The WNBA looks different after April 3, 2026.Two new teams. Twelve new players each. A bunch of unprotected stars finding new homes.I followed every pick as it happened. Here is what went down.The Chicago Sky reported a combine of exchanges with both of the WNBA's newest expansion groups days ahead of the Friday's extension draft.
The Sky are sending a second-round choose (No. 17 in general) in the 2026 WNBA Draft to the Portland Fire in trade for the No. 21 choose and the Fire not selecting any player from Chicago’s unprotected list in the development draft.
Additionally, the Sky are moreover sending another moment rounder (No. 26 by and large, which they initially obtained from the New York Liberty) to the Toronto Beat with the same assention that they will not select a Sky player in the expansion draft.
This implies on Friday, April 3, neither extension group will include a player as of now on the Sky's list. Chicago still has three picks (No. 5, 21 and 32 generally) in the up and coming WNBA amateur draft, which will take put on Monday, April 13.
The Rules First (So You Understand What Happened)
Before we get to the picks, you need the rules. They changed how this whole thing played out.
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Each existing team protected only five players.That is it. Five. The rest were up for grabs.
Portland picked first.A coin toss gave the Fire the first overall pick. Toronto followed.
Snake draft format.Portland picked first in round one. Toronto picked first in round two.
Only one unrestricted free agent per expansion team.This mattered a lot. Most veterans are free agents right now because of the new CBA. So Portland and Toronto had to be picky about which veteran they took.
No more than two players from one existing team.Each existing team could lose up to two players. One per round.
The Chicago Sky traded their way out.This was smart. Chicago sent their No. 17 pick to Portland and No. 26 pick to Toronto. In return, both expansion teams agreed not to take any Sky players. So Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso stay put.
Got it? Good. Here are the actual picks.
Round 1: The Headliners
Pick 1 – Portland Fire: Ezi Magbegor, C (Seattle Storm)
Portland started with defense. Magbegor is 6'4". 26 years old. She has made an All-Defensive team four years in a row. Her offense took a small step back in 2025. Only 8 points per game. But that is fine.
Portland is building for the future. Magbegor turns 27 in August. She fits their timeline.
Why this makes sense:You build a franchise around a defensive anchor. Magbegor is exactly that.
Pick 2 – Toronto Tempo: Azurá Stevens, PF/C (Los Angeles Sparks)
Toronto went with size and shooting.
Stevens is 6'6". She shot 38.1% from three last season. That is rare for a player her size.
She also averaged 12.8 points and 8 rebounds. A double-double threat every night.
The fit:Toronto head coach Sandy Brondello loves stretch bigs. She ran similar offenses in New York. Stevens fits that system perfectly.
Pick 3 – Portland Fire: Carla Leite, PG (Golden State Valkyries)
Portland grabbed their point guard of the future.
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Leite is only 21. She has an explosive first step and draws fouls at an elite level. Her free throw rate was 44.6% as a rookie.
The catch:She shot only 21.4% on catch-and-shoot threes. That needs work.
But here is the interesting part. Portland's GM, Vanja ernivec, was part of the Golden State front office that drafted Leite last year. She knows what she is getting.
My take:This is a bet on development. If Leite learns to shoot, she is a star.
Pick 4 – Toronto Tempo: Nyara Sabally, C (New York Liberty)
Toronto doubled down on frontcourt size.
Sabally is 6'5". She played a key role in New York's 2024 championship run.
The risk:She played only 17 games in 2025 due to a knee injury. Health is a real question.
The upside:When healthy, she is a smooth athlete who protects the rim and runs the floor. Stevens is better on the wing than at center. Sabally can play the five while Stevens plays the four.
Pick 5 – Portland Fire: Maya Caldwell, SG/SF (Atlanta Dream)
Portland added a 3-and-D wing.
Caldwell is 27. She shot 41.6% from three over the last 24 games of 2025.
She plays hard on defense. She cuts well off the ball. She does not need the ball in her hands to be effective.
Best for:A plug-and-play role player who fits next to any star.
Pick 6 – Toronto Tempo: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, C (Connecticut Sun)
Another big for Toronto.
Nelson-Ododa averaged 8.2 points and 5 rebounds last season.
