Home / Sports / WNBA Expansion Draft Set for Portland & Toronto
WNBA Expansion Draft Set for Portland & Toronto
26 Mar
Summary
- Expansion draft for Portland and Toronto is April 3.
- A coin toss will determine draft pick order selection.
- New CBA ratification preceded expansion draft rules.
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) has scheduled its expansion draft for the new franchises in Portland and Toronto for April 3, 2026. This announcement follows the recent ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement by the league's Board of Governors.
Prior to the expansion draft, a coin toss will be held on Friday, March 28, 2026. The winning franchise will have the choice between the first pick in the expansion draft or the No. 6 pick in the college draft on April 13, 2026. The expansion draft itself will consist of two rounds, allowing each team to select up to six players.
Existing WNBA teams must submit a list of five protected players by Sunday, March 29, 2026. Players with five or more years of service after the 2025 season must be designated as unrestricted free agents or placed on the unprotected list. New teams can only select one potential unrestricted free agent each, with the possibility of negotiating a supermax contract up to $1.4 million annually under the new CBA.
