For the past three years, the No 1 pick has been a foregone conclusion: Aliyah Boston in 2023, Caitlin Clark in 2024, Paige Bueckers in 2025. This year has much less certainty. Will the Dallas Wings go for a big or a guard? How did [UConn’s exit](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/apr/03/uconn-south-carolina-ucla-texas-final-four-live-updates) and [UCLA’s triumph](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/apr/05/ncaa-womens-national-championship-south-carolina-ucla-live-score) affect the stock of their stars? It’s a toss-up, but I’ll go with **Awa Fam**. She’s only 19, but her athleticism and pick-and-roll game will make her a strong complement to Bueckers in Dallas. **EB** **Awa Fam.** Not the most polished prospect in the class, but perhaps the one with the highest ceiling. The Spanish center has professional experience with Valencia and held her own against some of the WNBA’s best in a Fiba World Cup qualifying tournament defeat to the United States last month. She moves fluidly for her 6ft 4in frame, shoots with touch and reads the game well. For Dallas, her ability to stretch the floor and grow alongside Bueckers fits a long-term build. **BAG** **Azzi Fudd**. There’s a lot of debate right now about what teams need and who complements which system the best, but Fudd makes sense for the Wings if Dallas are building around Paige. Their experience will help the Wings get where they want to be a little faster than they may otherwise. **SK** As much as it likely saddens Bueckers, who would no doubt relish a reunion with UConn spouse Fudd, consensus appears to be consolidating around **Awa Fam**. With Bueckers and Fam, a three-level scorer who could become the first foreign player to go No 1 since treble league MVP Lauren Jackson, Dallas have a chance at a one-two punch they can really build around. **AL** The team who had the best expansion draft was … ----------------------------------------------- The **Toronto Tempo** took some inspiration from Golden State’s journey from expansion team to contender last season: their GM said they want to win “[immediately](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqtKf1d4qUA)”. Julie Allemand should slot in as a starting point guard, and Aaliyah Nye and Nyara Sabally have experience on championship rosters. Marina Mabrey has competed at an All-Star level before and could get there for real if she improves her consistency. **EB** **Toronto Tempo**. After the Golden State Valkyries sold out all their games and became the first expansion side to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season, the expectations around first-year teams have been raised. The experienced core of Allemand, Mabrey and Maria Kliundikova will help Toronto be more competitive right away, though the playoffs may still be a few years off. **BAG** This one is tough! Both teams made really compelling choices. I’m inclined to say the **Toronto** **Tempo** because their expansion draft selections are easy to understand, but it feels like the Fire are hoping to make a Valkyries-esque splash this season. **SK** **Toronto Tempo**. Mabrey (a stone-cold baller) is a helluva pickup, and Sabally (who helped clinch the Liberty’s 2024 WNBA title) is a beguiling veteran who could finally tap into her true potential as new-old coach Sandy Brondello puzzles through the Tempo’s rotations. That said: I don’t see either team being as good out of the box as the Valkyries, who scrapped their way to a 2025 playoff spot and aren’t likely to give any ground to this year’s newcomers. **AL** This will be a good draft for … ------------------------------- **UCLA Bruins.** Lauren Betts only improved her case to be a top-five pick by leading the Bruins to the national title and earning Most Outstanding Player honors. Who will be the second UCLA player off the board? That’s the big question. Gianna Kneepkens is one of the most talented shooters in the class, while Gabriela Jaquez (21 points and 10 rebounds in the final) and Kiki Rice (12.8 points, 5.2 rebounds in the tournament) had standout postseasons. UCLA could become the first school with four first-rounders since UConn’s Fab Four in 2002. **EB** **UCLA players.