The 2026 WNBA draft could be a franchise-altering event for the Washington Mystics. According to early mock drafts, the team is perfectly positioned to land a trio of college basketball's biggest stars.

Youtuber Hunter Cruse and researcher Eddie Perez both assigned UCLA’s Lauren Betts, South Carolina’s Ta’niya Latson, and Tennessee’s Janiah Barker for the Mystics in thier Mock Draft picks on X.

The UCLA Center has been averaging 17.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, with a career best 4.3 assists this season. With her height and 57.3 FG%, Betts can become a versatile pair for Mystics’ Kiki Iriafen.

South Carolina ranks No. 2 on the AP poll. Adding Latson to the roster will add some Dawn Staley flavour to Mystic’s play. The Gamecocks’ Guard has been managing 15.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

As for Barker, her stats come around to be 14.3 points and 6.9 rebounds with 47.0 FG%. She has already been the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year at UCLA. She scored 24 points when Tennessee played against UCLA this January.

The Washington roster already has Iriafen, Georgia Amoore, and Sonia Citron. Iriafen has set a new franchise record for rebounds. Meanwhile, Citron is the leading scorer for her team, averaging 14.9 and scoring 44.5% from the three-point line.

Pairing Betts' interior presence with Latson's scoring and Barker's rebounding would give the team an elite foundation. However, the path to the 2026 draft looks uncertain.

The WNBA Is Looking Ahead as Negotiations Are Yet to Yield Results

The W has already released a schedule on Wednesday despite the negotiations still far from a conclusion. The 44-game season begins on May 8 and will last until September 24, 2026. The playoffs are set to start on September 27.

“Releasing the 2026 schedule is a key step as we prepare for the WNBA’s 30th season and allows teams, partners, broadcasters, and fans to begin the essential planning for the year ahead,” a WNBA spokesperson told Front Office Sports.

However, just because the WNBA has announced its schedule doesn't mean players will be on the floor. With the new CBA yet to be finalized, the WNBA may face delays from the WNBPA unless a new deal is finalized.

But if everything goes well, the Mystics stand a chance to sign some big players. So what do you think? Will they be able to hit the jackpot to make the dream roster? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments.

Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi