Dallas has once again jumped to the front of the line, as the Wings locked down the No. 1 overall pick at the 2026 WNBA Draft, scoring the top draft selection for the second straight year at Sunday's lottery.
The Wings selected UConn star guard Paige Bueckers with last year's No. 1 pick, with the NCAA champion going on to win 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
"We've got an exciting young group, and we really bond together," said Dallas Wings forward and 2023's overall No. 3 draftee Maddy Siegrist. "I'm excited to bring someone else in."
In the rest of Sunday night's 2026 lottery results, the league's rich got richer, with 2025 WNBA playoff contenders the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm claiming the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively, after both teams gained draft assets via trades.
The Washington Mystics will boost their already impressive young roster with the fourth draft pick in April, while the Chicago Sky snagged the fifth and final lottery spot on Sunday.
With 2026 WNBA season expanding to 15 teams, the league's two incoming expansion sides — the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — will select in the Nos. 6 and 7 spots.
As for the 2026 class, top NCAA prospects including UConn guard Azzi Fudd, UCLA center Lauren Betts, and TCU guard Olivia Miles — as well as international star Awa Fam from Spain — are likely to earn early selections in April's WNBA Draft.
Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball is gearing up for its 2026 return to the court, dropping all six-player team rosters plus a six-athlete development pool ahead of its expanded eight-squad second season on Wednesday.
Reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers was the distribution draft's first pick, with the Dallas Wings star joining expansion side Breeze BC under recently dismissed Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn.
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell went second, set to lead fellow expansion team Hive BC under head coach Rena Wakama.
Not every Unrivaled lineup saw significant changes, however, with reigning champion Rose BC returning four of their six original players while all inaugural teams opted to protect at least one top performer.
Napheesa Collier and Skylar Diggins are back on the Lunar Owls, Kahleah Copper and Chelsea Gray remained with Rose BC, and Alyssa Thomas and Jackie Young will encore for the Laces while the Vinyl protected Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard.
Even non-playoff teams held onto key talent, with Satou Sabally returning to the Phantom and Breanna Stewart staying with the Mist.
A trio of 2025 WNBA rookies also headline Unrivaled's new development group, with Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith, Indiana Fever forward Makayla Timpson, and Dallas Wings guard Aziaha James part of the six-player group that will fill in across the league to offset any injuries during the season.
How to buy 2026 Unrivaled player jerseys
While Bueckers's Breeze BC replica jersey sold out just minutes after Wednesday's roster reveal and subsequent merchandise drop, fans can gear up for the 2026 Unrivaled season by snagging other player's jerseys from the Unrivaled shop.
The 2026 Unrivaled team rosters
Breeze BC:
- Cameron Brink
- Paige Bueckers
- Rickea Jackson
- Dominique Malonga
- Kate Martin
- Aari McDonald
Lunar Owls BC:
- Rebecca Allen
- Rachel Banham
- Napheesa Collier
- Skylar Diggins
- Aaliyah Edwards
- Marina Mabrey
Rose BC:
- Shakira Austin
- Kahleah Copper
- Chelsea Gray
- Lexie Hull
- Azurá Stevens
- Sug Sutton
Hive BC:
- Monique Billings
- Sonia Citron
- Natisha Hiedeman
- Ezi Magbegor
- Kelsey Mitchell
- Saniya Rivers
Mist BC:
- Veronica Burton
- Allisha Gray
- Arike Ogunbowale
- Alanna Smith
- Breanna Stewart
- Li Yueru
Vinyl BC:
- Rae Burrell
- Brittney Griner
- Dearica Hamby
- Rhyne Howard
- Erica Wheeler
- Courtney Williams
Laces BC:
- Jordin Canada
- Naz Hillmon
- Maddy Siegrist
- Brittney Sykes
- Alyssa Thomas
- Jackie Young
Phantom BC:
- Aliyah Boston
- Natasha Cloud
- Dana Evans
- Kiki Iriafen
- Kelsey Plum
- Satou Sabally
Development Pool:
- Laeticia Amihere
- Emily Engstler
- Aziaha James
- Haley Jones
- Makayla Timpson
- Hailey Van Lith
Reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers is branching out, with Deadline reporting Wednesday that the Dallas Wings guard has signed on to star in an upcoming Apple Original Film.
Dubbed Jess & Pearl, the sports drama is based on an original idea by Zahir McGhee, whose resume includes writing and producing on the hit TV series Scandal.
"Set in the world of women's basketball, the film follows two phenoms who forge an extraordinary bond as teammates until fame, competition, and the ruthless business of college athletics threaten to turn their friendship into an epic rivalry," stated Deadline.