** The Bruins’ title run turned an already respected group into the story of the draft. Betts, Rice, Jaquez, Kneepkens and Angela Dugalic all gained traction at the ideal time and multiple mocks see UCLA flooding the first round with players who look immediately usable in pro rotations. **BAG** **The Washington Mystics** are poised to pick up quite a few players in the first round. Washington have the No 4, 9, and 11 picks, which could see them drafting Betts, Olivia Miles, or even Fam at that top spot, as well as potentially Cotie McMahon, Jaquez, or Ta’Niya Latson. **SK** **The Atlanta Dream**, who scored all-star Angel Reese in a shock trade for two noodle packs and a jar of Ragu. She gives the Dream something their transition offense sorely needed – a player who can net them extra possessions off the glass. All they’re missing now is shooting, and TCU’s Marta Suarez or UCLA’s Jaquez (if she falls or they trade up to get her) would neatly fit the bill. **AL** Whose stock has risen more in the last month? --------------------------------------------- Outside anyone with “UCLA” next to their name, I’ll say South Carolina’s **Raven Johnson**. Before this season, she was already one of the most decorated players in the history of a very decorated program. The Gamecocks’ title-game run boosted that résumé, leaving her with four national championship appearances, five Final Fours and five conference championships. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year played a key part in shutting down Fudd and Sarah Strong in the Final Four, holding UConn to their fewest points since 2022. She could jump into the top 10. **EB** **Raven Johnson.** Her extra year at South Carolina seems to have done exactly what she needed. Her improved shooting, command and all-around growth have impressed draftniks, who have slotted her as a first-round player who could help a good team with defense, strength and winning habits. **BAG** It’s pretty tough to deny that **UCLA’s** **Betts,** **Ja****quez,** **Kneepkens, and** **Rice** are all getting even more attention post-tournament, and they deserve it. All four played crucial roles in their win over South Carolina in Phoenix, and will be assets to any team that drafts them. **SK** Feels like **Iyana Martin** has been drawing more buzz since her flashy run in for Spain in recent Fiba World Cup qualifiers. At just 20 years old, she’s got a ton of room for growth – and at a slight 5ft 9in, she’ll surely have to hit the weights to keep from getting bodied off the ball by the W’s brawny perimeter defenders. **AL** [](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/apr/13/wnba-draft-2026-predictions-will-azzi-fudd-or-a-spanish-prodigy-go-no-1-overall#img-2) Raven Johnson may leap up into the top 10 after an impressive college season. Photograph: John Locher/AP Which international player could surprise? ------------------------------------------ **Frieda Bühner** had a very short stint in the US college game in 2022-23, playing four games for Florida before she returned to Germany. She’s since had a nice career in the Spanish league, averaging 17.1 points this season. Buhner also has a solid international record for a 21-year-old: she came off the bench at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and was named to the All-Star Five of last month’s Fiba World Cup qualifying tournament. **EB** **Frieda Bühner.** She is not generating the same buzz as Fam, but the profile is compelling: size, strength, fast decisions, interior scoring and encouraging indicators on the jumper. In the right developmental setting, she could wind up looking like one of the steals of the international group. **BAG** **Nell Angloma** might be the Juste Jocyte of this year’s draft. The France-to-USA pipeline is strong, and she could end up drafted higher than a lot of people think. She’s only 19 and has plenty of time before she even touches her ceiling, and could be a great asset for Toronto in particular. **SK** **Stella Colas** could get a look near the end of the draft. The Frenchwoman had acquitted herself well in second division play last year and overcame an uneven start to this season to show flashes of creative playmaking. But with so many great guards available, she remains a long shot to hear her name called on Monday night. **AL** Later-round gem to watch ------------------------ Israel’s **Yarden Garzon** didn’t have the valedictory season she had hoped for after transferring from Indiana to Maryland. But her length is a perfect fit for the pro game and her range is deep. If she can hit threes as consistently as she did at Indiana, where she was knocking ‘em down at a near 50% clip, she’ll crack a WNBA rotation – and quickly. **EB** **Hannah Stuelke.** ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo more or less gave the scouting report for why Caitlin Clark’s former Iowa teammate is such an interesting sleeper: motor, size, athleticism and real upside as a rim-runner. She still feels unfinished, which may push her into the second- or third-round, but she could thrive if the right club takes a flyer on her. **BAG** Keep an eye on Stuelke, Tennessee’s **Zee Spearman**, and Texas’s **Rori Harmon**. All three have room to grow and deserve a spot somewhere in the league to maximize their potential. Harmon in particular could surprise a lot of people if the right team takes a chance on her. **SK** **Maggie Doogan** from Richmond made headlines in January when she set the record for most points (48) in a Division I game. She shot 50.6% from