As we enter a new era of the WNBA — a transformational CBA, more expansion and overwhelming growth — this year’s rookie class has brought newfound personality, grittiness and energy to the league. From off-court antics to on-court performances showcasing their fearlessness and refusal to back down, we’ve learned the future of the W is in good hands.
This year has had one of the most divisive drafts we’ve seen in recent years. Previous first overall picks were layups — Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston all seemed like the obvious choices. This year, the discourse was running rampant until the moment WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Dallas’ choice — even now, the think pieces are ongoing.
But in all fairness, there have been plenty of first-round picks this season, including No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd, who have made their case as to why they could’ve gone first overall — hindsight is always 20/20, of course.
Early Picks Working Against Expectations
Olivia Miles
Second overall pick, Olivia Miles, is one of those “could’ve been” players. While some mock drafts had her going above Fudd, some didn’t have her going until pick four or five. Nonetheless, she is exceeding everyone’s expectations at this point.
Every single one of Miles’ traits that made her so great in college has translated seamlessly into the WNBA. From her high IQ, unmatched court vision, and midrange jumpers to her guts and stamina — we’ve seen it all. She leads the rookie class in points, assists, and steals per game. She became just the fourth rookie in WNBA history to average at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists through her first seven games — joining the elite group of Caitlin Clark, Candace Parker, and Sabrina Ionescu.
When we mention a new era of personality and refusal to back down, we’re talking about Miles. It’s still early, yet we’ve seen several instances of the rookie letting the veterans know that she’s arrived. Whether it be hitting Rhyne Howard with a “too small” gesture or trash talking Alyssa Thomas up and down the court, Miles is settling right in. Seemingly, Minnesota was the perfect landing spot for her, too. The Lynx are allowing her to play to her strengths and lean into what makes her great. Per Andrew Dukowitz, Head Coach Cheryl Reeve told reporters, “I want her to be herself, her confident, authentic self, whatever that is… I think the veterans have her, right? I try to coach the game with her… If I see something, I might try to yank her back a little bit, but in general, I want her to go…”
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Awa Fam
Third-overall pick, Awa Fam, recently made her WNBA debut. After being selected in the draft, she needed to fulfill her overseas commitments before coming to the states and joining the Seattle Storm. With a handful of games under her belt, she’s proved she was well worth the wait.
She has immediately had to pick up some slack in the paint, as the Storm are down their two primary bigs, Dominique Malonga and Ezi Magbegor, due to injuries. In her debut, Fam recorded 10 points, shooting 57.1 percent from the floor. In just her fifth appearance, she recorded 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks, showing off her length and in-the-paint dominance. She is exactly what this ‘in the works’ Seattle squad needs; She brings new energy, is acclimating quickly and can hopefully breathe some life and confidence into the team.
Flau’jae Johnson
Eighth overall pick Flau’jae Johnson had a less-than-typical draft night experience. Originally, she was selected by the Golden State Valkyries, but before the night was over, they traded her to the Seattle Storm. While the reasoning for this decision is still unclear, Johnson likely has lost any sleep over it — she’s shining in Seattle.
As the Storm enter a bit of a rebuilding period, we knew Johnson would be getting quality time on the court. She’s another rookie who is making the most of every opportunity she’s given. So far this season, she’s averaging over 11 points and four rebounds per game, while starting each game so far.
In college, Johnson was known for her scoring and energy, both on and off the court. Some people thought that version of herself would stay behind at LSU, but similar to Miles, she has come into the league with an unafraid mindset — she’s not only ready but excited to go against the league’s best every night. Even when the production on the court is going through a lull, she’s unwavering.
Seattle head coach Sonia Raman told reporters, “What I love about Flau’Jae is that she’s the same every day. Whether she’s playing to her standards… or struggling a little bit, she comes in, and she works, and she’s competitive and brings energy.” She continued, “She’s eager to do whatever it takes to help the team…”
Azzi Fudd
While Miles and Johnson surely felt the pressures of going early, there may have been no other draftee facing expectations quite like Azzi Fudd. The commentary was swirling long before the draft and only picked up afterwards.
