When is WNBA draft? Date, time, draft order, mock draft, what to know

Let the countdown to the 2026 WNBA Draft begin.

The biggest college stars competing in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament may soon hear WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert call their name in New York City and officially usher them into the pros.

The WNBA draft will move forward as planned after the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday, March 18. A term sheet was signed, WNBA players voted to ratify in nearly unanimous fashion and the league’s board of governors voted to ratify the terms of the deal on Tuesday, March 24.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 WNBA Draft:

When is the 2026 WNBA Draft?

The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 13, at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City, a little more than a week after a national champion will be crowned in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

What time is the 2026 WNBA Draft?

The 2026 WNBA Draft tips off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Coverage tips off WNBA Orange Carpet Special (5:30 p.m. ET/ ESPN2), followed by the WNBA Countdown Presented by Google (6:30 p.m. ET/ESPN).

What WNBA team has No. 1 draft pick?

For the second consecutive season, the Dallas Wings were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery. After selecting Paige Bueckers in the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Wings will have first dibs on big names such as UConn’s Azzi Fudd, Spain’s Awa Fam, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, TCU’s Olivia Miles and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson.

“We want someone who wants to win,” said Wings forward Maddy Siegrist, who represented the team at the lottery in November. The Minnesota Lynx were awarded the second overall pick. The Seattle Storm will pick third.

Cathy Engelbert took over the job as WNBA commissioner in 2019 with a pledge to expand the league to more cities.

2026 WNBA mock draft: Who is first off the board?

TCU’s Olivia Miles is rushing up the draft board, but it would be hard for the Dallas Wings to pass up drafting Spain’s Awa Fam with the first overall pick to help build the team’s interior presence, according to USA TODAY’s latest mock draft. Read Meghan L. Hall’s full predictions here.

2026 WNBA Draft order

The order in which the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will be decided by a coin flip on Friday, March 27. The winner of the coin toss will choose between receiving the first selection in the Expansion Draft or the sixth pick in the WNBA Draft verses the seventh pick. Based upon the results of the toss, the Fire and Tempo will alternate picks in the second and third rounds of the WNBA draft.

First round

2. Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago)
3. Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles)
5. Chicago Sky (from Connecticut)
9. Washington Mystics (from Seattle)
11. Washington Mystics (from New York via Minnesota and Connecticut)
12. Connecticut Sun (from Phoenix via Chicago)
14. Seattle Storm (from Las Vegas)
15. Connecticut Sun (from Minnesota via Washington)

Second round

16. Seattle Storm (from Dallas)
26. Chicago Sky (from New York)
30. Washington Mystics (from Minnesota)

Third round

38. Golden State Valkyries

When is the 2026 WNBA expansion draft?

The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire join the league in 2026 as the 14th and 15th WNBA franchises, and both teams will begin assembling rosters during the WNBA Expansion Draft on Friday, April 3. The expansion draft will be broadcast at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The 2026 WNBA expansion draft will have two rounds. Portland and Toronto will select players from a designated pool of available athletes determined by the league’s 13 teams. Both teams will conduct picks via a “snake” draft method.

The team that has the first pick in the first round of the expansion draft (following the coin toss) will have the second pick in the second round of the draft. During each round, the Fire and Tempo will alternate selections and have the right to acquire the player contract of, or negotiating rights to, one player from the available pool of unprotected players. Catch up on all expansion draft details here.

When does WNBA free agency start?

Buckle up for a wild ride. The league will have a staggering amount of free agents as many players avoided signing contracts past the 2025 season, aside from rookie-scale contracts, with higher salaries on the horizon with the new CBA. Free agency begins on Tuesday, April 7, with teams making offers April 7-8, negotiations beginning from April 9 through April 11 and signings starting on April 12.

A'ja Wilson is a free agent but reportedly re-signing with the Aces. — A’ja Wilson is a free agent but reportedly re-signing with the Aces.

2026 WNBA season schedule

The WNBA’s landmark 30th season is scheduled to tip off on Friday, May 8.

April 7–18: Free agency
April 19: Training camp begins
April 25-May 3: Preseason games
June 1-17: Commissioner’s Cup
July 24-25: All-Star Weekend (Chicago)
Aug. 31- Sept. 16: FIBA Break
Sept. 24: Last day of regular season

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is WNBA draft? Date, time, draft order, mock draft, what to know

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