Next Up: The WNBA Draft Race Heats Up — Meet the College Stars Poised to Take Over in 2026
As the college women’s basketball world turns toward the 2025-26 season, which officially began on November 3rd, 2025, and runs through March 15th, 2026, before the 2026 tournament kicks off on March 18th, 2026. Several juniors and seniors have already positioned themselves as early first-round picks for the upcoming WNBA draft. Leading the way among seniors is Lauren Betts of UCLA, a six-foot-seven center who averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game during her 2024-25 junior run, shooting an efficient 64.8 percent from the field. Betts couples elite size and rim-protection with improved mobility and range, making her the clear frontrunner to be first-ranked. Close behind is guard-forward Flau’Jae Johnson of LSU, who averaged 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season while shooting 38.3 percent from three. Her experience in a high-pressure program and scoring versatility make her another early first‐round lock.
On the junior front, keep a close eye on Olivia Miles of TCU. Although she remains a junior and is expected to enter the draft in 2027, she averaged 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game last season and already projects as a top guard for a 2027 pick. Her playmaking, court vision, and rebounding ability from the guard spot give her a pro-ready feel. Also worth noting is senior guard Azzi Fudd from UConn, who averaged 13.6 points per game and shot 43.6 percent from three in 2024-25. While injuries have slowed parts of her career, her shooting and high-level experience in a championship program keep her firmly in first‐round conversations.
As teams evaluate prospects this season, they’ll weigh not only raw talent but readiness, injury history, age, and positional fit. Seniors like Betts and Johnson are the safe picks with immediate impact potential, whereas juniors such as Miles represent high upside with a bit more projection. With the regular season just beginning on November 3rd and the tournament field expanding shortly after, the next several months will be critical for each player’s draft stock. Expect front offices to engage deeply in the summer and fall, tracking individual development, role expansion, and structural fit for their franchises. The 2025-26 college season is more than a lead-in: it’s the launching pad for the next wave of WNBA stars.
