Before the ink could even dry on her draft card, former LSU star Flau’jae Johnson was traded from the Golden State Valkyries to the Seattle Storm, an unexpected and blockbuster draft night trade in the WNBA.

The Valkyries selected Johnson with the 8th overall pick, becoming the third consecutive LSU standout to be a first-round selection. But within minutes, a deal was announced under which the Valkyries will send Johnson north in exchange for draft rights to TCU forward Marta Suarez and a 2028 second-round pick.

It was the highlight of an already action-packed draft.

With expansion teams like the Toronto Tempo making their first-ever moves and a new collective bargaining agreement putting real money on the table, the 2026 WNBA Draft was about more than just where players landed.

Azzi Fudd made history as the No. 1 overall pick to the Dallas Wings, becoming the face of a new financial era with a groundbreaking $2.2 million rookie contract. The UConn standout and national champion officially enters the league as the highest-paid rookie in WNBA history.

The Minnesota Lynx wasted no time securing Olivia Miles with the No. 2 overall selection. After leading TCU to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances, the playmaker brings her winning pedigree to a Lynx backcourt looking for its next cornerstone.

Awa Fam is headed to the Pacific Northwest after the Seattle Storm used the No. 3 pick to select the 19-year-old Spanish sensation. The 6-foot-4 interior threat, who draws comparisons to veteran Nneka Ogwumike, joins the Storm on a four-year, $2 million deal.

With the sixth selection, the expansion Toronto Tempo made Kiki Rice their first-ever draft pick. The UCLA floor general arrives in Canada after a decorated career with the Bruins, where she started 143 games and earned two All-Big Ten first-team honors.

Raven Johnson is moving to the Midwest after the Indiana Fever grabbed the South Carolina point guard at No. 10. The move sets up a major homecoming in Indy, as she reunites with former Gamecock teammate and WNBA champion Aliyah Boston.

The Washington Mystics strengthened their roster by selecting Cotie McMahon with the 11th overall pick. The Ole Miss star becomes the fourth player from Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s program to be drafted, continuing a three-year streak for the Rebels.

Nell Angloma is officially Connecticut-bound after the Sun selected the French forward at No. 12. Known for her scoring versatility, Angloma enters the WNBA averaging 15.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game from her time playing professionally in France.

The South Carolina-to-Atlanta pipeline stayed active as the Dream selected Madina Okot with the 13th pick. Okot, who shot an efficient 58 percent from the floor last season, joins a growing list of Gamecocks selected in the first round.