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The 2026 WNBA draft kicks off tonight, April 13th, at 7:00pm EST. This year’s draft is the league’s 30th installment, and it looks like UCLA might dominate the draft the same way they dominated the 2026 March Madness tournament.

With three rounds and 45 selections, things are sure to shake up in the W—even more than they did when WNBA free agency kicked off on April 6th, 2026. Here’s what we’re keeping our eyes on at this year’s draft.

Projected #1 Pick

UConn’s Azzi Fudd has been at the top of the conversation for 2025 #1 draft pick. But unlike 2024 (Caitlin Clark) and 2025 (Paige Bueckers), this year’s #1 doesn’t have a clear favorite. Also in the conversation for #1 pick are UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Valencia Basket Club’s Awa Fam Thiam, and TCU’s Olivia Miles.

With four women in contention for the #1 pick, the implication is clear: the level of talent in women’s basketball is rising.

In the last two years of the draft, we’ve had clear #1 picks—maybe even clear #2 picks, too. But this year, with four elite athletes vying for the top spot, it’s undeniable that the standard in women’s basketball is rising across the board. Now, we don't have one star leading the way. We have four.

And for fans of a love story, the fact that the Dallas Wings have the first pick throws another wrench in the plot. With Paige Bueckers at Dallas and her partner Azzi Fudd a potential #1 draft pick, any romance fans should be sure to tune in to the first round.