Who should the Sparks protect in the 2026 WNBA expansion draft?

Now that the WNBA has a new collective bargaining agreement, offseason events such as the expansion draft, WNBA draft and free agency can take place.

However, with much of the offseason lost, everything will now happen at a blistering pace.

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The next step for the league is the expansion draft. Last year, the WNBA held one for the Golden State Valkyries and this season it will be double the fun with the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire joining the league.

The WNBA has set up the ground rules for the draft, stating that all teams can protect five players, a change from last year when teams were allowed to protect six.

In preparation for the Expansion Draft, each of the existing 13 teams will be required to submit to the league office by Sunday, March 29, a Roster List that includes every player to whom the team has rights – players on the team’s active, suspended, draft list/reserved, core, or retired lists – as of the final day of the 2025 regular season.  The 13 teams will be required to designate a maximum of five “Protected Players” who will not be available for selection in the Expansion Draft. All other players on each team’s Roster List will be eligible for selection by the Fire and Tempo (“Unprotected players)”.

The Sparks are set to have some big decisions to make and will likely lose a talented contributor from last year’s team. Let’s take a look at who the team could protect and, as a result, who may be left unprotected.

Kelsey Plum

The Sparks traded for Kelsey Plum last year and the price was high, costing them their No.2 pick in the 2025 draft. The move paid off as Plum became LA’s bona fide superstar, having a career year after averaging 19.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

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She was named an All-Star and has become one of the faces of the franchise.

Dearica Hamby

While Plum was the team’s top player, Hamby still had a great year as the second option. LA’s starting big averaged 18.4 points per game and 7.9 rebounds.

No one on the Sparks’ roster can do what Hamby does. She scores with ease inside the paint, cleans up the glass and is a great pick-and-roll partner with Plum.

Rickea Jackson

Jackson is filled with potential. She is an offensive firecracker, averaging 14.7 points and shooting 84% from the free throw line. Her biggest highlight of the season was undoubtedly her game-winner over the Liberty.