It’s official, the Toronto Tempo will be choosing No. 6 overall in the April 13th WNBA entry draft. After a league-issued coin flip on Friday, Toronto chose to draft No. 6, No. 22 and No. 36 in the WNBA Draft, meaning that the Portland Fire will choose first in the April 3 Expansion Draft. No. 6 is the first pick outside of the lottery, and with a deep pool of talent entering the WNBA Draft this season, it’s a great place to be.
This is an incredibly unpredictable draft, as there is no current consensus on what order it will go. That means it’s harder to pin down who is in range for No.6, but also means there is a ton of talent.
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Let’s dive into a few potential prospects for the No. 6 pick.
Projected No. 6 in Mocks:
Tankathon: Ta’Niya Latson (G) South Carolina — Latson was the No. 1 leading scorer in the country in the 2024-2025 college season, playing on the Florida State Seminoles (Scottie Barnes’s alma mater). She transferred to South Carolina for her final season of college and is now helping lead the Final Four-predicted Gamecocks in March Madness. Latson is a crafty scorer who can hit difficult shots and has a ton of energy of offence.
ESPN: Cotie McMahon (F) Ole Miss — McMahon is a great interior presence, using her footwork and physicality to be a force in the paint. She has expressed a desire to expand her game into the perimeter to make herself a dynamic WNBA player, and used her final season at Ole Miss to work on her handle and playmaking skills.
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The Athletic: Iyana Martin (G) Spain, Avenida — Martin, currently playing in Spain for Avenida, is an international prospect heading to the WNBA. She is described as a dynamic two-way player, able to playmake and generate offence on one end and full-court defend on the other. Taking a younger prospect from overseas might be good for the expansion Tempo team.
NBC: Raven Johnson (G) South Carolina — Johnson is South Carolina’s floor general, an excellent playmaker, passer, and someone who has improved greatly in her four years at South Carolina. Picking someone who has shown that much development in her college system, who is also proven as a National and Conference Champion, could be good for an expansion team who will be establishing an identity.
Players in No. 6 range:
Flau’Jae Johnson (G) LSU — Johnson is a dynamic scorer who can shoot from a variety of spots on the floor. She knows how to shoot over tough defences and get the ball to the bucket no matter who is in front of her. She is also one of the only players I saw successfully slow down Caitlin Clark in her college days, something WNBA teams will not take lightly.
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Gianna Kneepkens (G) UCLA — Every team needs a shooter, and Kneepkens is one of UCLA’s threats from 3-point range. The dominant Bruins have been tearing through the Big-10 this season and are on a course for a Final Four appearance in March Madness. Kneepkens is shooting over 45% from three-point range this season.
Gabriela Jaquez (G) UCLA — This UCLA team is so deep, and they are so good for a reason. Jaquez is another shooter who can play in a variety of different positions on the court. She can handle, pass, shoot and defend. Most of the mocks point out her speed and versatility as a wing, making her a Swiss Army Knife for WNBA teams.
IF they fall out of the lottery:
Lauren Betts (C) UCLA — Betts is a player who is mocked top 3 in some drafts, but falls a bit in others. There is a very very very small chance she falls out of the lottery, especially as one of the only true centers in the first round of this draft. At 6-foot-7, Betts is an obvious choice for any team that needs a presence in the post, and Betts’s solid footwork, interior scoring, and rim protection are her superpowers. In a WNBA landscape that rewards dynamic bigs, there is some concern that Betts is too traditional of a center to be a top-pick, but regardless, the team that gets her is getting a great center prospect.
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Kiki Rice (G) UCLA — UCLA’s point guard is a traditional, pass-first point guard. She is an excellent floor general on offence, isn’t selfish with the ball, and is an excellent defender. In a WNBA with Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers leading the next generation, having an on-ball defender like Rice could be beneficial for the Tempo.
IF they go earlier than predicted:
Madina Okot (C) South Carolina — In a WNBA draft that is guard-heavy, a post-player like Okot may have a chance to be drafted earlier, if a team really wants some depth at that position. At 6-foot-6, she has athleticism and can operate in the paint, and also can space the floor.
