The 2026 WNBA draft has been closely followed in Spain, as the 19-year-old Awa Fam made history by being the Spanish player with the best pick in the WNBA history, third pick overall, picked by the Seattle Storm. She improves the previous best pick by a Spaniard in the WNBA, pick 15 by Raquel Carrera in 2021, and matches Pau Gasol's draft position in 2001, also picked third in the draft, before becoming a legend in the NBA and Spanish basketball.
The first pick was Azzi Fudd, 23, picked for Dallas Wing. Second was Olivia Miles, 23, picked by Minnesota Lynx.
Awa Fam, who plays for Valencia Basket, is not the only Spaniard in the draft: Iyana Martín, 20, was picked seventh for Portland Fire, coming from Perfumerías Avenida, a team in Salamanca. And Marta Suárez was also picked by Seattle Storm as the 16th pick overall.
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"Being here in the WNBA is a dream I've had since I was 12. Being able to do it representing my country is something precious", Fam said to ESPN. "I'm going to take on responsibilities, give my best, and above all, learn, including from the more experienced players."
The 2026 season of the WNBA, 30th season in its history, starts on May 8, with 15 participating teams. Las Vegas Aces are the defending champions.
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WNBA grows in its 30th edition, and reaches out globally
Awa Fam (3rd pick), Iyana Martín (7th pick) and Nell Angloma from Basket Lattes, France (12th pick) were the only three players in the first round of the draft (the first 15 picks) not to come from college basketball teams in United States, with five coming from the UCLA (University of California). This shows the growth and international reach of the WNBA, which has vastly increased salaries.
For example, the top pick, Azzi Fudd, will earn $500,000 this upcoming season, nearly seven times more than last year's top pick, Paige Bueckers, also for the Dallas Wings, as reported by CNN.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said this is a pivotal point. "The past 30 years have been about building the foundation. The next 30 are about scaling the game, unlocking what's possible for the entirety of women's basketball and women's sports", and revealed that the league is now actively exploring a global phase, which will likely include international preseason games. In the future, they aim that regular season games will be played on international soil, as it happens every year with the NBA.