Now that the WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), teams and fans will begin to look forward to a few major parts of the preseason: the expansion drafts for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, free agency, and the 2026 WNBA Draft.
The Indiana Fever didn't have the 2025 season the team hoped they might, but that will likely inspire the team to approach the 2026 season with ferocity and zeal. That begins with free agency and the draft, which will both give the Fever the opportunity to make changes, retain key players, and bring in new faces who can complement the players who are already on the roster.
One of those faces may be Ta'Niya Latson, who transferred from Florida State to South Carolina ahead of the 2025-26 NCAA season. Though Latson hasn't necessarily had exactly the kind of success many fans hoped she might this year, she's still put in a strong performance. Latson is averaging 14.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 28.2 minutes on the court, and is part of the Gamecocks squad currently decimating opponents in the first and second rounds of the March Madness.
Ta'Niya Latson already has an Indiana Fever connection
The Fever will have to sit patiently during the first round of the draft, as the No. 10 overall spot is the first time they'll have a chance to add someone to their roster. Latson is a likely late first-round candidate, and she already comes with a connection to the team.
Before she transferred, Latson played alongside Makayla Timpson, who was drafted to the Fever last season. The pair worked really well together while they played at FSU and both racked up All-American honors (Latson was named by the Associated Press to the 2024-25 Women's Basketball All-America team, and Timpson received an honorable mention from the outlet). Latson's award was the first time a player from FSU received a first, second or third team All-American by the AP in program history.
Last season, Latson was the top scorer in the country and was also the fastest player in FSU history to score 2,000 points. She scored a career-high 40 points against Virginia Tech and received several ACC honors throughout the 2024-25 NCAA season. Her decision to transfer to South Carolina presented an opportunity for growth, and being drafted to the Fever would give her the chance to continue work she and Timpson were already putting in together.