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Sparks’ WNBA draft preview: Late picks can help fill out veteran-led roster

April 12, 2026

LOS ANGELES — The Sparks may not have a first-round pick in Monday’s WNBA draft but they still have several opportunities to select players, possibly a Bruin or two, who might stick on this season’s roster.

“It’s all about fit,” ESPN WNBA analyst Rebecca Lobo said.

The franchise that has three WNBA titles has not made the playoffs since 2020. The Sparks traded away future rights to the No. 3 overall selection in the 2026 draft in 2024 for the No. 4 pick, which they used to draft forward Rickea Jackson.

On Sunday, the team announced Jackson was traded to the Chicago Sky for guard Ariel Atkins.

A top-three pick in this draft would have landed the Sparks the ability to draft either UConn’s Azzi Fudd, TCU’s Olivia Miles, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, or Spain’s Awa Fam, who are all in contention for the No. 1 overall selection, according to ESPN’s latest mock draft.

Instead, they have two second-round picks (20th and 24th) and one third-round selection (35th) to add to a veteran-led roster, highlighted by recent free agent commitments from All-Stars Nneka Ogwumike, Dearica Hamby and Erica Wheeler.

At this point, Lobo said the Sparks, who also have exclusive rights to re-sign All-Star guard Kelsey Plum through a core-qualifying offer, should lean into rebuilding as a championship contender through free agency rather than the draft.

“They should sign Nneka Ogwumike in free agency,” Lobo said with a big smile before going in-depth about the impact on second and third-round picks.

“When you get into the second round or the third round,” Lobo continued, “it’s just trying to fill out your roster with pieces who might be able to stick or pieces that might be able to be on your developmental roster.”

Lobo said that’s why who calls your number is more important than being a top selection by the wrong team.

“If you fit in better and go to a place where they can really use your skill set and where you can play to your strengths,” Lobo explained. “That is always more important than exactly where you are slotted by the time you’re taken.”

SPARKS ACQUIRE ATKINS

Atkins, 29, is a five-time all-defensive team selection and former Olympian. She averaged 13.1 points in 34 games last season, was given a franchise tag by Chicago earlier this week.

“Ariel is a proven winner and one of the most respected two-way guards in this league,” Sparks GM Raegan Pebley said in a report from The Associated Press. “She’s a champion, an elite defender and someone who understands what it takes to win in big moments. Her professionalism, competitiveness and versatility make her a perfect fit for our franchise and a key piece in our pursuit of a championship.”

Jackson was the No. 4 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft and averaged 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists last season.

“It’s thrilling to acquire one of the great young talents in this league in Jackson,” Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said. “Rickea is only going to continue to ascend, and the organization is excited to witness that growth firsthand.”

UCLA women’s basketball

A record six UCLA seniors are expected to be drafted among a total of 45 selections. Betts, Angela Dugalić, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens and Kiki Rice were among the 15 top prospects invited to New York for the draft.

Betts, a 6-foot-7 center, is projected to be a Top 5 lottery pick.

“I think the Final Four helps (Lauren Betts’) draft stock or at least helps the conviction for teams that were already considering her,” ESPN WNBA Play-By-Play Commentator Ryan Ruocco said in a pre-draft media call on April 10.

Jaquez, Kneepkens and Rice are also likely first-rounders. Ruocco said he believes Jaquez’s performance in the national championship victory against South Carolina did helped improve her draft stock.

“You see her ability to affect the game in so many different ways,” Ruocco said. “Her relentless nature. Her ability to shoot. How she defends. The way she tracks loose balls. The way she rose to the moment.”

That leaves Dugalić, a 6-4 versatile forward and 5-10 guard Charlisse Leger-Walker, as the only two Bruins who could still be on the board when the Sparks have their turn to add young talent to an expanded 12-person active roster, which does not include two newly created slots for developmental players.

“I think Angela Dugalić is a player who is going to be a really effective stretch-4 in the WNBA and I think could impact a contender right away this season,” Ruocco said.

Meanwhile, Lobo said a sleeper selection to look out for is Kentucky’s Teonni Key. The 6-5 versatile post can play forward and center, and has a proven ability to block shots.

“I think she is a player who has incredible potential,” Lobo said, “who is going to be a better pro player than she was a college player.”

It will be a quick transition for the rookies. Training camp will begin on Sunday, April 19.

The 30th WNBA season, featuring a 44-game regular season, will tip off on Friday, May 8. The Sparks open the season against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, May 10.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report

2026 WNBA DRAFT

When: Monday, 4 p.m.

Where: New York City

TV: ESPN

DRAFT ORDER (First Round)

1. Dallas Wings

2. Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago)

3. Seattle Storm (from Sparks)

4. Washington Mystics

5. Chicago Sky (from Connecticut)

6. Toronto Tempo (Expansion)

7. Portland Fire (Expansion)

8. Golden State Valkyries (Expansion)

9. Washington Mystics (from Seattle)

10. Indiana Fever

11. Washington Mystics (from New York)

12. Connecticut Sun (from Phoenix)

13. Atlanta Dream

14. Seattle Storm (from Las Vegas)

15. Connecticut Sun (from Minnesota)

Orange County Register

News Details

Sparks’ WNBA draft preview: Late picks can help fill out veteran-led roster

2026 WNBA DRAFT

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