Fudd’s first few appearances definitely didn’t meet those expectations — but that raises the question: are those expectations even fair? The previous two first overall picks had unearthly rookie season starts. Through her first five games, Clark was averaging 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. Bueckers was averaging 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game through her first five appearances. Both also got immediate starting spots.
Those are naturally two tough acts to follow. Fudd played just over 20 minutes off the bench during her first five games, averaging 8.4 points per game. The three points she scored in her debut were the fewest from the first overall pick in 20 years.
Although, if there’s one lesson we can all learn from the overwhelming expectations and standards placed on top draft picks, it’s patience. Turns out, Fudd’s slow start is nothing more than her acclimating. In the Dallas Wings’ win over the New York Liberty on May 24, she quickly became the star of the show. After coming off the bench in the first half, she got the second-half start. Fudd owned the third quarter, draining five three-pointers and recording 17 of Dallas’ 28 points. She finished the night with a season-high 24 points, three assists, three steals, and two blocks, earning her a starting spot in the Wings’ next matchup against Las Vegas on May 28.
Against the Aces, Fudd took full advantage of the confidence instilled in her. She recorded 22 points, three rebounds, and two assists, shooting 3-of-5 from three-point land. When asked about her aggressiveness and efficiency, head coach Jose Fernandez told reporters, “She’s great, she gets to her spots, she’s very confident in her shot… her teammates find her, which they should…” He continued, “I like seeing her be so aggressive, putting the ball on the deck like she has been when people defend her off a stagger or a floppy or flare-screen…”
Fernandez also mentioned that the team will need to be more patient when Fudd gets thrown off by a defender. As she continues to find her confidence on the court, the team will only benefit from waiting and allowing her to get back to her spots in space. She is finding her groove being back on the same court with Bueckers and her chemistry with her other teammates is advancing with time. Fudd scored over 20 points in both games in which she played 30 or more minutes. Expect her time on the court to lengthen.
Bruins Burning Bright
The UCLA women’s basketball team made history in this year’s draft. The Bruins had five players selected in the first round, breaking a record for players taken in the opening round that was previously set by UConn in 2002. When the sixth Bruin, Charlisse Leger-Walker, was selected 18th overall, UCLA set a new record for most players selected in one WNBA Draft.
After their national championship victory, these six players didn’t have much time to celebrate. They were in their first days of WNBA training camp just two weeks after the confetti fell.
Lauren Betts, a 6-foot-7 center, was the first UCLA player off the board. Her integration into the league has been admittedly difficult. She was a guest on Sue Bird’s podcast, ‘Bird’s Eye View,’ where she spoke about settling into an entirely new system with the Washington Mystics. When Bird asked what the hardest aspect has been, Betts said, “I feel like, like really having to drop everything I learned at UCLA and picking up all this stuff… At UCLA, everything we did was around the post and playing high-low…”
It’s true. In college, Betts’ biggest strength was her height and size in the paint — it’s what made her one of the best bigs in the NCAA. But now, she’s getting used to being much more active. She’s setting more ball screens and finding new ways to help her teammates using those elite assets.
Right now, Betts is making the most of the time she’s getting on the court. She is averaging just over five points in roughly 13 minutes per game. There’s such an elite frontcourt starting duo, Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin, to play with and learn from in Washington. While she might not be meeting all the expectations placed on her yet, it’s only a matter of time before we see the Betts we’re used to.
On the other hand, a couple of Bruins have entered the league, found their footing and have not looked back since. Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice were selected by the Chicago Sky and the Toronto Tempo at picks five and six, respectively. Both have found themselves in similar positions.
While she had a massive showing in the national championship game, some were still wary about Jaquez going so early in the draft. There were concerns about her offensive efficiency. But the Sky went all in on her immediately, throwing her right into the fire with a starting spot. Her first three appearances were solid, scoring 10, seven and 13 points. It wasn’t until her fourth game that we saw her shatter all expectations. When the Sky’s leader, Skylar Diggins, was unavailable due to injury, Jaquez knew she’d have to pick up some of that weight. During Chicago’s win over the Minnesota Lynx on May 17, she recorded 20 points, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal.
