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From Lauren Betts to Olivia Miles: Rating the highest 15 prospects for the 2026 WNBA draft

Michael VoepelApr 23, 2025, 10:25 AM ET Close Michael Voepel is a senior writer who covers the WNBA, women’s college basketball and other college sports. Voepel began covering women’s basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996. The 2025 WNBA draft is in the books, and starting next month we’ll find out how

From Lauren Betts to Olivia Miles: Rating the highest 15 prospects for the 2026 WNBA draft

  • Michael VoepelApr 23, 2025, 10:25 AM ET

    Close

      Michael Voepel is a senior author who covers the WNBA, girls’s school basketball and different school sports activities. Voepel started overlaying girls’s basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996.

The 2025 WNBA draft is within the books, and beginning subsequent month we’ll learn how these gamers adapt to the league. However it’s not too early to look at subsequent season’s school senior class to see who could be within the combine for being chosen within the first spherical of the 2026 draft.

Up to now 4 drafts, the No. 1 choose appeared sure all through the ladies’s school basketball season: guard Rhyne Howard (2022), ahead/middle Aliyah Boston (2023), guard Caitlin Clark (2024) and guard Paige Bueckers (2025). The Atlanta Dream‘s Howard and the Indiana Fever‘s Boston and Clark had been all chosen as WNBA rookie of the 12 months, an honor Bueckers is favored to win this season.

For 2026, a middle is projected to go No. 1. However some top-notch guards might be within the combine, too. For this record, we’re rating solely gamers who might be designated as seniors/grad college students within the 2025-26 school season. The draft, as all the time, may embrace abroad gamers and draft-eligible juniors.

The WNBA, which grows to 13 groups this season with the growth Golden State Valkyries, will develop to fifteen groups in 2026 as Toronto and Portland be part of the league. Here’s a take a look at the highest 15 senior school prospects.

1. Lauren Betts

UCLA Bruins | C | 6-7
2024-25 stats:
20.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.9 BPG, 64.8% FG

Betts’ junior season was a breakthrough for her and the Bruins, who went to the Last 4 for the primary time within the NCAA period and gained the Massive Ten match title of their first 12 months in that league. Betts’ offensive and defensive expertise as a real middle might be valued within the WNBA.

2. Azzi Fudd

UConn Huskies | SG | 5-11
2024-25 stats:
13.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 43.6% 3FG

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Fudd was the Last 4 Most Excellent Participant after totaling 43 factors on 55.2% taking pictures in UConn’s victories over UCLA and South Carolina to win the NCAA title in Tampa. Accidents are the one factor which have held again Fudd, however she’s coming off a wholesome season.

3. Olivia Miles

TCU Horned Frogs | PG | 5-10
2024-25 stats:
15.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.8 APG, 40.6% 3FG

Miles began each recreation in 2024-25 for Notre Dame, her ultimate season in South Bend. After dropping to TCU within the Candy 16, Miles transferred to hitch the Horned Frogs. Her elite passing and taking pictures are at professional stage. She’s going to look to enhance defensively in her final 12 months in school.

4. Ta’Niya Latson

South Carolina Gamecocks | SG | 5-8
2024-25 stats:
25.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.6 APG

Latson led Division I in scoring common in her final season at Florida State. Subsequent season, she is going to end her school profession at South Carolina, which has been one of many nation’s deepest groups the previous few seasons, and we’ll see how that impacts her statistics. Latson can create offense out of nothing, however WNBA groups will wish to see extra 3-point success. She had 37 treys final season and 102 over three years, taking pictures 32.6% from behind the arc for her profession.

5. Flau’jae Johnson

LSU Tigers | SG | 5-10
2024-25 stats:
18.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.5 APG

Johnson was the Tigers’ second-leading scorer with a career-best common as a junior. Her 3-point taking pictures share (38.3), made 3-pointers (49) and free throw share (81.0) additionally had been profession highs, and she or he was first-team All-SEC.

