The WNBA season is only a month away, but the offseason is just beginning. After narrowly avoiding a lockout, the league is going full-steam ahead for 2026, starting with the second WNBA expansion draft in as many years.
The Portland Fire won the No. 1 pick thanks to a coin toss, while the Toronto Tempo picked second. In the 2026 WNBA Draft later this month, however, Toronto is picking No. 6 and Portland is picking No. 7. But before the two new franchises select their respective rookie classes, they have to build out a baseline roster.
Here’s who the Fire and Tempo selected on Friday, including each player’s position and the teams they got poached from:
Who did the Portland Fire pick in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft?
First Round
- F Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx)
- G Carla Leite (Golden State Valkyries)
- C Luisa Geiselöder (Dallas Wings)
- F Emily Engstler (Washington Mystics)
- G Maya Caldwell (Atlanta Dream)
- F Chloe Bibby (Indiana Fever)
Second Round
- F/G Haley Jones (Dallas Wings)
- F Nyadiew Puoch (Atlanta Dream)
- G Sarah Ashlee Barker (Los Angeles Sparks)
- G Sug Sutton (Washington Mystics)
- G Nika MĂĽhl (Seattle Storm)
Who did the Toronto Tempo pick in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft?
First Round
- G Julie Allemand (Los Angeles Sparks)
- C Nyara Sabally (New York Liberty)
- G Marina Mabrey (Connecticut Sun)
- G Aaliyah Nye (Las Vegas Aces)
- G Lexi Held (Phoenix Mercury)
- F Maria Conde (Chicago Sky)
Second Round
- F Maria Kliundikova (Minnesota Lynx)
- F Adja Kane (New York Liberty)
- F Nikolina Milic (Connecticut Sun)
- G Kitija Laksa (Phoenix Mercury)
- G Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever)
WNBA Expansion Draft FAQs
Which cities got new WNBA franchises?
Toronto and Portland were awarded expansion franchises back in May and September of 2024, respectively. They are starting play just one year after the Golden State Valkyries arrived in 2025.
When was the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft?
The 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft took place on Friday, April 3. The results aired on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET. It marked the league’s second expansion draft in 16 months, following a 16-year gap between expansion drafts.
Will there be more expansion teams in the WNBA?
Yes, there are three more cities that are getting WNBA teams in the coming seasons. Cleveland will start competition in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. The Connecticut Sun are also slated to relocate to Houston in 2027, but that won’t require an expansion draft.
Was there a WNBA lockout?
No, the WNBA and WNBA Players Association narrowly avoided the league’s first-ever lockout by agreeing to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on March 18, 2026.
When does the WNBA season start?
The 2026 WNBA season is scheduled to tip off on Friday, May 8.
