The WNBA just held its 2025 draft in mid-April. However, Michael Voepel of ESPN recently ranked the top prospects for the 2026 WNBA Draft. Who does Voepel have ranked No. 1 overall?
There are multiple candidates who could realistically be ranked No. 1 overall. UConn's Azzi Fudd is set to step into a true leadership position with Paige Bueckers now in the WNBA. Olivia Miles shocked the league by returning to college basketball, and she is certainly a candidate as well. However, there is one player who Voepel believes is above all of the rest.
The ESPN article lists UCLA's Lauren Betts as the top prospect for the 2026 WNBA Draft.
"Betts' junior season was a breakthrough for her and the Bruins, who went to the Final Four for the first time in the NCAA era and won the Big Ten tournament title in their first year in that league," Voepel wrote. "Betts' offensive and defensive skills as a true center will be valued in the WNBA."
Fudd and Miles are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 overall.
Lauren Betts' promising 2025-26 outlook
Betts, 21, established herself as a star in 2024-25 with UCLA. She would have been one of the top prospects in the 2025 draft. By staying in college for another season, though, the UCLA star could become the top prospect in 2026.
The center averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in 2024-25 with the Bruins. She also shot 64.8 percent from the field. Betts does not shoot the three-ball, but she can unquestionably find success inside of the three-point line.
Her defense also makes her an all-around dangerous player. She recorded 2.9 blocks per game and just under one steal per outing this past season. Betts simply makes things happen on both ends of the floor. She plays hard, and one has to imagine that UCLA women's basketball will make another NCAA Tournament run in 2025-26 with Lauren Betts leading the way.
A lot can change by the 2026 WNBA Draft, of course. Voepel's rankings are not guaranteed to hold up. It is difficult to argue with Betts being No. 1 overall right now, though. Fudd and Miles are stars and they will likely play well at the WNBA level, but Betts is unstoppable at times.
With that said, all three players are poised for big seasons during the 2025-26 campaign.