the floor this season to go with 21.1 points per game. She won’t go as high in this year’s draft as Maddy Siegrist, another crafty scorer from a small school, but she has enough similar traits that she could make an impact at a team’s training camp. Another to watch: Harmon. She’s undersized at 5ft 6in and has some shooting weaknesses, but she proved herself as one of the country’s best on-ball defenders in the Longhorns’ run to the Final Four. **AL** Who drafted the best last year? ------------------------------- The **Mystics** struggled to close out games last year and couldn’t crack the top of the East, but two of their three first-round picks – Notre Dame’s Sonia Citron and Stanford’s Kiki Iriafen – had standout seasons. They shattered franchise records and were two of three rookies (the other being Bueckers) to be All-Star selections. Washington are the only team with two top-10 picks this year – but they also fired their GM a week before the draft. We’ll have to see how that works out. **EB** The **Wings**. If you land the Rookie of the Year, you are in the argument by default. Bueckers has given the Wings a true centerpiece on and off the court. The results lagged as the Wings shared the WNBA cellar with Chicago, but that is secondary. The draft is about acquiring the best asset available, and no player from last year’s class offered more immediate or long-term value. **BAG** I think it’s difficult to say anyone but the **Wings**, right? Bueckers is a generational talent and a strong leader, especially for someone who is still so young. The Mystics also picked up a whole collection of players whose names we’ll be hearing for years to come. **SK** **Mystics** GM Jamila Wideman did a nice job grabbing Citron, Iriafen, Georgia Amoore and Lucy Olsen before management showed her the door after _one season_ in the role. Three out of the four turned out to be gainful contributors – not least Citron, an All-Star (with Iriafen) who finished runner-up to Bueckers for rookie of the year. Where the team goes from here is anyone’s guess, but it can’t be said they weren’t set up for success. **AL** The top 10 picks will be\* … ---------------------------- **Ella Brockway’s top 10** 1. Dallas Wings — Awa Fam, center, Spain 2. Minnesota Lynx — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn 3. Seattle Storm — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU 4. Washington Mystics — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA 5. Chicago Sky — Kiki Rice, point guard, UCLA 6. Toronto Tempo — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, South Carolina 7. Portland Fire — Gabriela Jaquez, shooting guard, UCLA 8. Golden State Valkyries — Nell Angloma, forward, France 9. Washington Mystics — Gianna Kneepkens, shooting guard, UCLA 10. Indiana Fever — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina **Bryan Armen Graham’s top 10** 1. Dallas Wings — Awa Fam, center, Spain 2. Minnesota Lynx — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA 3. Seattle Storm — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU 4. Washington Mystics — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn 5. Chicago Sky — Kiki Rice, guard, UCLA 6. Toronto Tempo — Iyana Martín, point guard, Spain 7. Portland Fire — Gabriela Jaquez, shooting guard, UCLA 8. Golden State Valkyries — Gianna Kneepkens, guard, UCLA 9. Indiana Fever — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, LSU 10. Indiana Fever — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina **Stephanie Kaloi’s top 10** 1. Dallas Wings — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn 2. Minnesota Lynx — Awa Fam, center, Spain 3. Seattle Storm — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU 4. Washington Mystics — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA 5. Chicago Sky — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, LSU 6. Toronto Tempo — Nell Angloma, forward, France 7. Portland Fire — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina 8. Golden State Valkyries — Gianna Kneepkens, shooting guard/wing, UCLA 9. Washington Mystics — Cotie McMahon, forward, Mississippi 10. Indiana Fever — Ta’Niya Latson, shooting guard, South Carolina **Andrew Lawrence’s top 10** 1. Dallas Wings — Awa Fam, center, Spain 2. Minnesota Lynx — Azzi Fudd, shooting guard, UConn 3. Seattle Storm — Nell Angloma, forward, France 4. Washington Mystics — Lauren Betts, center, UCLA 5. Chicago Sky — Olivia Miles, point guard, TCU 6. Toronto Tempo — Kiki Rice, guard, UCLA 7. Portland Fire — Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina 8. Golden State Valkyries — Ta’Niya Latson, shooting guard, South Carolina 9. Washington Mystics — Flau’jae Johnson, shooting guard, LSU 10. Indiana Fever — Gabriela Jaquez, shooting guard, UCLA \* This is what our writers think the order will be, rather than what they think it _should_ be.

