PORTLAND, Ore. — The WNBA's newest franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, kicked off their journeys on Friday with the league's 2026 expansion draft, each selecting 11 players from a pool of unprotected talent left by the existing 13 teams. The draft, held virtually amid months of anticipation following the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement, marks a pivotal moment for the league as it expands its footprint into the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Portland general manager Vanja Černivec and Toronto's Monica Wright Rogers, who had been meticulously simulating scenarios throughout the offseason, expressed a collective sigh of relief as the process concluded, setting the stage for rosters that both hope will mirror the rapid success of the Golden State Valkyries in their debut season last year.
In a pre-draft coin flip last week, Toronto deferred the first overall pick in the expansion draft to Portland, securing the higher selection in the upcoming college draft on April 13. Both teams strategically left one of their 12 roster spots vacant for that occasion, focusing instead on building a core through the expansion pool and the selection of one unrestricted free agent each. Portland wasted no time with the top choice, grabbing forward Bridget Carleton from the Minnesota Lynx, while Toronto followed at No. 2 by selecting guard Julie Allemand from the Los Angeles Sparks. These initial moves underscored a broader strategy evident across the drafts: a blend of seasoned veterans for immediate stability, emerging talents poised to anchor future lineups, and high-upside players sidelined by injuries but brimming with potential.
Černivec, who has been at the helm of Portland's front office preparations, highlighted the deliberate nature of their selections. The Fire's approach emphasized players who could provide leadership and versatility right away, drawing inspiration from the Valkyries' model of integrating international experience and grit. Toronto, under Wright Rogers, echoed this sentiment, aiming to infuse their roster with scoring punch and playmaking savvy to compete in a crowded Eastern Conference. As the dust settled on Friday's proceedings, analysts noted three key trends emerging from the picks: a heavy lean toward experienced pros, foundational pieces for long-term growth, and calculated gambles on injury recoveries.
Leading the veteran charge for Portland was Carleton, the 6-foot-2 Canadian forward whose selection as the No. 1 overall pick doubled as the team's unrestricted free agent acquisition. After spending her first five WNBA seasons coming off the bench for the Lynx, Carleton earned a starting role in 2024, where she posted career-best averages of 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, while connecting on 44.4% of her 5.3 three-point attempts per game. That performance helped propel Minnesota to the WNBA Finals. In 2025, she maintained solid production as a starter, averaging 6.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.8 steals, shooting 37.3% from beyond the arc.
Černivec praised Carleton's potential impact, saying, "I think [Carleton] did an amazing job in Minnesota and if you take her out of that environment and kind of start building the team around her, we think she could be an All-Star player." The executive envisions Carleton emulating the role Kayla Thornton filled for Golden State before an injury derailed her season—a veteran presence who leads both on the court and in the locker room while continuing to refine her skills. Hailing from Ontario, Carleton's roots could resonate deeply with Portland's fanbase, offering a narrative of homecoming and stability for a fledgling franchise.
Toronto's veteran cornerstone came via their third pick (sixth overall), unrestricted free agent guard Marina Mabrey from the Connecticut Sun. Mabrey, who averaged 14.4 points—second on her team—along with 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 31.5 minutes per game last season, was unexpectedly left unprotected despite her reliability. Her desire for a fresh start, voiced during the previous offseason, aligned perfectly with Toronto's needs. What set Mabrey apart, however, was her dominance in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league this winter, where she led all scorers with 25.3 points per game on 43.4% field goal shooting, including a remarkable 10 three-pointers in a single contest in Philadelphia in late January.
Mabrey's addition brings an element of toughness to the Tempo, known for her willingness to engage physically and stir the pot when necessary—a rarity in the WNBA's style of play. As Wright Rogers builds the team's identity, Mabrey could serve as a gritty foundational element, shaping the franchise's competitive edge from day one. Sources close to the organization described her signing as a coup, providing the scoring and leadership Toronto lacked in simulations.
