The 2026 WNBA season is set to tip off this Friday, May 8th. There were many standout players from the preseason games. Here are five WNBA rookies who people should look out for this season.<\/p>\r\n
Fresh off a National Championship with UCLA, Lauren Betts<\/a> is ready to make her mark on the WNBA. The six-foot-seven center averaged 17.5 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game during her three years with the Bruins. In this year’s WNBA draft, Betts was selected 4th overall by the Washington Mystics. Some qualities that make Lauren Betts stand out are her height, which contributes to her elite defense in blocking shots and protecting the rim. Additionally, her college shooting percentage was 61.9%, which exceeds the average for most college teams.<\/p>\r\n With two preseason games under her belt, the rookie center had strong performances. In her debut game against the Minnesota Lynx, Betts recorded 13 points, 5 rebounds, an assist, and a steal in 23 minutes. In the second preseason game against the Las Vegas Aces, she recorded 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal.<\/p>\r\n This year\u2019s first overall draft pick was Azzi Fudd<\/a>, selected by the Dallas Wings. She has been a player to look out for since her first collegiate start at UConn. In the 2022 game against Tennessee, Fudd recorded 25 points, four rebounds, and four assists, proving that she should be a regular starter. The Huskies guard was on a roll until tearing her ACL and her meniscus in 2023. Despite going through these major setbacks, Fudd<\/a> came back stronger than ever. In 2025, the UConn Huskies won the National Championship. In that finals game, Fudd recorded 24 points, five rebounds, and three steals. All of these hardships resulted in success.<\/p>\r\n This past week, Fudd made her debut with the Dallas Wings<\/a>. While her first game was quiet since she played limited minutes, her second game was much better. The guard recorded 12 points and an assist in 20 minutes. A key quality of the guard is her elite shooting ability and floor-spacing skills.<\/p>\r\n Drafted 6th overall in 2025 by the Washington Mystics, Georgia Amoore<\/a> was set for her WNBA debut. Unfortunately, during training camp, she tore her ACL, missing the entire 2025 WNBA season. The guard is now healthy, having played in both of the Mystics\u2019 preseason games. In her debut, Amoore played just 13 minutes to ease back into play. In the second preseason game, she recorded eight points, a rebound, two assists, and three steals in just 17 minutes.<\/p>\r\n Amoore is an underrated defensive player due to her height of five-foot-six. However, Amoore recorded 137 steals in her five-year college career. Additionally, her three-point shooting is stellar. In her collegiate career, the guard’s three-point shooting was 35.6%. In the 2022-2023 season with Virginia Tech, Amoore had a breakout year. Amoore led the ACC with 118 three-pointers made.<\/p>\r\n After a strong run in the NCAA Tournament with TCU, Olivia Miles<\/a> is ready for her next chapter in the WNBA. The five-foot-ten guard was drafted 2nd overall by the Minnesota Lynx<\/a>. With the Lynx losing a few starters due to the expansion draft, trades, and injuries, Miles is the perfect player to step into this main role. During her college career, she averaged 15.6 points per game, 6.5 assists per game, and 6.3 rebounds per game, making her an all-around player. Miles recorded 12 triple-doubles throughout her college career, tied for the most in Big 12 history alongside Brittney Griner<\/a> and Shalee Lehning<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n In her debut preseason game, the guard recorded eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 17 minutes. In the second preseason game, Miles recorded 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists in 28 minutes. Miles has elite playmaking skills and court vision that will lead to her success in the league.<\/p>\r\nAzzi Fudd<\/h3>\r\n
Georgia Amoore<\/h3>\r\n
Olivia Miles<\/h3>\r\n
Flau\u2019jae Johnson<\/h3>\r\n