The WNBA held its draft Monday night in front of a “room full of fans” that were “engaged enough to boo” during a trade. A few years ago, it was a “largely quiet affair,” but now the league has leveled up and made the draft a “true public event,” which came with the tradition of fans “booing as the commissioner makes a big announcement.” When WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the Valkyries traded No. 8 pick Flau’jae Johnson to the Storm, fans “reacted with gasps” and “boos,” which made for a “perfect moment for television.”
Portland Fire fans hoped for “someone recognizable.” The team selected two international players -- G Iyana Martín at No.7 and F Frieda Bühner at No. 17. The new franchise is tasked with “building an identity and connecting with fans just as much as filling out a roster.” It is “hard to bring in recognizable names through an expansion draft,” but Monday marked a “clear opportunity.” The Fire could have “used these picks to build some buzz and grow the budding fandom with a domestic college star -- a player who could feel like an immediate face of the franchise and help sell a few jerseys” (SI, 4/13). At the conclusion of the draft, Fire GM Vanja Černivec said that Martín will “not be coming to Portland for the 2026 WNBA season.” Černivec said that Martín “wants to focus on her mental health” and also wants to “focus on playing with the Spanish national team and training for the FIBA World Cup in September.” International players forgoing their first chance to play in the WNBA is “not entirely uncommon” (Portland OREGONIAN, 4/13).
The draft featured high fashion flair during the orange carpet as incoming rookies “expressed their individual personalities while strolling into the next chapter of their lives.” Monday night’s looks “spanned the gamut from dressy business pantsuits to full-on Hollywood-style glamour filled with designer labels.” The attention and detail given to the draft night outfits also is “good preparation for the ‘Tunnel Fits’ that have become a major part of WNBA marketing” with how the players look arriving for games during the season (AP, 4/13).
The UCLA women’s basketball team made history during draft night with five players selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft and six picked overall. First-round players were C Lauren Betts (No. 4, Mystics), F Gabriela Jaquez (No. 5, Sky) and F Angela Dugalic (No. 9, Mystics) and G Gianna Kneepkens (No. 15, Sun), while G Charlisse Leger-Walker, picked third in the second round by the Sun, rounded out the picks overall (L.A. TIMES, 4/13).
