Fever Expansion Draft Primer: Rules, Key Decisions, What to Watch
A breakdown of the 2026 WNBA expansion draft, including rules, format, and the key protection decision facing the Indiana Fever.
The first official WNBA event of the 2026 season arrives today.
For the second straight year, the league will hold an expansion draft as it grows from 13 to 15 teams. The draft begins at 3:30 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.
This comes just two weeks after the WNBA and WNBPA reached agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.. Negotiations centered on revenue sharing, a significant increase in player salaries, and improved working conditions across the league.
The two new franchises — Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — will begin building their rosters. Expansion will continue in the coming years, with teams in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030) already announced.
Last week, the league conducted a coin toss to determine draft positioning. The winning team had the option to choose between the No. 1 pick in the expansion draft or the No. 6 pick — instead of No. 7 — in the upcoming WNBA Draft.
Toronto won the toss and opted for the No. 6 pick in the college draft. As a result, Portland will select first in the expansion draft, which consists of two rounds.
The two teams will “snake” selections, alternating picks from a pool of unprotected players across the league. Each of the 13 existing teams was allowed to protect up to five players. The remaining players are eligible for selection.
One wrinkle: most of the available pool consists of free agents. If an unprotected free agent is selected, the expansion team acquires her negotiating rights.
However, each expansion team may select only one player designated as a “Potential Unrestricted Free Agent.”
The league does not publicly release protected lists.
For the Indiana Fever, the decisions are mostly straightforward — until the final spot. Like much of the league, their 2025 roster featured several players on expiring deals.
Kelsey Mitchell
Aliyah Boston
Caitlin Clark
Lexie Hull
?
The fifth protection spot is where things get interesting.
Guard Sophie Cunningham is the obvious candidate, but she is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Even if selected, there is no guarantee she would sign with an expansion team. Cunningham has expressed a strong desire to remain in Indiana, assuming the financials align.
That could push the Fever to prioritize a younger, cost-controlled player like Makayla Timpson, their 2025 second-round pick. Rookie-scale contracts carry added value for teams managing multiple max salaries.
Kelsey Mitchell was the highest-paid player not just on the Fever, but in the entire WNBA last season. She’ll see her contract skyrocket from $250,000 to around $1.4 million.
For Indiana, free agency is not about recruiting and attracting players; they’re good. Instead, it’s about building a roster that fits together — and under the salary cap limitations.
2026 WNBA First-Round Draft Order
The annual draft will be held on Monday, April 13 at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City.
Dallas Wings
Minnesota Lynx
Seattle Storm
Washington Mystics
Chicago Sky
Toronto Tempo
Portland Fire
Golden State Valkyries
Washington Mystics
Indiana Fever***
Washington Mystics
Connecticut Sun
Atlanta Dream
Seattle Storm
Connecticut Sun