Fan Rankings Home » WNBA » Who will be the WNBA Rookie of the Year?

The 2026 draft was tabbed as a deep draft without any clear cut number 1 player like we have seen in previous years. This makes the Rookie of the year race a compelling one, as a number of players have a chance to take home those honors at seasons end. Players like Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles lead the charge when it comes to players picked to win the award. But there a number of other players who will surely steak their claim at the top of leagues rising stars.

Flau’jae Johnson brings her entertaining two way ability to Seattle to link up with fellow rookie Awa Fam as they look to bring a new era to Seattle.

Georgia Amoore makes her return from injury as she joins the cast of young talent in the Nations Capitol alongside top 4 pick in 2026 Lauren Betts. Betts leads a UCLA rookie takeover as fellow Bruins Gabriel Jaquez and Kiki Rice are also potential ROTY candidates who find their name onto this list. This is a fun group of rookies and it could be a ROTY race that comes down to the wire.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Best WNBA Rookies of 2026, including two deserving honorable mentions who just missed the list.

Honorable Mention

Madina Okot

Team: Atlanta Dream

Position: Center

Madina Okot is a really interesting prospect for Atlanta, and after seeing her in the preseason, I think she has massive potential to contribute this season. Madina’s size and projected ability to be an elite rim protector make her an instant impact type of player, and there is a real chance she can expand her game to the three-point line sometime soon.

Madina is new to basketball overall, first learning to dribble at 16, so she is somewhat of a project compared to a lot of the other prospects on this list. The addition of Angel Reese, along with Brionna Jones, makes Madina’s impact likely limited this season, but she is a unique prospect with a lot of potential.

Cotie McMahon

Team: Washington Mystics

Position: Guard

The Mystics come into this season as the youngest team in the league, and following a highly successful 2025 class, they are looking to again put together a class that will alter the franchise’s trajectory. Cotie McMahon is one of the number of players on this youthful Mystics squad that have a chance at being one of the top rookies in the league this season.

Cotie was picked 11th overall for a Mystics team that had 3 first-round picks following a huge season in her 1 year at Ole Miss. Cotie should play as a big rotation piece for the Mystics, and although she should miss the first week or so of the season, she should still contribute to this squad this season in some capacity.

Top 10 WNBA Rookies 2026 Rankings

10. Juste Jocyte

Team: Golden State Valkyries

Position: Guard

I think Juste Jocyte enters this season as one of the biggest wildcards of the season. I would have her top 10 on this list if there weren’t so many question marks on when she plays because of the Valkerie’s suspending her contract till she finishes playing in Spain. There is a good bit of hype regarding her debut, and when Jocyte is able to finally get out there, I think she will be highly impactful.

9. Isobel Borlase

Team: Atlanta Dream

Position: Guard

Another Atlanta Dream player who could throw her name in the ROTY race at the end of the year is Isobel Borlase. Borlase was picked by the Dream in the 2nd round in 2024, and while some fans in the States may not be super hip to Borlase, that could change very quickly.

Borlase had a huge season in Australia this year, being named the WNBL’s most valuable player along with finishing the year as the scoring champion. Borlase has accumulated several awards already as a pro, and for someone who is only 21, she has an impressive resume. Borlase will bring scoring versatility to the Dream and could finish the year as one of the league’s rising stars.

8. Gabriela Jaquez

Team: Chicago Sky

Position: Guard

One of the many UCLA Bruins who were picked in the first round of this past draft was Chicago Sky Guard Gabriela Jaquez. Jaquez has gotten off to a solid start for the Sky this year, and it looks obvious she will have a big time impact for them this season.

Coming into the draft, Jaquez was one of the prospects for whom it felt like it was clear she would be a successful WNBA player. Her versatility, effort, and consistency are all huge strengths of her’s. While I think Jaquez is a lock to have a successful rookie campaign, I don’t know if she has the upside as some of the other top prospects, which is why I don’t have her higher.

7. Kiki Rice

Team: Toronto Tempo

Position: Guard

Another UCLA Bruin who should find themselves contributing quickly into their career is Kiki Rice. Rice had a rough debut, but as an obvious cornerstone of an expansion team in the Toronto Tempo, I know she will have a big role early, and she will eventually make the most of it. Rice will at the very least be an impactful defender this year, and her well-roundedness makes her floor feel higher than a lot of other young guards.

