{"id":527490,"date":"2026-03-16T20:49:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T20:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/527490\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T20:49:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T20:49:07","slug":"2026-wnba-draft-top-prospects-to-watch-during-the-ncaa-womens-basketball-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/527490\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 WNBA Draft: Top Prospects to Watch During the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"

AVANDATIMES.COM \u2013 The 2026 NCAA women\u2019s basketball tournament is not merely a battle for collegiate supremacy but a high-stakes audition for the professional ranks. As the bracket solidifies, several elite athletes are preparing for their final pursuit of a national title before transitioning to the WNBA. From generational shooters to dominant interior forces, the upcoming weeks will serve as a critical showcase for scouts and front offices evaluating the next wave of professional talent.<\/p>\n

The Elite Guard Class: Fudd and Miles<\/p>\n

UConn\u2019s Azzi Fudd enters the tournament as a primary contender for the top overall selection in the 2026 WNBA Draft<\/a>. A prolific scorer with a championship pedigree, Fudd has maintained an impressive 17.7 points per game this season. AvandaTimes observed that her efficiency remains her greatest asset, shooting 44.8% from the field and a remarkable 44.6% from beyond the arc. Her ability to stretch defenses makes her an ideal fit for professional systems requiring perimeter spacing.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, TCU\u2019s Olivia Miles has redefined her draft stock following a transfer from Notre Dame. As a premier playmaker, Miles ranks fifth in Division I with 216 assists, averaging 6.4 per contest. Her dual-threat capability is evidenced by her team-leading 19.6 points per game, guiding the Horned Frogs to a 29\u20135 record and proving her readiness for the professional pace.<\/p>\n

UCLA\u2019s First-Round Contingent<\/p>\n

The Bruins enter the Sacramento 2 region as a top seed, boasting a roster that could see four players selected in the first round. Center Lauren Betts remains a projected lottery pick, utilizing her 6-foot-7 frame to dominate the paint. Despite a slight statistical dip, she leads UCLA with 16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while serving as a defensive anchor with 1.9 blocks per outing.<\/p>\n

Gianna Kneepkens: A transfer from Utah, she provides elite shooting with a 44.2% success rate from three-point range.Kiki Rice: The senior guard is recording career highs, averaging 15.3 points and six rebounds while anchoring the perimeter defense.Gabriela Jaquez: A versatile guard shooting 54.3% from the field, offering efficiency and multi-positional utility.<\/p>\n

South Carolina\u2019s Defensive Juggernaut<\/p>\n

The Gamecocks, seeking redemption after a recent SEC tournament setback, feature a lineup of WNBA-ready talent under the guidance of Dawn Staley. Raven Johnson stands out as a premier defensive prospect and floor general. Staley has been vocal about Johnson\u2019s impact on the program\u2019s success. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe makes plays, winning plays,\u201d Staley said of Johnson, highlighting the guard\u2019s high basketball IQ and poise.<\/p>\n

The roster also includes Ta\u2019Niya Latson, who transitioned from Florida State to Columbia to pursue a title. While her scoring average adjusted to 14.3 points within South Carolina\u2019s balanced system, her ability to attack the rim remains elite. Additionally, 6-foot-6 center Madina Okot represents a high-upside prospect, averaging 10.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks despite only starting her basketball journey in 2020.<\/p>\n

Key Matchups and Broadcast Schedule<\/p>\n

As compiled by AvandaTimes, the following table outlines the opening-round appearances for these top draft prospects:<\/p>\n

MatchupDate & Time (ET)NetworkNo. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San DiegoFriday, March 20, 12 p.m.ESPNNo. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 GonzagaFriday, March 20, 3:30 p.m.ESPN 2No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 JacksonvilleFriday, March 20, 6 p.m.ESPNNo. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Southern\/SamfordSaturday, March 21, 1 p.m.ABCNo. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 UTSASaturday, March 21, 3 p.m.ABCNo. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 Cal BaptistSaturday, March 21, 10 p.m.ESPN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"AVANDATIMES.COM \u2013 The 2026 NCAA women\u2019s basketball tournament is not merely a battle for collegiate supremacy but a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":509286,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[237327,1782,99,17392,31478,434,2940],"class_list":["post-527490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-ncaa-division-i-womens-basketball-tournament","tag-south-carolina-gamecocks","tag-sports","tag-ucla-bruins","tag-uconn-huskies","tag-wnba","tag-wnba-draft"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/527490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=527490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/527490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/509286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=527490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=527490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=527490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}