Early WNBA 2026 Draft Lottery Team Expectations

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We're looking ahead to the 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery with early predictions for which college stars might land with which teams based on projected team needs and standings. This crystal ball episode breaks down the top seven picks including potential matches for rising stars Lauren Betts, Olivia Miles, and Azzi Fudd.

• Chicago Sky projected at #7 potentially drafting Gianna Neekins (43.2% from three)
• Dallas Wings at #6 possibly targeting center Awa Fam to balance their guard-heavy roster
• Portland's new franchise at #5 potentially landing Azzi Fudd for her second chance at stardom
• Toronto Tempos at #4 possibly drafting rapper/basketball star Flau'jae Johnson
• Washington Mystics at #3 potentially selecting Taniya Watson after trading veterans
• Connecticut Sun at #2 likely targeting guard Olivia Miles to replace possible departures
• Golden State Valkyries projected for #1 pick with "generational talent" Lauren Betts

Please make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and tell anyone who's anyone about the show. Also, follow along with the WNBA season to see how these predictions might evolve!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
What's up, everybody?
It's your favorite show'sfavorite show.
Get a Bucket.
I'm your host, trayn, as usual.
I hope you're all having awonderful, wonderful day.
Today we're going to talk about,well, my 2026 early
expectations for the WNBAlottery.
But before we talk about that,please make sure to hit that
like and subscribe button.
Comment, tell anyone who'sanyone about the show trying to

(00:22):
get the ratings up a little bit.
You know, just a little bit.
But, like I said, ladies andgentlemen, today we're going to
talk about my early 2026 WNBAlottery expectation.
So we're going to get right toit.
No hymning and hawing, for real, for real.
Here's my list.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm goingto give you all my top seven.
Right, it's not necessarily thelottery, but I'm going to speak
on top seven.

(00:43):
Maybe top six, we'll see, but Imight go.
No, I'm going to go seven, I'mgoing to go seven.
So, ladies and gentlemen, myfirst team, the Chicago Sky.
Y'all see how they're going.
You know what I'm saying,excuse me.
I expect them to fight for theplayoffs, but they could stumble

(01:03):
just a little bit, it's okay,it's okay.
So, like I said, seven.
I can see them being herelooking for that guard, maybe
the wing for the future, right,and I could see them drafting a
gianna neekins.
Now she shoots 43.2 from threeright now Sky could use that,
just saying so, again, numberseven I'm expecting the Sky.

(01:29):
And let's go on up to number six, shall we?
Which is the Dallas Wings.
Woo, all right, this one'stough.
This one's tough right Becauseagain, I kind of see them like
the Sky as well.
They could make it run for theplayoffs.
You got the Enke and Paigeexperiment.
Okay, that one's going to beinteresting.
But I have them at number sixgetting Awa Pham.

(01:53):
She's a center and I think theDallas Wings could use a center.
Again, they do have aguard-heavy team, so I think
that could be nice.
But again, number sixexpectations.
Dallas Wings, our fam.
Let's move on up to the numberfive team.
Now, this one is a new squad,so bear with me on the names,

(02:16):
but Portland, they're the secondnew team that's coming to the
WNBA.
So I'm going to say the Blazers, the Fiera, say the blazes, the
fierce, the fury, whatever itis.
This team is going to get az,and could az fudd be a potential
star on the squad?
Remember she had starexpectations prior to the

(02:38):
injuries going to uconn.
So could we have an opportunityto showcase that stardom?
I think so.
Remember championship games.
She got a couple buckets.
Now that Paige is gone, let'ssee if she keeps getting them
buckets.
So, portland, you might have astar in the making.
Let's see what happens.
But let's move on up to thefourth team, which is the

(03:01):
Toronto Tempos.
This is the first new team forthis year, so that's why I have
them fourth, ahead of thePortland.
Whatever the name is going tobe, right, I have the Tempos
drafting Blasje Johnson.
Excuse me, oh my gosh, I don'tknow what's wrong with me today.

(03:23):
Hear me out.
Blasje could be a potentialstar.
Right, we got the opportunity.
Also, she's a rapper.
Drake was a rapper, or I guess,is a rapper still.
Right, the toronto wave couldhelp out with flage, so I think
that's something that could bedoable.

(03:43):
That's something that could bedoable.
That's something that they canlook forward to.
Also, again, like I said, flagehas the game to back up being
drafted.
Number four so the TorontoTempos, I'm expecting to draft
Flage Johnson.
Let's see what happens, though.
But number three, we got theWashington Mystics.
This one's tricky because,again, they're a team that could

(04:04):
try to make some noise for theplayoff push.
The reason why I have them thishigh in the lottery is because
I expect them to trade BrittanySykes and Stephanie Dolson this
season.
I do expect that, especiallywho they just drafted.
At some point in time thesegirls are going to get traded.
It's not because they're notgood, because the Mystics are

(04:27):
trying to build for the future.
So because of that, I do expectfor them to get someone like a
Taniya Watson, and the reasonwhy I say that she could end up
replacing a Brittany Sykes.
Brittany Sykes is like a low-keystar in the WNBA for me.
She just don't got the name andthe cachet to the fan base.
But if you look at her game asa wing, as a guard, she's

(04:52):
top-notch and she's going to beon somebody's contending team, I
promise you.
So with that, I can see that inDanai L lots, but we got to
wait and see.
But I do expect the WashingtonMystics to be number three.
Let's move on up to number two,which is the Connecticut Sun.
This one was tough, ladies andgentlemen.

(05:13):
Marina Mabry, that could be apossible trade and as a result,
they could be devoid of a guard.
Hence Olivia Miles.
They need a guard and wethought Olivia Miles could go
number two this year.
Expect her to come out nextyear, make a strong case.

(05:35):
You could even see her gonumber one.
Let's wait and see, but I thinkif the connecticut sun could
get olivia miles, they probablyshould.
That's just me, though, butconnecticut sun at number two,
drafting olivia miles, it's myexpectations.
My number one team this onemight surprise y'all, but it's

(05:57):
the las vegas aces.
Now I'm playing it is theGolden State Valkyries.
Okay, I do expect them to bethe worst team in the WNBA this
upcoming season.
No shade, the newest squad thathas actually played outside of
the tempos and the Portland,whatever they're going to be
called.
That's why I said that'sactually played a game.

(06:19):
So, and technically speaking,when I recorded this, they ain't
played a game.
So, and technically speaking,when I recorded this, they ain't
played a game yet.
So, the valkyries debut season.
I expect them to get lauren bet,and she has star quality.
People have been talking abouther as a generational talent.
Well, let's find out and see ifthat occurs.
Actually, because again they,again they do have Yosete on the

(06:44):
squad currently, so if she pansout, maybe they just need a
second option.
Either way, lauren Betts, ifthey do get number one.
Lauren Betts is a qualityplayer.
Wouldn't be bad to have her onthe squad.
6-4, not bad.
So again, these are myexpectations, ladies and
gentlemen, for the 2026 WNBAlottery.

(07:06):
Hope y'all all enjoyed them,but I'm definitely curious what
y'all all thought about myexpectations.
So definitely make sure tocomment.
But that's the end of theepisode, so I definitely make
sure.
Well, thank you all forlistening.
I greatly appreciate that, butmake sure you also like,
subscribe, comment, tell anyonewho's anyone about the show.

(07:27):
My name is Trey.
I'm the host of Get a Bucket.
Hope you all are having a goodone.
Make sure to go watch the WNBAand follow along the season to
see if these predictions holdtrue, but take care.