2026 WNBA Expansion Draft LIVE Log: Portland Fire & Toronto Tempo Picks

The day has finally arrived: the 2026 WNBA expansion draft is here, and the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo will select their inaugural rosters. Nearly two weeks have passed since the Players' Union and the WNBA agreed to a historic collective bargaining agreement. With a condensed schedule set in stone, the WNBA will welcome its 14th and 15th teams.

At last, the WNBA will celebrate its 30th season, and what better way to kick things off than with two brand new teams? There was a period when the season's status was in limbo until a CBA was reached. Once the deal is ratified, the WNBA season will get the green light, including a condensed offseason. Everything is contingent on the ink hitting the paper.

On Friday, ESPN confirmed on air that the CBA has not yet been ratified, even though the league, players, and Board of Governors all voted "yes." As a result, specific dates regarding free agency remain up in the air.

The league continues to expand by welcoming its first international franchise. By 2030, the league will expand to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Portland, Detroit, Cleveland, and Houston once defined the WNBA's inception, and now the league is delivering a promise fans waited decades for: those cities are gearing up for a return.

WNBA Expands Internationally

Toronto tabbed Masai Ujiri as its principal owner, a familiar name who was the former President and Vice Chairman of the Toronto Raptors. Having been associated with the Toronto Raptors' 2019 championship season, Ujiri brings experience and a proven track record to the league's newest franchise. The team also hired two-time WNBA Champion Monica Wright Rogers as its first General Manager and appointed Sandy Brondello as head coach.

Canada's first WNBA team name was developed through ideas submitted by more than 10,000 people. Branded with a mix of Bordeaux and Borealis Blue colors, the jerseys will celebrate fans, the community, and basketball. The uniforms will feature a signature "T", representing six lines that make up a starting five and the sixth player.

The identity behind the Tempo name reflects the "rhythm and pace" of Canada and basketball. This season, the Tempo will play home games at the Coca-Cola Coliseum, also home of the AHL's Toronto Marlies and PHWL's Toronto Scepters. Incorporated in their 44-game schedule are trips to Scotiabank Arena, home to the Toronto Raptors, Bell Centre (Montreal), and Rogers Arena (Vancouver).

Moda Center Welcomes Back the WNBA

A new flame is igniting in Portland, a city where the WNBA legacy was previously born. Set to join forces with Portland as its first-ever General Manager, Vanja Černivec recently served as the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Golden State Valkyries. The Fire additionally named former WNBA star and Boston Celtics Scout Ashley Battle as Vice President of Basketball Operations, Strategy, and Innovation. The first-ever head coach is Alex Sarama, who recently held a role as an assistant coach for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers.

Home to the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, Moda Center will also welcome the Fire, who will play their home games at the venue. Owned by Alex Bhathal and Michelle Bhathal of RAJ Sports, the Fire aesthetic scheme includes tones of fire red, brown, blue, and pink. Branded by a local Portland agency, the jerseys nearly replicate the Trail Blazers in color: Set to feature Fire, Portland, and PDX on the uniforms, the design carries a deeply rooted meaning. PDX is comprised of and inspired by the Willamette River, the 2026 arrival, and the celebration of the "conviction, pride, and individual expression of Portland."

The Fire Branding

The Fire returns to Portland after being one of the many defunct WNBA franchises that notably drafted former Rookie of the Year Jackie Stiles. Since folding after running from 2000 to 2002, the franchise will revitalize itself in front of the Rose City faithful. Blending a modern twist with old roots, the franchise is paying homage to Portland by identifying its logo as a "Rose on Fire." Representing the city's deep-rooted passion and spirit for sports, the logo features a rose and a flame, along with a color palette that "evokes the power of grit, calm, and creativity that defines the team."

On Friday, Apr. 3, both the Tempo and Fire will complete their first-ever expansion draft. Under the new CBA deal, each team will have 12 players, with two additional developmental spots. Ballislife breaks down the expansion rules, live selections, and the analysis behind the picks...

Expansion Draft Rules

• Through a coin flip, it has been determined that Portland will choose first in the 24-pick draft, which will operate in a two-round snake format (meaning Toronto gets the first pick in round two).
• Each of the incumbent 13 teams will be allowed to protect up to five players (submitted by Sunday, March 29). Players on a respective team's active roster, suspended, draft, reserved, core, or retired lists as of the final day of the last regular season will be eligible for protection or selection. Players on expired contracts with at least five years of service will be labeled "potential unrestricted free agents." Portland and Toronto can select such a player each.
• Next week, Portland and Toronto will be permitted to negotiate deals that could feature either an agreement to take an unprotected player and trade her to another team or an agreement to select or not select a woman on the unprotected list.
• Each WNBA team was able to protect up to six players last year in the Golden State Valkyries expansion draft. That number has since dropped to five, which means teams can protect fewer players. Each roster will be assembled through the expansion draft, WNBA Draft, and free agency period.

How and Where to Watch

The 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft Special, presented by State Street Management SPY, will take place on Apr. 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Trade! Trade!