Middle Child Pictures will produce the film with White Lotus executive producer David Bernad at the helm along with Wasserman's Lindsay Kagawa Colas and Tommy Alter.
Along with stepping in front of the camera, Bueckers will also serve as an executive producer on the project.
Bueckers isn't the first WNBA player to dive into the world of cinema this year, after enterprising Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese made her own feature film debut with a cameo in Netflix's A House of Dynamite earlier this month.
The UConn alum is facing a packed offseason, with Bueckers adding her new Hollywood venture to a schedule that includes the star guard making her Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball debut in January.
Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson had herself a weekend, adding 2025 All-WNBA First Team honors to her stacked resume mere hours before winning her third league title on Friday.
Joining the Las Vegas Aces star was fellow unanimous First Team selectee Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), as the pair logged their fourth and third straight years, respectively, on the list.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell also earned spots on the elite roster.
Headlining the 2025 Second Team is Seattle Storm forward and eight-time All-WNBA selectee Nneka Ogwumike alongside Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston and a trio of standout guards: the Aces' Jackie Young, the New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu, and the Dallas Wings' Paige Bueckers.
The 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year isn't the only All-WNBA debutant, with Gray, Mitchell, and Boston joining Bueckers in earning their first-ever league-wide nods.
All WNBA athletes, regardless of their position, are eligible for All-WNBA selection, and voting media members determine the honorary squads.
Players earn five points for each First Team vote and three for every Second Team tally, with the league's top five players via points snagging the First roster and the next five featuring as the Second squad.
Along with the All-WNBA titles, this year's honorees are also cashing in, with each member of the 2025 First Team snagging a $10,300 bonus while the Second Team players take home checks for $5,150 each.
The Dallas Wings are officially making moves, with the franchise announcing Tuesday that it is parting ways with first-year head coach Chris Koclanes after the team finished the 2025 WNBA season in last place with a 10-34 record.
"As we enter a pivotal point in our team's future, we felt a change in leadership at this time was best for our organization," Dallas EVP and GM Curt Miller said in a Tuesday statement. "The Dallas Wings remain dedicated to their pursuit of WNBA Championships and building upon the strong culture established on and off the court."
Helming a Wings side that struggled with injury throughout the 2025 campaign, Koclanes cobbled together 18 different starting rosters as reserves and hardship signings led Dallas to field a WNBA-high 21 players across the season.
With Tuesday's announcement, Koclanes is now the third dismissed WNBA head coach this year, joining now-unemployed sideline leaders Noelle Quinn (Seattle Storm) and Sandy Brondello (New York Liberty) as the Wings look to build around 2025 No. 1 draft pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers.
Dallas also has an eye on the future, heading into the offseason with the best odds to secure next year's No. 1 overall draft selection — their second straight top pick — after a midseason pivot saw the team offload 2025 additions NaLyssa Smith and DiJonai Carrington.
Unrivaled Basketball is stocking up ahead of the 3×3 offseason league's 2026 campaign, rolling out the first group of six players set to join its second season on Monday.
Officially returning to the league's Miami court this year are Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas and her Mercury teammate Satou Sabally, as well as LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson.
Joining the Unrivaled returnees will be a trio of newcomers, with Seattle Storm veteran guard Erica Wheeler set to log her first minutes in the new league alongside a pair of WNBA star freshmen in Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers and 2025 Rookie of the Year and Dallas Wings standout Paige Bueckers.
Unrivaled plans to announce six athletes every weekday through October 1st, as the league gears up for its first 54-player season, which tips off on January 5th.
Fueled by a successful debut year and significant additional investment, Unrivaled accelerated its salary growth and expansion plans, adding two new teams plus an additional development pool of players to the league's 2026 season.
"If we didn't expand rosters, there were going to be All-Stars who we didn't have space for," Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell recently told ESPN. "We want to be the home for all of the best players in the world."
Due to the increase to eight total teams, Unrivaled could see their rosters rearranged for the sophomore campaign — meaning returning players like Laces BC's Thomas, Mist BC's Jackson, and Phantom BC's Sabally could suit up for a different squad next year.
Following the reveal of the league's full lineup, Unrivaled plans to drop team assignments in November.
Paige Bueckers is the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year, the league announced early Tuesday, as the Dallas Wings guard becomes the fifth consecutive No. 1 draft pick to win the award.
Bueckers is the first Wings player to earn the honor since Allisha Gray in 2017, finishing the 2025 season averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game and shooting 47.4% from the field.
The 23-year-old was the only player this season to finish in the Top 10 league-wide in points, assists, and steals per game — all while becoming the fastest rookie in WNBA history to notch 500 points and 100 assists.