As the NBA enters its postseason crescendo, its carefully cultivated image as one of the most progressive leagues in sports is once again in the spotlight due to its partnership with [Rwanda](https://www.theguardian.com/world/rwanda), which has long been accused of human rights abuses and war crimes. In March 2026, the Trump administration [announced sanctions](https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/03/sanctioning-rwandan-violators-of-the-washington-accords-for-peace-and-prosperity) targeting Rwanda’s military and four senior officials for its role in abuses and military aggression in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Shortly after the announcement, one of the top teams competing in the [Basketball Africa League (BAL)](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jul/01/basketball-africa-league-nba-african-expansion) – a premier continental league co-founded by NBA Africa – suddenly withdrew from the competition. As it turned out, that team had deep ties to Rwanda’s sanctioned military. “APR will no longer participate in the 2026 BAL season,” read a [statement published by the BAL](https://www.facebook.com/theBAL/posts/apr-will-no-longer-participate-in-the-2026-bal-season-and-will-be-replaced-prior/1532869065512361/) on 13 March. Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club, commonly known as APR, is a prominent Rwandan basketball club based in Kigali that dates back to the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. The team is owned and funded by the Rwanda Defence Force – a fact that is [proudly stated on the team’s BAL profile page](https://bal.nba.com/teams/apr). In January 2026, the RDF even [hosted a luncheon](https://www.mod.gov.rw/news-detail/rdf-chief-of-defence-staff-hosts-apr-fc-team-for-luncheon-to-celebrate-the-recent-super-cup-victory) for APR players and staff to celebrate their victory in the local Super Cup. Under US treasury sanctions, any assets held by the RDF within American jurisdiction are frozen, and US entities are prohibited from engaging in transactions with the military or individuals connected to it. Because the BAL operates under the NBA – a US-based organization – permitting a team directly tied to a sanctioned military body to compete could expose the league to serious sanctions compliance risks. While the sanctions are limited to the RDF and do not extend to other sectors of the Rwandan government, it brought renewed attention to the NBA and its friendly ties with Rwanda’s infamous president, [Paul Kagame](https://www.theguardian.com/world/paul-kagame). Serving as the de facto ruler of Rwanda since 1994, Kagame drew international praise for commanding the rebel force that ended the Rwandan genocide. However, he has since ruled his country with an iron fist, allegedly committing severe and systematic human rights abuses both within Rwanda and beyond its borders. This includes forced disappearances, assassinations of political opponents, torture and state-imposed censorship. In 2024, Kagame topped his own record by winning the presidential election with more than 99% of the vote, reflecting his totalitarian grip over the African nation. The NBA’s relationship with Rwanda officially began in August 2015, when some of the top coaches from the league hosted a basketball camp in the capital of Kigali as part of the Giants of Africa program. The following year, Kagame attended an [NBA](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba) Africa luncheon with league commissioner Adam Silver as part of the All-Star Game festivities. In 2018, he delivered a keynote speech at a reception hosted by the NBA in New York City. At the time, Kagame’s regime had already helped launch two wars in the DRC, which led to the deaths of millions of people in the region. [Thousands](https://apnews.com/article/un-congo-rwanda-troops-m23-panel-experts-8619a4ce5727a7fec85808ef76762d9b) of Kagame’s [soldiers](https://apnews.com/article/un-congo-rwanda-troops-m23-panel-experts-8619a4ce5727a7fec85808ef76762d9b) and allied M23 militia continue to operate in eastern DRC, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, [plundering](https://apnews.com/article/congo-rebels-mining-smartphones-efeccc189dfa64a2a010fd3240fc3880) mines rich in strategic mineral resources and leaving a trail of [massacres](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/06/13/dr-congo-killings-rapes-rwanda-backed-m23-rebels), rapes and other gross human rights abuses. Nevertheless, the NBA continued to deepen its ties to Kagame. When NBA Africa and Fiba launched the BAL, Rwanda secured the hosting rights for the inaugural season in 2021. By positioning Rwanda as a key hub for basketball and the NBA in Africa, Kagame was able to frame himself as a leading African figure in a sport that was among the most popular in the United States and was gaining traction across the African continent. He has since made regular appearances at NBA games – flanked by an entourage of friends and family – attended NBA summits as a guest of honor, and made Rwanda a key player in Africa’s basketball aspirations. In December 2023, Kagame’s former aide and cabinet minister, Claire Akamanzi, was appointed CEO of NBA Africa, further consolidating Kagame’s influence over the sport on the continent. Less than two years later in September 2025, Visit Rwanda – the official tourism brand of the Rwanda Development Board – [announced](https://www.nba.com/clippers/news/visit-rwanda-lands-in-los-angeles) a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers, further cementing its presence across the sport. The deal further expanded Visit Rwanda’s global sports portfolio, which also includes deals with Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid. In February 2026, Kagame once again attended the NBA All-Star Game before meeting with top NBA officials to discuss the future of the game in Africa. Among those present at the discussions was NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, who had previously defended the [NBA’s ties to Kagame](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40591644/how-nba-got-business-african-dictator) in an ESPN story. When two US senators later accused the NBA of “putting profit over principle”, Tatum once again defended the league by stating that the NBA follows “the lead of the US government as to where it’s appropriate to engage in business around the world”. “If American policies were to change regarding business activities in and relating to Rwanda or any other BAL market, our actions would of course change accordingly,” Tatum [wrote in response](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/41438845/nba-responds-senators-letter-rwanda) to the senators. After the withdrawal of the RDF-funded APR, the BAL announced that APR would be replaced by another local team called the RSSB Tigers, which is [owned](https://bal.nba.com/teams/rssb-tigers) by the Rwanda Social Security Board. The team has since qualified for the BAL playoffs, which are set to take place in Kigali in May. When contacted by the Guardian, the NBA reiterated that the league continues to comply with US government guidance regarding its engagement in Rwanda, and pointed me to Tatum’s previous statements on the subject. For now, the NBA remains in compliance with US foreign policy, which has so far targeted only Rwanda’s military and a handful of officials. But whether its relationship with Rwanda, and with Kagame, will pose greater risks down the line remains an open question.

