After months of looking ahead to the WNBA Draft and predicting who might go atop the draft — even when we didn’t know if there would actually be a season — the time has come to finally find out where prospects will land as they enter the WNBA.
On April 13, the 2026 WNBA Draft will commence, with the three-round draft beginning at 4:30 p.m. CT in New York City.
Selecting first will be the Dallas Wings, followed by the Minnesota Lynx at No. 2, Seattle Storm at No. 3, Washington Mystics at No. 4 and Chicago Sky at No. 5 to round out the top five.
When it comes to the Lynx, they could go a few different routes in the draft, depending on what position or prospect Cheryl Reeve and Co. are targeting. But Minnesota is also in a great spot where it could simply select the best player available after Dallas picks, with the Lynx getting a strong prospect regardless of what happens at No. 1.
As we continue to speculate who the Lynx could select with the second overall pick, let’s dive into which players are linked to the Lynx in mock drafts and then introduce you to those prospects.
Who is Mocked to Minnesota?
Among some of the mock drafts that have been released since the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament, they are kind of mixed when it comes to who they think Minnesota will select at No. 2.
TCU point guard Olivia Miles has become a popular name linked to the Lynx at second overall, though others have noted UCLA center Lauren Betts, UConn shooting guard Azzi Fudd and center Awa Fam out of Spain as possibilities.
Here’s a breakdown of some mock drafts, including our own from Terry Horstman:
- Hitting the Hardwood: Azzi Fudd
- ESPN: Awa Fam
- The Athletic: Azzi Fudd
- Yahoo Sports: Olivia Miles
- CBS Sports: Olivia Miles
- Bleacher Report: Olivia Miles
- FanSided: Olivia Miles
- Sporting News: Olivia Miles
- For The Win: Lauren Betts
- NBA Draft Room: Awa Fam
Olivia Miles
Miles has jumped up mock drafts as of late, notably during the NCAA Tournament. As a top-five pick within the last few months, Miles is projected to go second to the Lynx on multiple mock drafts, with some even having her go No. 1 to Dallas.
When it comes to Miles’ skillset, she is exactly what you would want in a floor general. Miles’ court vision and processing of the game is impressive, and has the ability to hurt you from anywhere on the floor offensively, notably from three.
However, one question mark with Miles is her defense, something that could be of concern at the next level. However, if there is one landing spot that could help maximize the development of Miles and help her become a well-rounded players, it’s Minnesota under the tutelage of Reeve, Lindsay Whalen and the rest of the Lynx coaching staff.
Azzi Fudd
A UConn Huskies star going to the Lynx is a story we’ve seen before, and something that has worked out well for Minnesota throughout history. Fudd could be the perfect player to join that list, and she’s a young talent that could immediately impact the Lynx or whatever team she is drafted by.
Fudd is the type of two-way talent that many teams would love to add, with the ability to hurt you from three and also be a lockdown defender on the other end of the court. She didn’t have a great NCAA Tournament, but that isn’t a dealbreaker when you have the larger sample size of the regular season where she put together a strong showing.
Fudd is a similar player to Lynx veteran Kayla McBride, and could be the perfect next-in-line behind McBride when she does call it a career. And who knows, maybe Fudd with get a chance to work and replicate her game after McBuckets as teammates in Minnesota.
Lauren Betts
If Minnesota is looking to go big in the draft, Betts is a name that should be in play and could be of consideration for the Lynx. And depending on how free agency shakes out, Minnesota could be looking to add to its depth in the paint.
For starters, Betts’ height and size sets her apart. At 6-foot-7, Betts has shown the ability to dominate on both ends of the floor and be a menacing presence in the paint. Her ability to protect the rim, defend and presenting opposing teams with a matchup nightmare is one of the reasons she helped lead UCLA to a national championship.
Betts is more of a traditional center — something Minnesota has gone away from a bit since Sylvia Fowles retired to surround Napheesa Collier with more of a spread-out, fast-paced offense — but her talent and size could be a nice addition to the Lynx if they have her atop their draft board.
Awa Fam
Fam is a prospect that not too many are familiar with, but one that is a very intriguing prospect that will go high in the draft. Fam is viewed as having the highest upside of any player in the draft, though at 19 years old, she will require a bit of time to develop.
Fam has been atop many mock drafts all offseason, and that hasn’t changed just days before the draft. At 6-foot-4, Fam is a prospect that has the skill and athleticism that could be a serious problem in the WNBA.
Fam has a ton of potential, but you wonder if Minnesota would want to bank on potential over someone that could help the Lynx right now. If they don’t want another developmental player, regardless of the upside that Fam has, the Lynx could look elsewhere. But if Minnesota wants to bank on what could be with Fam, it could be well worth the wait by taking the Spaniard.