International players have always found success in the WNBA. However, many of them come into the league as undrafted free agents, lower draft picks, or after spending several years playing professionally overseas. U.S.-American players have historically dominated the top of the WNBA Draft.
A player born and/or raised outside the U.S.A. hasn’t been drafted with the number one pick since 2001. That year, Australian superstar Lauren Jackson was drafted first overall by the Seattle Storm. Since then, several international players have been drafted in the top five, but not with the number one pick. The 2026 WNBA Draft could put an end to that trend.
While the NCAA season and games in Europe can still change things, the top of the 2026 draft is largely expected to include Awa Fam, Lauren Betts, Olivia Miles, Flau’jae Johnson, and Azzi Fudd in no set order. If Awa Fam goes first, she would be the first international player to be drafted number one overall since 2001.
Awa Fam has a strong case to be a top pick in 2026
Awa Fam is the youngest prospect among the projected top picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft. She is only 19 years old, but has been playing professionally in Spain for a few years already. Given her young age, Fam may have one of the highest ceilings in the draft. She already has great playmaking skills for a young big, solid defensive fundamentals, and excellent footwork and skills around the basket.
The Dallas Wings currently have the best odds to win the number one pick. They need a young center to develop alongside Paige Bueckers. Fam is definitely an interesting prospect for Dallas, but so is Lauren Betts.
The Chicago Sky have the second-highest odds to win the top selection, but they owe their pick to the Minnesota Lynx. Minnesota could also use a young center to develop in its system and play behind Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith. Fam would be the kind of young prospect that could benefit from starting off with a small role and great veterans to learn from—almost like Dominique Malonga did with the Seattle Storm this season.
Only a handful of international players have been drafted first overall
Lauren Jackson was the last international player to be drafted first overall. Before her, two other international players were in the same position. In 2000, the Cleveland Rockers drafted Belgian center Ann Wauters with the number one pick. Brazilian forward Cíntia dos Santos was drafted fourth by the Orlando Miracle in the same year.
In 1998, the Utah Starzz used the top picks to select Polish center Małgorzata Dydek. Portuguese guard Ticha Penicheiro went second overall to the Sacramento Monarchs that year, and the Detroit Shock drafted Korie Hlede out of Croatia with the fourth pick.
In the 2020s, only eight international players were drafted in the top five. The Dallas Wings selected German forward Satou Sabally second overall in 2020. The next year, the Wings picked Awak Kuier out of Finland with yet another number two pick. Sabally’s sister Nyara went fifth overall to the Liberty in 2022. 2023 marked the first year in the 2020s that two international prospects were drafted in the top five: Stephanie Soares and Lou Lopez Sénéchal. Brazilian center Kamila Cardoso was the second overall pick in 2024. Dominique Malonga and Justé Jocyté were both top-five picks in this year’s draft.