NBA commissioner David Stern walked to the podium at the Felt Forum in Madison Square Garden on 17 June 1986. “For the last pick of the first round of the NBA draft … _America’s game_,” Stern said with a hint of a smile, “the [Portland Trail Blazers](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/portland-trail-blazers) select Arvydas Sabonis of the Soviet Union.” Boos rained down from the crowd. TBS hosts Bob Neal and Larry Donald burst into laughter. One Portland journalist said if Sabonis ever played in the [NBA](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba) he’d jump off the Broadway Bridge. (Sabonis had actually been drafted by the Atlanta Hawks the previous year but it was voided because he was not yet 21.) Portland doubled down two rounds later, selecting Dražen Petrović from another communist country, Yugoslavia. The NBA would never be the same. Prior to 1986, international draft picks fell into two categories: foreign-born players who attended college in the US, and late-round flyers. (The draft was set at 10 rounds in 1974, then reduced to seven in 1985.) “At that time \[the mid-1980s\], I never saw an NBA scout in that period,” says Dan Peterson, an American coach, who worked in Italy. “Europeans were not yet on the radar. The NBA had no idea.” NBA teams didn’t employ international scouts, relying instead on secondhand reports and grainy VHS tapes. “We didn’t have Synergy \[scouting technology\] like you do today. You didn’t have real films,” says Rick Sund, former general manager of the Dallas Mavericks. Teams initially turned to part-time scouts in the US or Europe for information. Portland’s vice-president of basketball operations, Bucky Buckwalter, had been intrigued by European players for years. When he was an assistant coach at the University of Utah, his teams played exhibition games against European squads. In the NBA, he leaned on his former college teammate, George Fisher, who was coaching in France, for information about European players. Buckwalter and Fisher’s conversations centered around Sabonis. Buckwalter first heard about the Lithuanian center during a 12-game exhibition tour of the US by the Soviet Union’s national team in 1982, when they faced college squads. Word spread fast about the 7ft 3in, 17-year-old who outscored the defending two-time National Player of the Year, Ralph Sampson. Sabonis possessed a devastating combination of power and finesse. The tallest man on the court ran like a gazelle, passed like Bill Walton and could shoot threes. “You know, I played against Sabonis basically since I was 16,” NBA All-Star Detlef Schrempf said decades later. “I told everyone all the time that if Sabonis was in the NBA he’d be the best player possibly ever. Guys are ‘Pff, come on.’ He’d be the best center in the league by far.” Fisher also mentioned Petrović, a Yugoslavian guard whose virtuoso performances were drawing comparisons to Pete Maravich. “The Mozart of Basketball” averaged more than 40 points per game in the Yugoslavian league and led Cibona to the European Cup title in 1986, defeating Sabonis’s Zalgiris squad in the finals. During that tournament, he scorched Olimpia Milano with 47 points on 19-of-23 shooting and 25 assists. There were impediments to signing international players at the time though. Europeans were discouraged from joining the NBA by the International Basketball Federation’s (Fiba) amateurism requirement. NBA players were deemed professionals and couldn’t represent their country in international competitions, even though athletes who played professionally in Europe were considered amateurs. The communist countries exerted additional control. The Soviet Union forbade players from signing abroad, leaving defection as the only option, which jeopardized the freedom and safety of loved ones left behind. Yugoslavia prohibited its players from playing in other countries until they were 28. NBA executives were skeptical about whether Europeans could compete in the league and concerned about their ability to assimilate. The commonly held belief was that European players weren’t as tough or skilled as their American counterparts. Executives were reluctant to risk a high draft pick, and possibly their jobs, on European talent. The Blazers were mired in mediocrity during the mid-80s and didn’t have a high pick in the 1986 draft. Buckwalter believed Europeans could propel them into contention. “We picked the best big man and best guard in Europe,” he says of Sabonis and Petrović. The question was whether Portland could sign them? Sabonis and Petrović faced each other at the Fiba Championship in Madrid weeks after the draft. Sabonis won out as the Soviet Union beat Yugoslavia in an epic comeback overtime victory before losing to the US in the finals. Buckwalter stayed in the same hotel as the players, though approaching Sabonis wasn’t easy. The Lithuanian was being watched. Members of the KGB accompanied athletes when they traveled abroad. [](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/22/nba-draft-1986-international-era-trail-blazers-sabonis-petrovic#img-2) Dražen Petrović was becoming a force in the NBA before he was killed in a car crash at the age of 