The context:Connecticut could only protect one of Marina Mabrey or Nelson-Ododa. They picked Mabrey. Toronto grabbed the leftover.
Pick 7 – Toronto Tempo: JJ Quinerly, PG/SG (Dallas Wings)
Toronto finally added a guard.
Quinerly is 23. She brings aggressive on-ball defense and solid shooting.
Why she fell to 7:Dallas had several good options. Quinerly is the youngest of the group. Toronto valued that.
Pick 8 – Portland Fire: Dorka Juhász, C (Minnesota Lynx)
Portland kept adding frontcourt depth.
Juhász sat out the2025 WNBA season. But she has been excellent overseas. She is shooting 36.6% from three in the EuroLeague this year.
She does not turn 27 until December. Still room to grow.
Pick 9 – Portland Fire: Emily Engstler, PF (Washington Mystics)
Another defensive-minded forward.
Engstler brings energy and rebounding. A solid depth piece.
Pick 10 – Toronto Tempo: Kristy Wallace, SG (Free Agent)
Toronto used one of their free agent slots here.
Wallace is a veteran guard who can run an offense. Steady. Does not make many mistakes.
Pick 11 – Toronto Tempo: Kierstan Bell, SF/PF (Las Vegas Aces)
Bell is an athlete. 6'1". Can play multiple positions.She has not put it all together yet. But the tools are there.
Pick 12 – Portland Fire: Lexi Held, SG (Phoenix Mercury)
A shooter off the bench. Held can get hot quickly.
Round 2: Filling Out The Rosters
Pick 13 – Toronto Tempo: Isobel Borlase, SG/SF (Atlanta Dream)
This is my favorite pick of the entire draft.
Borlase is 21 years old. She just wonWNBL MVP in Australia. Averaged 22.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4 assists.She has not played a single WNBA game yet. Atlanta protected other players. Toronto grabbed her rights.
The risk:She shot only 26.4% from three over the last two seasons. Her defense is a question.
The upside:She is the youngest MVP in the WNBL since Liz Cambage in 2011. That is real company.
Pick 14 – Portland Fire: María Conde, SF/PF (Golden State Valkyries)
Conde is a 6'1" playmaking wing. She can handle the ball. She can pass from anywhere. She defends.
The catch:She has never played a WNBA game. Drafted in 2019. Sat out 2025 recovering from an Achilles injury. She also says playing for Spain is her main priority.
Portland is gambling that she finally comes over.
Pick 15 – Portland Fire: Raquel Carrera, PF/C (New York Liberty)
Another Spanish player. Another player who has never reported to the WNBA.Carrera is 24. She scored 15 points on 71.4% shooting against Team USA at the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament.
The upside is real.But will she come?
Pick 16 – Toronto Tempo: Julie Allemand, PG (Los Angeles Sparks)
Toronto grabbed a steady veteran point guard.Allemand started 27 of 34 games for the Sparks last season. Averaged 5 assists.
She runs an offense. She makes smart decisions. Perfect for a young team.
Who Won The Draft?
Let me be honest with you.
Portland built a defensive identity.Magbegor. Sabally. Engstler. That is a tough frontcourt. They also took two swings on European players who might never come over. High risk. High reward.
Toronto built a young, athletic team.Stevens. Nelson-Ododa. Quinerly. Borlase. They have size, shooting, and youth. Brondello knows how to coach this group.
If I had to pick a winner?Toronto.They got Stevens at No. 2. Sabally at No. 4. Borlase at No. 13. That is three potential starters.
But neither team is winning a championship in year one. Expansion teams never do.
Where Do They Go From Here?
The expansion draft is just the start.
WNBA Draft is April 13.Portland picks No. 1 overall. Toronto picks No. 6. Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles are the top prospects.
Free agency starts next week.Over 70% of WNBA players are free agents. Both teams have cap space to spend.
Training camp opens late April.The real roster battles start then.
The Final Thoughts
The WNBA expansion draft gave us two very different teams.Portland built around defense and took big swings.Toronto built around young talent and shooting.
Neither roster is finished. But both have a foundation.And for the first time since 2008, the WNBA has 15 teams.
That is worth paying attention to.