The WNBA season's first trade is among us, involving several teams. No, this wasn't an April Fool's joke—the Fire, Tempo, and Chicago Sky struck a deal. Such deals include:

• The Chicago Sky will receive the No. 21 pick from the Fire in exchange for the No. 17 pick. Subsequently, Portland will not select a member of the Sky in the expansion draft.
• The Sky sent the No. 26 pick to the Tempo, and in return, Toronto will not select a Sky player in expansion.

My take: Chicago finished with a 10-34 record, and once again missed the playoffs under the Angel Reese/Kamilla Cardoso era. They were willing to give up picks to protect players, but what does this mean? Chicago currently has four players under contract: Reese, Cardoso, Hailey Van Lith, and Maddy Westbeld. Will they attempt to re-sign Ariel Atkins in free agency, who was acquired last February? Will Rachel Banham and Rebecca Allen return to the Windy City? Or is the Sky attempting to cook up something big?

Having finished with the worst record next to the Dallas Wings, it doesn't make sense to give up picks. In fact, they dropped four spots in the draft; perhaps they are banking on future players such as Van Lith and Westbeld.

2026 WNBA Draft

With the recent trades, here is what each of the three teams holds for WNBA draft picks:

• The Toronto Tempo: Picks Nos. 6, 22, 26, and 36
• The Portland Fire: Picks Nos. 7, 17, and 37
• The Chicago Sky: Picks Nos. 5, 21, and 32

2026 WNBA Expansion Draft Order & Picks

Portland Fire's Selections

• Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx, forward)—Selected No. 1 overall
• Carla Leite (Golden State Valkyries, guard)
• Luisa Geiselsöder (Dallas Wings, center)
• Emily Engstler (Washington Mystics, forward)
• Maya Caldwell (Atlanta Dream, guard)
• Chloe Bibby (Indiana Fever, guard)

Second Round Picks

• Haley Jones (Dallas Wings, guard)
• Nyadiew Puoch (Atlanta Dream, forward)
• Sarah Ashlee Barger (Los Angeles Sparks, guard)
• Sug Sutton (Washington Mystics, guard)
• Nike Mühl (Seattle Storm, guard)

Toronto Tempo's Selections

• Julie Allemand (LA Sparks, guard)–Selected No. 2 overall
• Nyara Sabally (New York Liberty, center)
• Marina Mabrey (Connecticut Sun, guard)
• Aaliyah Nye (Las Vegas Aces, guard)
• Lexi Held (Phoenix Mercury, guard)
• Maria Conde (Golden State Valkyries, forward)

Second Round Picks

• Maria Kliundikova (Minnesota Lynx, forward)
• Adja Kane (New York Liberty, forward)
• Nikolina Milić (Connecticut Sun, forward)
• Kitija Laksa (Phoenix Mercury, guard)
• Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever, guard)

Portland Fire Analysis

Draft Grade: C+

The Portland Fire opted to draft forward Bridget Carleton from the Minnesota Lynx. While I projected Carleton to be selected high in the draft, I wasn't expecting the first pick. Instead of heading to her native country of Canada, Carleton is headed to Rip City. I initially thought she would be selected by Toronto. Carleton is a UFA (unrestricted free agent), and Portland chose to pick her first.

Carleton brings size and the ability to stretch the floor at 6'2". A fixture in the Lynx lineup for years, she carved out a role as a bona fide starter during their 2024 WNBA Championship run. Although the Lynx fell short, Carleton shot 44.4% from three in that season. A career 39.1% shooter from beyond the arc, Carleton is a flamethrower, a player who can ignite the offense from the 3-point line.

I am a huge fan of Luisa Geiselsöder, Carla Leite, and Maya Caldwell. A native of Germany, Geiselsöder brings size and can stretch the floor. She emerged as a consistent scorer for the Dallas Wings, who cycled through a rotation of frontcourt players due to trades and injuries. Showing her ability to guard more than one position, Geiselsöder averaged 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, shooting 33% from three in 26 games.

"Today was an incredibly exciting day for Portland as we begin the roster construction ahead of the debut season tip-off," said Fire General Manager Vanja Černivec. “Throughout this process, our priority was finding players who embody effort, selflessness, and a commitment to team success. Each player we selected reflects the culture of what we are building, and the style of play we want the Fire to represent from day one.”

Leite is another promising young player who was originally drafted by the Wings in 2024 but was later chosen by the Golden State Valkyries in their expansion draft. Leite produced a solid rookie season, acting as a consistent scorer and secondary ball-handler behind Veronica Burton. In 37 games, she averaged 7.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 17 minutes.

I'm most intrigued by Caldwell, who's spent three of her four WNBA seasons with the Atlanta Dream. She carved out a serviceable role and even started 16 of 41 games in 2025. Caldwell is a decent shooter, averaging 35.5% from beyond the arc in 2025. It's tough to find adequate minutes behind Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, but she may have the chance to break out as a starter with Portland.

My Reaction

It's clear that Portland is playing the long-term game. Nika Mühl was originally drafted by the Seattle Storm in 2024 and is set to miss another season due to an ACL injury. Chloe Bibby played just nine games with the Fever and suffered a knee injury. In addition, Nyadiew Puoch was picked by the Dream in 2024, but has yet to play WNBA minutes.