28. Photograph: Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images Buckwalter had a Lithuanian friend ask Sabonis to meet him. Sabonis agreed and snuck out of his room in the middle of the night to join Buckwalter in a hotel room at 3am. Buckwalter asked Sabonis if he wanted to come to the NBA. Sabonis said he did, but was unwilling to defect because of the possible ramifications for his family. Portland attempted to use owner Larry Weinberg’s connections in the US state department to convince the Soviets to allow Sabonis to join the NBA. A congressman, senator, and two secretaries of state operated as emissaries on the Blazers’ behalf. Portland offered the Soviet bureaucrats millions of dollars to let Sabonis go, to no avail. The Soviets wanted Sabonis to compete in the 1988 Olympics and wouldn’t allow him to lose eligibility by playing in the NBA. Buckwalter also met with Petrović in Madrid to gauge his interest in signing with Portland. He was leery about making the jump across the pond, and wasn’t ready to forfeit his international eligibility. Buckwalter was undeterred. He hired Kenny Grant, an American coaching in France, to keep tabs on Petrović. In the spring of 1988, the Blazers paid for Sabonis to come to Portland to rehabilitate his torn achilles tendon, just in time for him to lead the Soviets past the US in the Olympics that summer before beating Drazen’s Yugoslavia for gold. Meanwhile, the winds of change swept through international basketball. At the urging of Fiba’s secretary general, Borislav Stanković, the organization voted in the spring of 1989 to allow professionals to play in international competitions, paving the way for the US Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics. (The US voted against the rule change.) The new policy opened the door for five Europeans to sign with NBA teams for the 1989-90 season. Petrović was one of them. After languishing on the Blazers’ bench for a season-and-a-half, Drazen blossomed when he was traded to the New Jersey Nets in January 1991. He averaged 22.3 points per game during the 1992-93 season and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. Sadly, Petrović died in a car crash in Germany in June 1993. He was 28. The USSR had also changed since the 1986 draft. Mikhail Gorbachev’s glasnost policy opened up society. Soviets played exhibition games against the Atlanta Hawks in the US in 1987, and the Hawks reciprocated with a groundbreaking tour of the Soviet Union the following year. In 1989, the USSR allowed players to leave the country. Buckwalter negotiated with Sabonis’s agent, though the player chose to sign with Valladolid in Spain. He was still working his way back after two achilles tears, and the European schedule, which featured one game a week, was more suitable to his ailing body. Sabonis was finally ready for the NBA in 1995 after a successful spell with Real Madrid. The Blazers front office asked team doctor Robert Cook to examine an MRI of Sabonis’s achilles. Cook said Sabonis “could qualify for a handicapped parking spot right now”. At the age of 30, Sabonis was no longer the force he once was. Injuries had reduced his mobility. He averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds in just 23.8 minutes per game during the 1995-96 season. Extrapolated over 36 minutes, that’s 22 points and 12.2 rebounds, All-Star numbers. Sabonis played seven seasons in Portland. As for the journalist who said he’d jump off the Broadway Bridge if Sabonis ever played in the NBA, the 92-year-old Buckwalter is still waiting. Stern, who was named commissioner in 1984, had a vision of globalizing the game, and the NBA began planting seeds around the world by increasing the number of sponsored clinics and camps abroad, exporting VHS tapes like [Michael Jordan’s Come Fly With Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOqnQjl0870) and airing games on TV in other countries. “The ’92 Olympics was like the perfect fertilizer storm,” former NBA executive Terry Lyons says. “You know that just watered all that and made it grow so much faster.” Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and Pau Gasol are among the many Europeans who credit the Dream Team with inspiring them to pursue the NBA. Europeans trickled into the league in the mid-90s. Croatia’s Toni Kukoč joined the Chicago Bulls in 1993 and became a key member of their second three-peat. Roberto Carmenati, an Italian coach and longtime scout for the Dallas Mavericks, believes Nowitzki represented a turning point. Prior to Nowitzki, who was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998 then immediately traded to Dallas, the Europeans selected by NBA teams had been stars in Europe. Nowitzki, just 20 when he joined the Mavericks, had spent most of his career in the second division in Germany. “He was as unknown in Europe as he was in America,” Carmenati says. Soon after, in the late ’90s and early 2000s, NBA teams began hiring full-time international scouts in the hopes of unearthing the next great European prospect. Fast forward 25 years, and most teams employ four or five full-time international scouts. Sabonis and Petrović are enshrined in the Hall of Fame, though there remains a “what if” factor