In college, one of Jaquez’s best qualities was her aggressiveness on both offense and defense. She’s disruptive, yet calm and collected. After her performance against Minnesota, head coach Tyler Marsh told reporters, “Gabs, man, she looks like anything but a rookie.” He continued, “It’s very hard for me to take her off the court, even when she’s gasping for air… she just finds ways to be effective on both ends of the floor. She doesn’t get disgruntled or out of rhythm when things aren’t going her way…”
Jaquez is currently facing another early challenge as she’s been forced to the bench due to injury. It doesn’t seem like a long-term thing, so hopefully she will get back out on the court soon and continue building confidence.
Similar to Jaquez, Rice knew she’d have to step up and perform in place of an injured teammate. She averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game through her first three appearances. When Toronto’s starting guard Julie Allemand went down with a hip injury, Rice slid right into her spot in the lineup. Since getting that spot, she’s averaged over 15 points, six rebounds, and three assists per game. In the Tempo’s win over the Seattle Storm on May 30, she retained that starting position, even in Allemand’s return, and recorded 17 points, six rebounds and a season-high four steals.
Jaquez and Rice have another thing in common. Both have faced early challenges after being forced to the bench due to injury. Jaquez has made her way back to the court and hopefully, they can both pick up right where they left off and continue building confidence.
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Rice is quickly finding her confidence and falling into a groove. Her versatility and hustle have been exactly what Toronto needs. Per Savanna Hamilton, head coach Sandy Brondello told reporters, “She’s even better than I thought she would be too… She just wants a challenge, and she’s a true competitor. She’s a winner.”
International Stand-Outs
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season thus far has been the international rookies. A few new names have entered the league after spending the majority of their careers playing overseas. Although some might not necessarily be fresh-out-of-college-aged, they’re similar to the NCAA rookies in the fact that they’re all entering an entirely new environment.
Jovana Nogić has quickly become a fan favorite in Phoenix. She is second only to Miles in points per game, but leads the rookie class in total three-pointers made by quite a wide margin — in fact, she’s third across the entire league. Fans were made aware of her talents fairly early on in the season. During her debut, Nogić dropped 19 points, four assists and two steals, shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Then, in just her fourth appearance, she recorded 27 points and four rebounds, draining 5-of-8 from three-point land. As the Mercury look to get their season back on track, they’ll rely on Nogić to keep finding her spots, shooting with confidence and drawing defenders.
France’s Pauline Astier also made the move to the WNBA this season, joining the New York Liberty. She’s known for her dynamic court vision, shooting and passing abilities. So far, all of that has translated to the league. She was quickly thrown in the deep end, having to pick up some of the slack due to Sabrina Ionescu being on the bench with an injury. She got off to a quick start. In just her second appearance, Astier recorded 18 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. She’s also one of the most efficient rookies, shooting over 60 percent from the field this season.
While Ionescu’s return could leave Astier stagnant with less time on the court, Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco reassured that it won’t be the case. Per Geoff Magliocchetti, DeMarco told reporters, “She’s going to play a lot; she’s a very good player. We believe in her… Sab coming back, we’ll play them together, we can stagger them, there’s a variety of things we can do.”
So, we haven’t seen the last of Astier. She’s just another piece of this rookie class that’s made the league that much more entertaining in 2026.
No matter who you thought would hear their name called first, the top draft picks have all seemingly ended up exactly where they were meant to be. And whether you’re a fan of three-point shooting, defense, or even trash talking, this rookie class has given us a little bit of everything so far this season.
Perhaps when the first-overall choice couldn’t be agreed upon, we should’ve known we were in for an exceptionally up-in-the-air Rookie of the Year race. Add in all the international pieces and this might be the most heavily debated battle for the honors we’ve ever seen.