Turning to future cornerstones, Portland's second pick, guard Carla Leite from the Golden State Valkyries, represents a reunion with Černivec, who originally drafted her for the Valkyries ahead of last season. The 21-year-old French guard, selected ninth overall by the Dallas Wings in the college draft just eight months earlier, adapted swiftly to the expansion environment in Golden State. Playing overseas in the summer before joining the WNBA, Leite earned a rotation spot behind Veronica Burton, averaging 7.2 points and 2.0 assists with her fearless style.
Černivec has long admired Leite's tenacity, once calling her "fearless" for her aggressive drives to the paint and patient ball-handling. A source familiar with the move told ESPN it was a "no-brainer," citing Leite's understanding of the highs and lows of building an expansion team. At her young age, Leite's energy and familiarity with Černivec position her as a potential on-court leader, helping instill a culture of resilience in Portland's locker room.
For Toronto, Allemand embodies the foundational ball-handler archetype. Drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2020, the Belgian guard has appeared in just three full WNBA seasons across stints with Indiana, the Chicago Sky in 2022, and the Sparks last year. Her All-Rookie honors came after starting all 22 games for the Fever, where she dished out 5.8 assists and scored 8.5 points per game. With the Sparks, she averaged five assists, trailing only Las Vegas' Kelsey Plum league-wide at 5.7.
Allemand's international pedigree bolsters her case: a gold medalist in the EuroCup Women in 2023 and 2025 with Belgium, she brings elite distribution skills that could accelerate Toronto's development. Head coach Sandy Brondello, reuniting with a player from her overseas coaching days, won't need to invest precious training camp time on basic facilitation. "A player with a high skill set for ball distribution could be a smart way to build the foundation for a new franchise aiming to hit the ground running," one league insider noted.
The wild-card selections highlighted both teams' willingness to bet on recovery and potential. Portland invested in guard Nika Mühl from the Seattle Storm, despite her missing the entire 2026 season following surgery for a torn right ACL—her second such injury after sitting out 2025 with a left ACL tear. Mühl, a former UConn star, impressed in her brief healthy stint with Seattle, providing bench energy and becoming a fan favorite. In her senior college year of 2023-24, she averaged 6.9 points on 46.2% shooting (40.2% from three), 5.6 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 32.1 minutes.
Černivec's prior connection with Mühl dates back to the 2019 NCAA women's Final Four through the NBA Academy Women's Program. Sources expressed confidence in head coach Alex Sarama's development philosophy—a constraints-led approach focusing on adaptability and decision-making—that could see Mühl return stronger. This long-term vision underscores Portland's commitment to upside over immediate contribution.
Toronto's gamble came with forward Nyara Sabally from the New York Liberty, another surprise availability that facilitated a reunion with Brondello, her former coach. Drafted fifth overall in 2022, Sabally's Liberty tenure was injury-plagued: she missed her rookie year with a right knee issue and played only 17 games last season due to a flare-up. Yet, when healthy, she shone, particularly in the 2024 WNBA Finals Game 5 overtime thriller, where her 13 points and seven rebounds helped New York secure a crucial win.
Sabally's size and paint presence could make her Toronto's star center, provided she maintains health in Brondello's bigger-lineup schemes from 2023 and 2024. The pick reflects the Tempo's optimism that a change of scenery might unlock her full potential, turning past setbacks into a narrative of redemption.
As the expansion draft wraps, both franchises eye the college draft on April 13 with one spot each to fill, alongside free agency and trades to round out their rosters. The Valkyries' strong inaugural year offers a blueprint, but Černivec and Wright Rogers know the road ahead demands patience and precision. With veterans like Carleton and Mabrey providing stability, foundational guards in Leite and Allemand driving the offense, and high-reward risks like Mühl and Sabally adding intrigue, Portland and Toronto are poised to inject fresh energy into the WNBA. League officials anticipate the additions will boost attendance and international appeal, particularly with Canadian and European stars on board, signaling a new era of growth for the sport.