to their careers. Americans never witnessed Sabonis at the height of his powers, and Petrović was at the beginning of his prime when he died. However, there’s no question about their impact on the globalization of the game. They demonstrated that Europeans could not only contribute in the NBA, they could be stars. There were fewer than 10 international players in the NBA when Portland drafted Sabonis and Petrović in 1986. Twenty-three were selected in the 2025 draft alone and a similar number will be picked this week. On opening night of the 2025-26 NBA season, 135 international players (more than 25% of the league) from 43 countries were on NBA rosters. The last eight MVP awards went to players born outside the United States. Basketball was invented in America, but the game belongs to the world.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers will make their World Cup debuts as members of the US women’s national team next month. The trio will try to help the US win their fifth consecutive Fiba World Cup title. The young stars will be joined by Olympic medalists A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper and Kelsey Plum. Rhyne Howard and Aliyah Boston will also be making their World Cup debuts to round out the team. “I’m so excited to announce the 2026 USA [Basketball](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/basketball) Women’s National Team,” Sue Bird, USA Basketball national team managing director, said. “This is an incredibly talented group that has earned the opportunity to compete in Berlin. Wearing a USA jersey is a privilege, and I know these 12 players will embrace that responsibility as we go after another gold medal. I can’t wait to see what this team accomplishes together.” This is the first time USA Basketball has had a managing director choose the team. In the past it was a committee. Kara Lawson will coach the squad. Stewart is the third player in USA Basketball history to appear in four World Cup tournaments, joining Bird, who played in five, and Diana Taurasi, who also played in four. The Americans will face China, Italy and the Czech Republic in pool play at the World Cup, which will be held from 4-13 September in Berlin. The [WNBA](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/wnba) will take a nearly three-week break in its season to accommodate the event. Clark, Bueckers and Reese helped the Americans win a World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico in March. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/aug/06/usa-fiba-world-cup-roster-caitlin-clark-angel-reese-aja-wilson#EmailSignup-skip-link-8) Free newsletter | Weekly for the 2026 WNBA season Sign up to WNBA 30 A limited run women’s basketball newsletter dedicated to the league’s historic 30th season. _(4).jpg) after newsletter promotion Sabrina Ionescu has been a big part of the US roster the last few years, but was left off this season’s team. Alyssa Thomas helped the Americans win gold at the Paris Olympics, but hasn’t taken part in any USA Basketball camps since. Minnesota star rookie Olivia Miles also hasn’t taken part in any USA camps yet either.

Ukrainian center Kate Koval is leaving LSU less than two weeks after the Tigers brought in a player from Russia. LSU coach Kim Mulkey said Monday night that Koval was leaving for “personal reasons”, adding that the program will “respect her privacy on her decision”. “We had a long talk about it, and it was a hard decision for her,” Mulkey continued. “I know it is hard because she loves LSU. Kate is a great person. She has to do what she feels is right for her, and we fully support her in that. We all wish her the best.” Koval, who was born in Kyiv and whose father serves in the Ukrainian military, began her college career at Notre Dame. She transferred before last season to LSU, where she averaged 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 16.6 minutes per game. Koval played high school basketball in New York, where she was one of the best young players in the country, and represented Ukraine at the Fiba 3x3 World Cup this summer. Earlier this month, LSU signed Anna Minaeva, a 17-year-old who previously played professionally with MBA Moscow. In an interview with the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate last week, Mulkey [said](https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/womens_basketball/lsu-womens-basketball-kim-mulkey-talks-russia-ukraine-pairing/article_becbff01-aaf2-4cd1-9303-9d4c788373f4.html) she had spoken to Koval about Minaeva joining the team before the signing was announced. “I want you to understand I’m not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia,” Mulkey recalled telling Koval. “I’m just here out of respect for your family and out of respect for you to let you know. Because I know how personal it is for you. Know that what I have to do in this business, I cannot make a decision to not recruit somebody that can help our program because of a conflict between two countries.” Mulkey had said she hoped the two players could be “ambassadors” for sport and peace amid the conflict. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and the two countries have been at war since.