While the conversation around the Class of 2025 included several high performers, the Rookie of the Year vote proved to be near unanimous, with Bueckers receiving 70 of the sports media panel's 72 votes.
The remaining two votes went to Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron.
While the race tightened as Citron heated up mid-season, Bueckers's August 20th rookie-record 44-point performance against the LA Sparks likely shut the door to any challengers.
"I know that we continue to do things the right way, we continue to believe in each other, continue to invest our whole lives into this basketball thing, the results will come," Bueckers told reporters after Dallas ended the season with a 10-34 record — securing the highest odds for next year's No. 1 draft pick.
With the regular season all wrapped up, the WNBA Rookie of the Year race is coming down to the wire as the best of the league's Class of 2025 — Paige Bueckers and Sonia Citron — steps into the spotlight.
Dallas Wings guard and 2025 No. 1 draft pick Bueckers leads her class in points per game, with her 19.2 average ranking fifth league-wide.
Bueckers is also responsible for the WNBA's only 40+ point performance this season, tallying a rookie-record 44 points against the LA Sparks last month.
Despite her dominance, Bueckers is not without peer competition, with Washington Mystics guard Citron giving the former UConn standout a run for her money this year.
Citron is one of just three first-years — including Bueckers — to score at least 650 points with a true shooting percentage above 55%, with the Notre Dame alum also breaking rookie team records in both points and three-pointers.
"I wouldn't say there's an award or milestone I'm most proud of," Citron said last week. "I'm just proud of the team, the program, and how we've continued to fight and just grow together."
Bueckers's grip on the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year title is likely undeniable, but the rest of the cohort's proven ability to push the young star only bodes well for the future of the class — and the league.
Dallas star Paige Bueckers all but slammed the door on the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year race on Wednesday, tying basketball legend Cynthia Cooper's 1997 single-game rookie scoring record by dropping a career-high 44 points in the No. 11 Wings' narrow 81-80 loss to the No. 9 LA Sparks.
Despite the Sparks officially eliminating the Wings from playoff contention, Bueckers's efficiency was on full display, tallying the highest single-game performance by any player in the league this season while shooting over 80% from the field.
"People have [seen] the struggles — the injuries, the ups and downs," Bueckers said afterwards. "For people to continue to follow me and still believe in me, it really means a lot."
The 2025 No. 1 overall draftee leads a rookie class thriving in the pros, with the No. 10 Washington Mystics' Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen and the No. 13 Connecticut Sun's Saniya Rivers hot on Bueckers's heels.
On the WNBA stat sheet, Bueckers currently sits fifth overall in points per game and ninth in assists per game, while Iriafen is fourth in rebounds per game and Citron — who recently set a new Mystics rookie scoring record with 537 career points — is fifth overall in clutch points.
Despite the Sun's struggles, Rivers has excelled defensively, becoming the fastest-ever WNBA player to record 30 career blocks by doing so in just 31 games.
Ultimately, while Sparks guard Kelsey Plum's game-winning buzzer-beater ended Bueckers's postseason dreams on Wednesday night, the rookie's heroics continue to shine with the WNBA's end-of-season awards fast approaching.
Team Clark has youth on their side this weekend, with Mystics rookie Sonia Citron gearing up to hit Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star court alongside Washington teammate and fellow 2025 draft pick Kiki Iriafen.
"I was not expecting this at all," Citron told WNBA legend Lisa Leslie on Between the Lines last week, referencing her surprise All-Star call-up. "I'm still in shock. I don't really think it's hit me yet."
"We're young, we've got a bunch of shooters, a little bit of everything" she said of Team Clark's lineup.
Saturday's game isn't Citron's only assignment this weekend, with the All-Star debutant also set to compete in Friday's 3-Point Contest.
The Mystics are on the rise this year, exceeding season expectations behind first-year firepower to send three players in Citron, Iriafen, and Washington's scoring leader Brittney Sykes to the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.
Citron is currently averaging five rebounds and 14 points per game — trailing only Sykes's 17 points per game on Washington's stat sheet. Her rookie campaign has her shooting 45% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc.
Fellow first-year Iriafen is also impressing, leading the Mystics with 8.5 rebounds per game as well as sinking nearly 12 points per game while shooting 46% from the field.
"[The rookies] have really played a key piece in our success this season with us being so young, but also them being so adaptable," second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards told Leslie in an earlier episode. "And they're runners for Rookie of the Year, so why not only have one when you can have two? I'm just loving it."
How to attend a live taping of "Between the Lines"
Just Women's Sports is taking over Indianapolis with multi-faceted activations for the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend — including a live recording of Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie.
Featuring interviews with Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), and Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever), the exclusive podcast taping will occur at 110 S Pennsylvania Street at 3 PM ET on Saturday.