s leading scorer has gotten better every season in college. She started as an absolute bowling ball toward the rim, unable to stop with a head of steam. She has added midrange scoring, a reliable 3-point jump shot and improved playmaking. This past season at Florida State, Latson even became a capable perimeter defender, achieving a high steal output without gambling.

The main knock on Latson is her size. She is more of a point guard than a shooting guard. However, if she continues to put up ridiculous numbers (she averaged 25.2 points as a junior), WNBA teams will want to find a way to incorporate a smaller guard into their rosters.

8. Charlisse Leger-Walker | 5-10 guard | UCLA

Leger-Walker hasn’t played since January 2024 after suffering an ACL tear and a setback during recovery. This ranking assumes that she can reclaim her Washington State form. At her peak, she was a playmaking savant, capable of whipping skip passes across the court and manipulating the best defenses in pick-and-roll. Her shooting outside the paint leaves a lot to be desired, but her strong frame makes her an excellent finisher in the restricted area. That physicality also helps her as a smart help defender.

9. Gianna Kneepkens | 6-0 guard | (Utah) transfer portal

What’s not to love about a highly efficient scorer who takes smart shots and makes most of them? Kneepkens led the Big 12 in effective field-goal and free-throw percentages, maintaining her efficiency with and without Alissa Pili. She is an offensive wizard both on and off the ball. Defensively, she hasn’t made much of an impact. Ideally, her next coach emphasizes that part of her game as she prepares for the pro level.

10. Kiki Rice | 5-11 guard | UCLA

Rice’s production took a back seat to Betts as a junior, but she quietly improved. Rice’s 2-point and 3-point percentages rose about 40 percent. She remains an excellent point-of-attack defender and reined in her fouling. She gets to the basket, controls her turnovers and delivers good entry passes into the post. Rice doesn’t overwhelm in any area of her game, but is a good athlete and solid at just about everything.

11. Talaysia Cooper* | 6-0 guard | Tennessee

There is not a lot to go off when assessing Cooper, who essentially has played only one full season as a rotation player in limited minutes because of coach Kim Caldwell’s substitution-heavy system. What Cooper has put on tape is still impressive. She has a great burst off the dribble and finishes at a high clip at the rim. Her steal numbers are inflated by the Lady Vols’ style of play, but she also blocks shots at a high rate. Her jumper needs work, and she gets tunnel vision on isolations instead of looking to pass. However, Cooper’s physical tools and the individual shot creation make her an exciting prospect.

12. Maggie Doogan | 6-2 forward | Richmond

Mid-major players historically have had a tougher path to sticking in the WNBA, but watching Doogan in the NCAA Tournament against Georgia Tech and UCLA put to rest any doubts about her ability to succeed at the next level. She knows how to get to her spots, and she scores the ball with ease. This shot chart is almost unbelievable. Doogan is so smart in the half court, constantly moving without the ball and finding teammates to turn good shots into great ones. She has the size to play forward in the WNBA and is simply too skilled not to make that happen.

13. Angela Dugalic | 6-4 forward | UCLA

Dugalic is a little old for this draft, as she’ll turn 24 in the next college season. Older hasn’t necessarily been a problem for WNBA teams in this pandemic era of NCAA basketball, and Dugalic has a long track record of producing internationally for Serbia, even if it took her more time to make her impact collegiately.

She is one of the smartest and most effective frontcourt defenders in college. She is tremendous at contesting shots in isolation and as a help defender, and she knows when to jump passing lanes to create turnovers. Her decision-making isn’t always as sharp on offense, where she can overextend herself, though she did make 34.8 percent of her 3s in 2024-25. The appeal of Dugalic is that she has a WNBA body, the experience of competing against pros at the Olympics, and she knows how to play off of stars.

14. Grace VanSlooten | 6-3 forward | Michigan State

I have a soft spot for players who represent the USA internationally, and VanSlooten’s performance at the 2023 U19 World Cup has kept her on my radar. She is big and strong in the paint, rolls hard and runs the floor. She needs to extend her shooting range and clean up her free-throw shooting, but there is already a lot to like.

15. Payton Verhulst | 6-1 guard | Oklahoma

Verhulst is a hooper. Oklahoma’s run-and-gun offense inflates her box score totals, but she is a top-tier scorer and shooter. Watching her give UConn the business for one half in the Sweet 16 was a reminder of her ability to pour on points in a hurry. She is a big guard and shows off that size to get off her shot and to contest on the other end. She hasn’t played in a ton of high-leverage games, and even her heater against the Huskies cooled off in the second half. It’ll be interesting to see if the Sooners can compete in the SEC or make a deeper postseason run next season.

16. Gabriela Jaquez | 6-0 wing | UCLA

Jaquez is an elite role player. She doesn’t play beyond herself. She moves the ball quickly, shoots it decently from beyond the arc and makes excellent passes in the half court. She is a smart defender, if overstretched as the primary wing stopper at UCLA. Against anybody but JuJu Watkins, Jaquez’s IQ, positioning and length shine. She is positionally versatile and makes winning plays.

17. Chloe Kitts | 6-2 forward | South Carolina

Kitts has a very specific role: She gets the ball in the paint or just outside of it and looks to score. She is physical, sets strong screens and attacks the glass to create more scoring opportunities. She holds up well defensively against fours. Kitts could use more playmaking and defensive versatility, but she has the build of a WNBA player.

18. Cotie McMahon | 6-0 forward | Ole Miss

McMahon was one of the most exciting prospects in the country as a freshman, with her relentless rim-attack. Her development has somewhat stalled now that opponents can sit on her spin move. She is still incredibly athletic and made meaningful strides as a 3-point shooter as a junior. Ole Miss hopes she can continue to feature that part of her game. Nevertheless, this move could force McMahon to become a more reliable defender (the Rebels are known for their defense), which is the most important improvement she can make before going pro.

19. Ashlon Jackson | 6-0 guard | Duke

Jackson is pretty streaky and doesn’t do much beyond getting buckets, but when her jumper is working — she’s a career 36 percent 3-point shooter — the outlines of a 3-and-D wing are there.

20. Janiah Barker | 6-4 forward | (UCLA) transfer portal

This is the last gasp for Barker. She is incredibly talented and athletic but hasn’t harnessed it into consistent production. On one play, she can whip out a contested fadeaway in isolation and hit nothing but net. But on the next, she’ll drive into traffic, throw the ball away and leave herself behind the play in transition. Coming to L.A. and playing on a deep team was supposed to improve Barker’s discipline and refine her game. The process isn’t yet finished, but the potential remains tantalizing.

Honorable mentions: Raegan Beers (Oklahoma), Dariana Littlepage-Buggs (Baylor), Mara Braun* (Minnesota), Serah Williams (Wisconsin / transfer portal), Sa’Myah Smith (LSU / transfer portal)

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos of Lauren Betts, Azzi Fudd and Flau’jae Johnson: Ronald Martinez, Maddie Meyer, Alika Jenner / Getty Images)