6. Ashlon Jackson

Duke Blue Devils | SG | 6-0
2024-25 stats:
12.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 37.2% 3FG

Duke made South Carolina sweat out an Elite Eight victory thanks largely to the Blue Devils’ protection. Jackson performs that protection at a excessive stage and nonetheless made 87 3-pointers this previous season, which ranked third within the ACC. That ought to stand out to WNBA scouts. Jackson will look to enhance her 2-point taking pictures share, which can be 37.2.

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7. Cotie McMahon

Ole Miss Rebels | SF | 6-0
2024-25 stats:
16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 37.4% 3FG

McMahon’s scoring common, 3-point share and made 3-pointers (34) had been profession bests in her third season at Ohio State, which ended with an upset loss at dwelling to Tennessee within the second spherical of the NCAA match. Now McMahon will play her ultimate 12 months with the Rebels. Extra 3-pointers and a greater free throw share (64.7 for her profession) are issues to work on.

8. Serah Williams

TBA | C | 6-4
2024-25 stats:
19.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.3 BPG

Williams has been below the radar for 3 seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers, who have not had a successful document since 2011. Her profile ought to change dramatically if she transfers to one of many nation’s high packages as anticipated. Williams was the Massive Ten’s defensive participant of the 12 months in 2024 and named to the All-Massive Ten first staff the previous two seasons.

9. Gianna Kneepkens

TBA | SG | 5-11
2024-25 stats:
19.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.0 APG

Kneepkens made 94 3-pointers this previous season at Utah and is likely one of the most sought-after pure shooters within the switch portal. She shot 50.4%. from 2-point vary this season, in addition to practically 45% from behind the arc. She made the All-Massive 12 first staff in Utah’s first season within the league.

10. Chloe Kitts

South Carolina Gamecocks | PF | 6-2
2024-25 stats:
10.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.9 APG

The previous 12 months was Kitts’ finest general, particularly with how nicely she performed within the postseason as MVP of the SEC match and Birmingham Regional 2. She additionally began to make some progress as a 3-point shooter (she hit seven), which can assist her WNBA profile.

11. Yarden Garzon

Maryland Terrapins | SG | 6-3
2024-25 stats:
14.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.2 APG, 40.7% 3FG

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In Garzon’s three-season Indiana profession, she shot 42.6% from behind the arc and hit 220 3-pointers, together with 88 this previous 12 months. She has transferred to Maryland to finish her school profession and stands out as a professional prospect for being such perimeter shooter at her peak.

12. Raegan Beers

Oklahoma Sooners | C | 6-4
2024-25 stats:
17.3 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 63.3% FG

Beers ranked sixth in Division I — and fourth amongst Energy 4 convention gamers — in taking pictures share this previous season. After transferring from Oregon State, she led Oklahoma to its first Candy 16 since 2013 and was first-team All-SEC. She excels on the low block but additionally hit 12 3-pointers as she expands her recreation.

13. Kiki Rice

UCLA Bruins | PG | 5-11
2024-25 stats:
12.8 PPG, 3.5, 5.0 APG

Rice was the second-leading scorer on UCLA’s Last 4 staff and the highest playmaker as she led the Bruins in assists. She shot 53.3% from 2-point vary and 36.5% from behind the arc, making 31 3-pointers. Like a number of different guards on this record, Rice can enhance her draft inventory with higher output from lengthy vary.

14. Rori Harmon

Texas Longhorns | PG | 5-6
2024-25 stats:
9.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.2 SPG

Harmon has sacrificed a few of her personal scoring to make Texas a greater staff, a maturity WNBA scouts ought to discover. The Longhorns returned to the Last 4 for the primary time since 2003 this 12 months as Harmon led Texas in assists and steals. She can be among the finest perimeter defenders in school.

15. Madina Okot

South Carolina Gamecocks | 6-6 | C
2024-25 stats:
11.3 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 64.9% FG

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Okot, who’s from Kenya, performed there for 2 years at Zetech College earlier than spending this previous season at Mississippi State. She has now transferred to South Carolina, which has observe document of placing gamers into the WNBA in recent times.

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