The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo have a tough act to follow after the Golden State Valkyries set a new standard for WNBA expansion teams last season.
History hadn’t been too kind to WNBA newcomers. The Atlanta Dream won only four games in their first season in 2008. The Chicago Sky fared only slightly better two years prior when they went 5-29. It took the Sky 16 years to bring home a championship, and the Dream are still in pursuit of their first.
In many ways, the Valkyries defied the odds, despite their biggest “splash” in free agency being the signing of 2024 Sixth Woman of the Year Tiffany Hayes.
Golden State posted a winning record of 23-21 and became the first expansion team to make the playoffs in their inaugural season. Natalie Nakase, whom the Valkyries hired from Becky Hammon’s Aces staff, was named Coach of the Year.
The Valkyries used the December 2024 expansion draft to lay the foundation for their roster. They struck gold when picking Veronica Burton from the Connecticut Sun, Kayla Thornton from the New York Liberty and Cecilia Zandalasini from the Minnesota Lynx. Golden State also capitalized on the Fever leaving Temi Fagbenle unprotected.
Friday’s expansion draft (3:30 p.m., ESPN) for the Fire and Tempo will look very different from the Valkyries’. The two newcomers will take turns picking players through two rounds of up to 13 selections. The Fire have the first pick.
The 13 established teams each get to protect five players – one player fewer than a season ago.
Adding complexity to the situation is that a bulk of the players are free agents.
If an expansion team selects an unrestricted free agent, they would be the only organization that can offer the player a $1.4 million supermax deal, though it doesn’t guarantee exclusive negotiating rights.
To secure that, an expansion team would have to designate the unrestricted free agent as a core player. (It’s important to note that coring a player doesn’t mean the team and player can’t agree to a lower salary than the supermax.)
While the protected player lists have remained private, here are 10 players to watch who could be available in Friday’s expansion draft:
1. Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (core-eligible unrestricted free agent)
The Wings might choose to leave Ogunbowale unprotected if they prioritize securing youth to build around Paige Bueckers, though it’d be surprising if they let her go without gaining something in return. She’s worthy of a supermax salary.
2. Seattle guard Brittney Sykes (core-eligible unrestricted free agent)
Sykes earned her first All-Star nod as the leader of a young Mystics squad before her trade to Seattle. She’s a relentless ballhawk with a lengthy wingspan. She could be a reliable piece for a new team’s core.
3. Sparks forward Azura Stevens (core-eligible unrestricted free agent)
Stevens finished second in Most Improved Player voting in 2025 after having her most productive season (12.8 points). She’s a solid floor spacer (38.1 percent from 3), strong rebounder and can defend multiple positions.
4. Sun center Tina Charles (core-ineligible unrestricted free agent)
A 15-year veteran, Charles, 37, is slowing down in the final stages of her playing career. Her leadership and experience, though, could help prop up a new franchise.
5. Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini (restricted free agent)
The Valkyries snagged Zandalasini from the Lynx in the last expansion draft. She stepped up when Kayla Thornton went down with an injury. In 19 games, she averaged 10.7 points and 2.9 rebounds.
6. Aces forward Kierstan Bell (restricted free agent)
Scoring was Bell’s calling card at Florida Gulf Coast, but that hasn’t quite translated to the WNBA. She’s put up modest numbers as an end-of-rotation scorer on a stacked Aces team that has won three of the past four WNBA championships.
7. Mystics guard Jacy Sheldon (under contract)
The No. 5 pick in the 2024 draft, Sheldon has played for three teams in two years. Maybe a solid runway is what Sheldon needs to thrive.
8. Fever guard Kristy Wallace (exclusive rights — contract expired)
Wallace sat out the 2025 season for personal reasons. If she wants to return this year, the feisty defender and capable scorer could be a good option, especially for the Tempo. The Australian guard won Olympic bronze under new Toronto head coach Sandy Brondello at the 2024 Paris Games.
9. Sparks guard Julie Allemand (restricted free agent)
Allemand has good court vision and is a strong passer. The potential is there for her to be a dependable two-way guard. She needs to find consistency with her 3-point shot, though.
10. Wings guard/forward Haley Jones (reserved free agent)
Jones has had a rocky start to her WNBA career, but she emerged as a solid role player for the Wings last season, averaging 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 24 games.
