2026 WNBA Expansion Draft Results: Every Pick for Portland Fire & Toronto Tempo

The WNBA's newest franchises officially have their rosters. On April 3, 2026, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo made their picks in the league's seventh expansion draft, broadcast live on ESPN. Twenty-one players were selected in snake-format across two rounds, as both teams begin building toward their inaugural 2026 seasons.

Here is every pick, what it means for both franchises, and which existing teams lost key contributors.

How the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft Worked

The rules gave each expansion team the right to claim one unprotected player from each of the 12 existing WNBA rosters (Chicago Sky was excluded by mutual agreement — Portland and Toronto agreed to skip Chicago's unprotected list in exchange for the Sky's second-round regular draft picks). Every existing team could protect up to five players.

Portland won a pre-draft coin toss on March 27, earning the #1 overall pick. The draft then followed a snake format: Portland selected first in Round 1, Toronto selected first in Round 2.

Round 1: Full Results

Pick 1 — Bridget Carleton, F (Portland Fire, from Minnesota Lynx) The top selection was one of the WNBA's most reliable forwards. Carleton, a Canadian international with seven years of WNBA experience, spent her entire career with Minnesota before Portland made her the centerpiece of their new franchise. A knockdown shooter and professional locker-room presence, she is exactly what a new team needs: experienced, versatile, and coachable.

Pick 2 — Julie Allemand, G (Toronto Tempo, from Los Angeles Sparks) Toronto went international immediately, selecting Belgian guard Julie Allemand from the Sparks. A floor general known for her court vision and pass-first instincts, Allemand gives the Tempo their first true playmaker.

Pick 3 — Carla Leite, F (Portland Fire, from Golden State Valkyries) Portland added French forward Carla Leite from the Valkyries in just her second WNBA season. A developing talent with upside at both ends of the floor.

Pick 4 — Nyara Sabally, C (Toronto Tempo, from New York Liberty) The Tempo's biggest acquisition. Nyara Sabally — younger sister of Liberty star Satou Sabally — is a 6-foot-4 German center who provides elite rim protection and post scoring. Three WNBA seasons of experience and still only 25 years old: Toronto may have found their franchise cornerstone.

Pick 5 — Luisa Geiselsöder (Portland Fire, from Dallas Wings) Another German talent, Geiselsöder joins Carleton as part of Portland's international roster construction.

Pick 6 — Marina Mabrey, G (Toronto Tempo, from Connecticut Sun) A proven veteran scorer with seven WNBA seasons. Mabrey is one of the most dangerous off-ball shooters in the league and gives Toronto a legitimate offensive weapon alongside Allemand in the backcourt. This is arguably Toronto's best pick of the entire draft.

Pick 7 — Emily Engstler, F (Portland Fire, from Washington Mystics) Engstler is a high-motor wing known for her defensive intensity and rebounding. Four seasons of WNBA experience gives Portland a player who can guard multiple positions.

Pick 8 — Aaliyah Nye, G (Toronto Tempo, from Las Vegas Aces) A first-year player from the Aces, Nye represents Toronto's bet on upside. Las Vegas left her unprotected — a sign she may not have cracked their deep rotation — but the Tempo see potential worth developing.

Pick 9 — Maya Caldwell (Portland Fire, from Atlanta Dream) Four years with Atlanta gives Caldwell valuable WNBA experience. Portland adds depth to what is shaping up to be a versatile, multi-dimensional frontcourt.

Pick 10 — Lexi Held (Toronto Tempo, from Phoenix Mercury) Held joins Toronto from Phoenix in just her second WNBA season. A guard with shooting ability who can slot in off the bench.

Pick 11 — Chloe Bibby, F (Portland Fire, from Indiana Fever) Australian forward Chloe Bibby joins Portland after her first WNBA campaign with Indiana. A skilled scorer who can operate in the mid-range and from three.

Pick 12 — María Conde, F (Toronto Tempo, from Golden State Valkyries) The wildcard of Round 1. Spanish forward María Conde has zero WNBA regular-season appearances — she's entirely unproven at this level — but Toronto clearly saw something in her international résumé worth a first-round selection.

Round 2: Full Results

Portland Fire vs Toronto Tempo: How the Rosters Stack Up

What This Means for Existing Teams

The biggest losers of the expansion draft were the teams who couldn't protect enough talent:

• Minnesota Lynx lost Bridget Carleton (#1 overall) and Maria Kliundikova — two picks from the same franchise signals a thin unprotected depth chart.
• Connecticut Sun lost Marina Mabrey, one of the WNBA's most dangerous shooters. That's a significant loss for a Sun team that relied on her scoring.
• New York Liberty parted with Nyara Sabally and Adja Kane. The defending contenders apparently felt confident enough in their core to leave Sabally unprotected — a gamble Toronto cashed in on.
• Dallas Wings lost both Haley Jones and Luisa Geiselsöder, thinning an already-thin roster.

What Happens Next

Both the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo will participate in the 2026 WNBA Draft on April 4. Portland holds the 7th overall pick; Toronto holds the 6th. Combined with their expansion draft hauls, both franchises will have fully stocked rosters before training camp opens.

The 2026 WNBA season tips off in mid-May. Whether Portland's veteran-led approach or Toronto's upside-heavy construction translates to wins faster remains the central question — but both teams made smart, calculated selections that give them genuine competitive foundations from day one.

For WNBA fans, this expansion draft delivered something rare: two franchises built with real intention, not just filler. Portland's Carleton-anchored group and Toronto's Sabally-Mabrey pairing are worth watching all season long.