To me, this squad is full of "what ifs." Most of this roster hasn't gotten a chance to break out with their former teams, but they have the potential to. Veteran players such as Sug Sutton can bring in leadership, but there are several unknowns with this group.

It will be interesting to see who Portland attracts via free agency and the WNBA Draft. To me, this is not a championship-worthy roster, right now, respectfully. This team lacks size, although Haley Jones and Emily Engstler are 6'1." Not only does this team lack star power and size, but who will step up as the top scorer? They have some strong pieces, but this team lacks a clear identity.

Toronto Tempo Analysis

Draft Grade: A- / B+

I didn't see this coming, but the Toronto Tempo chose Julie Allemand as the first player in the expansion draft. General Manager Monica Wright Rogers stated that Tempo's strategy shifted after the coin toss in Toronto, which favored Toronto over Portland in the 2026 WNBA Draft. With that, she alluded to the draft class being deep, and this is likely where the Tempo will round out their roster, along with free agency.

At a glance, Toronto simply values a higher WNBA Draft pick over an expansion draft pick. In my opinion, Toronto won this draft by a landslide.

Selected No. 33 overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft, Allemand, 29, has played three WNBA seasons, and most recently played 34 games for the Los Angeles Sparks last season. She averaged just 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals, but Allemand was a key player who filled in for various injured players under head coach Lynne Roberts. A Belgian native, the 5-foot-8 guard joined the team after missing the entire 2024 season with an ankle injury.

“This marks the start of building the Toronto Tempo the right way,” added Tempo General Manager Monica Rogers. “We were deliberate in assembling a roster built on versatility, depth, and competitiveness. This group brings leadership, defensive edge, and scoring across the floor, and every player was selected with a clear expectation to compete at a high level, hold the standard, and help define the culture we’re setting in Toronto.”

A 2025 EuroBasket Champion, Allemand brings a veteran presence and gives Toronto a player who can not only facilitate well but also be a versatile scorer.

Rogers wasn't wrong when she said Allemand is that player who can "contribute right away." Looking for immediate success, the Tempo hit a home run by selecting guard Marina Mabrey, who was not protected by the Connecticut Sun.

This was a surprise to me, but the more I think about it, perhaps Mabrey doesn't want to make the trek to Houston next season. Mabrey was Toronto's unrestricted free agent pick and is core eligible. Toronto could be the perfect destination to revitalize her career. A heavy-volume shooter, Mabrey could easily lead this team in buckets and is an all-around scorer.

Tempo Select Marina Mabrey, Skilled Guards

Toronto additionally selected guards Aaliyah Nye (Las Vegas Aces), Lexi Held (Phoenix Mercury), Kitija Laksa (Phoenix Mercury), and Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever). This group of guards would not only give head coach Sandy Brondello some serious sharpshooters but also provide versatility and ball security. I'm a little shocked that the Aces chose not to protect Nye, who was selected No. 13 overall by the Aces in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Although she had a limited role, especially in the playoffs, Nye showcased her 3-point prowess early in the season.

The same goes for Laksa, who showed some serious range with the Mercury last season.

Free agency still has to take place, but I like Toronto's thought process. It gives players such as Nikolina Milić, Maria Conde, and Maria Kliundikova the opportunity to progress as international players in the WNBA. I'm not surprised that the New York Liberty parted ways with Nyara Sabally, who was a hero in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals. She's battled injuries but has shown true potential when healthy. Now, she reunites with her former coach and is a solid rebounder and inside scorer.

My Reaction

I'm not saying this team moves the needle entirely, and without free agency, it's difficult to say who will sign and who won't. Either way, the draft lays a solid foundation for Toronto, which is set to embark on its inaugural season. This team brings firepower on both ends of the floor.

The WNBA Championship experience brought by both Rogers and Brondello truly showed in the draft. If Mabrey decides to sign, I would expect her to lead this team, which could be fun to watch.  Based on their draft strategy, the Tempo may follow in the footsteps of the Golden State Valkyries. I expect Brondello to compete at the highest level since she's a two-time WNBA Champion with the Mercury and Liberty.

My Thoughts

I was surprised by some of the picks and players that teams chose to protect and not protect. 14 international players were selected by both teams, furthering the importance of global expansion and talent. I thought the broadcast did an excellent job of revealing Portland and Toronto's first couple of picks, but it fell off after that. Instead of revealing a snake-style draft, each of the picks was revealed on a graphic. I feel this can improve in future expansion drafts.  

What's Next?

Next up is free agency, which runs from Apr. 3-12. Soon after, the 2026 WNBA Draft will be held on Apr. 13. On its heels is the preseason, which is set to tip off on Apr. 25. The 30th WNBA season will begin on Friday, May 8, with a clash between Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings. For more offseason dates and information, click HERE. Follow the movement and keep up with Ballislife all WNBA season long!

Sara Jane Gamelli is the Managing Editor and Senior Staff Writer at Ballislife.com, as well as Director of Ballislife Bets. Follow her on X at @SaraJGamelli.

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