Her decision-making and pressure she is able to put on a defense as a driver should elevate the talent around her. Similar to her teammate Jaquez, I don’t know if she has the type of ceiling to win ROTY, but either way she is an all-around, really talented player that should make some noise in 2026.

6. Lauren Betts

Team: Washington Mystics

Position: Center

Rounding out this run of UCLA Bruins is star Center Lauren Betts. Betts being at 6 could be considered a little low, and it by no means means that I see Betts as the 6th best player in this class. Betts only lands this far down the list because the Mystics have talent in abundance in their frontcourt.

Shakira Austin and last year’s first-round pick Kiki Iriafen limit the amount of minutes Betts will get, and it’s hard to imagine Betts getting minutes at the 4 this year. I would be surprised if Betts is not consistently in the DPOY talks for the next decade and I think inevitably Betts will be a big-time contributor in this league, whether that be in Washington or elsewhere.

5. Awa Fam

Team: Seattle Storm

Position: Center

Awa Fam is another player who will not make her debut for a few weeks because of her playing in the playoffs for Valencia in Spain, but she should be in the conversation for ROTY when she does get on the court. Awa is one of the youngest prospects in the league and has the potential to be among the best overseas prospects in league history. To me, Awa is one of the best examples of the evolution of the league. Her advanced and unseen ability as a passer as a big along with her versatility on defense at 6’4″ are special.

If she puts things together as a jumpshooter, it feels like she is the future of the league. With that being said, Awa sits at 5 for me because again, she will miss the first two weeks of the season, and may take time to develop. Either way, the 3rd overall pick is a special prospect who deserves fans’ attention.

4. Georgia Amoore

Team: Washington Mystics

Position: Guard

Georgia Amoore missed the entirety of what should have been her rookie season after tearing her ACL in a team practice days before the start of the 2025 season. Amoore seems to have recovered from the injury as she has started for the Mystics in her first two games.

She is going to have a big-time role on a Mystics team lacking a lot of legit ball handlers. Georgia’s playmaking will add another element to an emerging Mystics team, and I have no doubt she will finish the year as one of the league’s most impactful rookies.

3. Flau’jae Johnson

Team: Seattle Storm

Position: Guard

Flau’jae Johnson is in an outstanding spot to truly challenge for the ROTY award this season. The theme of a lot of this ranking is that the bigger the role, the better chance you have to win. And if your role requires you to score, it puts you in an even better position to challenge for the ROTY. Both of those things apply to Flau’jae Johnson. Flau’jae is a great scorer who gets it done all over the court. I think her commitment to defense will endear her to fans even more, and so far in this young season, she looks every bit of a future star.

2. Azzi Fudd

Team: Dallas Wings

Position: Guard

Azzi Fudd being the first pick made it feel disrespectful to put her any lower than 2 on this list, but there are real concerns about her chances of winning this award. While Azzi will undoubtedly be a big part of this Wings team and deserves to go 1, she will likely have to share a lot of shots. Former College teammate Paige Bueckers will have a lot of the ball in year 2, and veteran guard Arike Ogunbawale will get her fair share of touches as well.

Azzi took only 2 shots in her WNBA debut, and although that will change, it is a little bit of a sign that the number of scoring options in this backcourt may limit her in winning this award. Either way, with Azzi’s spot-up shooting ability and ability to play without the ball, she still gives herself a chance to contribute in a big way on a team that should be a playoff team.

1. Olivia Miles

Team: Minnesota Lynx

Position: Guard

Olivia Miles has the best chance to win ROTY, as she encapsulates everything you look for in a winner of this award. Olivia is going to get big minutes for a talented but transitional Lynx team that should fit her skillset really well. Not to mention that with Napheesa Collier out for the next month or so, that puts even more responsibility on Miles.

Olivia is the best playmaker in this draft and a truly special offensive talent. She has been given the keys to this offense, and in her debut, she showed why she is the clear favorite for ROTY. As written by ESPN’s Kareem Copeland, “Olivia Miles has the perfect mix of talent and opportunity.” I think this award is her’s to lose, and I’m excited to see what she does in year 1.

Who’s #1 on your WNBA Rookie of the Year list?

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