A week after winning its first national title, UCLA had another historic night. The Bruins put six players into the 2026 WNBA Draft, including five in the first round. Both are single-draft records for one program.
The top of the board
The draft was held Monday, April 13. The first five picks:
- No. 1: Azzi Fudd (UConn) to the Dallas Wings
- No. 2: Olivia Miles (TCU) to the Minnesota Lynx
- No. 3: Awa Fam Thiam (Spain) to the Seattle Storm
- No. 4: Lauren Betts (UCLA) to the Washington Mystics
- No. 5: Gabriela Jaquez (UCLA) to the Chicago Sky
Betts and Jaquez were the faces of UCLA's championship run, and they went back to back. One of the night's bigger storylines came a few picks later: Golden State took LSU's Flau'jae Johnson at No. 8, then sent her draft rights to Seattle for Marta Suárez's rights and a 2028 second-round pick, per Yahoo Sports.
The pay jump
This is the first draft under the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement, and the rookie numbers look nothing like they used to. Per CBS Sports:
- The No. 1 pick will earn $500,000 in 2026 and about $2.2 million over a four-year rookie deal.
- The league minimum salary for 2026 is $270,000 to $300,000, based on years of service.
- Lottery picks get a guaranteed salary in their first year.
The seven-year agreement runs from 2026 through 2032. It raises the salary cap to $7 million in 2026, up from $1.5 million in 2025, and guarantees league-wide charter travel.
Why this matters for college players
Top college players weigh NIL money against what the pros will pay, and better WNBA pay changes that calculation. Turning pro is a stronger financial move than it used to be, which should make it easier for stars to leave when they're ready.
It also changes what NIL means in college. When the pro path pays, a college career becomes a place to build a following that carries into the WNBA, not just a place to cash in before the money stops.
The fan angle
Fans who followed Betts, Jaquez, Fudd, and Miles in college don't have to stop now. Those relationships move with the players. If anything, this draft shows how much following a player through college matters: the fan bases built at UCLA, UConn, and TCU are about to show up in Washington, Chicago, Dallas, and Minnesota.
Women's college basketball keeps proving it has an audience. Now the league on the other side is paying like it.
Next up: the next wave of college stars who just watched their teammates get drafted and know exactly what's waiting for them.