The [WNBA](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/wnba) season is coming to a screeching halt for two weeks because of the Fiba Women’s World Cup, which runs from 4-13 September in Berlin. Yes, it’s weird timing this close to the playoffs, but also yes, the World Cup is really important. Maybe you’re reading this thinking about how the Atlanta Dream have won five of their last six games and need to keep riding the momentum, but I personally will never say no to more women’s basketball. You get to watch your favorite W players compete on the world stage, you get to watch Olympic-level competition in a non-Olympic year, and you get a reminder that Dominique Malonga could dunk in a World Cup game while repping France. All of the tournament’s games will stream live on HBO Max, with select games airing on TNT and TruTV. Consider this your all-in primer to get you hyped to keep watching hoops during this WNBA hiatus. **OK, so what is the World Cup again?** --------------------------------------- The Fiba Women’s [Basketball](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/basketball) World Cup is held every four years and features the world’s best national teams competing for a gold medal. The US have earned gold at four straight World Cups and have won 11 titles overall. **Are they playing for anything other than glory and bragging rights?** ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The winner of the World Cup will automatically qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. There are other pre-qualifying tournaments (EuroBasket, Asia Cup, AmeriCup, and AfroBasket) next year, and then the final spots will be secured at the Fiba Olympic qualifying tournament in February 2028. As hosts, the US automatically qualified for the Olympics, so if they win the World Cup, another qualifying spot will be added at the February 2028 tournament. [](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/01/getting-hype-for-the-fiba-world-cup#img-2) The Americans open World Cup play on Friday against China. Photograph: Virginie Lefour/Belga/Shutterstock **Who is on Team USA?** ----------------------- The team consists of 12 roster spots, selected by USA Basketball’s general manager, Sue Bird. Kara Lawson is the head coach, with Stephanie White, Nate Tibbetts and Natalie Nakase as assistants. Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces **Wait, no Kelsey Plum or A’ja Wilson?!** ----------------------------------------- It was announced Monday morning that both Plum and Wilson – two-time World Cup gold medalists – will not participate due to health reasons, with Plum also missing the remainder of the WNBA season with an injury. **Who are the USA’s biggest competition?** ------------------------------------------ France. During the 2024 Olympics, the French came within one point of snatching gold away from the Americans. It was a wake-up call about just how good international competition is getting. France will be led by a slew of top WNBA talent, including Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries), Janelle Salaün (Golden State Valkyries), Dominique Malonga (Seattle Storm), Marine Johannès (New York Liberty) and Pauline Astier (New York Liberty). [](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/01/getting-hype-for-the-fiba-world-cup#img-3) Gabby Williams leads a France squad full of WNBA talent. Photograph: Armand Lenoir/FIBA/Getty Images **OK, I’m so ready. When does it start and where can I watch?** --------------------------------------------------------------- This year’s tournament has a new format, with each team playing three group-stage games. The first-place team in each group automatically advances to the quarter-finals; second- and third-place teams must play an additional play-in game; and fourth place is automatically eliminated. You can watch games via HBO Max, TNT and truTV. **Tournament schedule** ----------------------- Group stage: 4-7 September [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/01/getting-hype-for-the-fiba-world-cup#EmailSignup-skip-link-31) Free newsletter | Weekly for the 2026 WNBA season Sign up to WNBA 30 A limited run women’s basketball newsletter dedicated to the league’s historic 30th season. _(4).jpg) after newsletter promotion Qualification/play-in round: 8-9 September Quarter-finals: 10 September Semi-finals: 12 September Third-place game: 13 September (10.30am ET) Championship: 13 September (2pm ET) **Groups** ---------- Group A: Germany, Spain, Japan, Mali Group B: France, Nigeria, South Korea, Hungary Group C: Australia, Belgium, Puerto Rico, Turkey Group D: USA, China, Italy, Czechia **Does this mean the regular WNBA season is over?** --------------------------------------------------- Games return on 17 September, and there will be roughly one week of regular-season play to shake off any rust before the WNBA playoffs begin 27 September. All eight WNBA playoff spots have already been clinched, so the final stretch is zeroed in on seeding and home-court advantage. Just three games separated the No 3 and No 8 seeds heading into the break, so there will still be plenty to root for. **Team USA’s upcoming schedule** -------------------------------- Friday 4 September, 8.15am ET, HBO Max _Team USA’s first matchup is against fourth-ranked China, who finished second at the 2022 World Cup. New York Liberty center Han Xu (Liberty) is expected to play major roles in their bid for gold._ Sunday 6 September, 2.45pm ET, HBO Max _Golden State Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini will star on Italy’s roster,_ _leading her team_ _at their first World Cup_ _since 1994._ Monday 7 September, 2.45pm ET, HBO Max _It’s been 12 years since Czechia have competed at a World Cup, and they’re doing it in the highest-ranked group. Minnesota Lynx guard Eliska Joklova will be competing for Romana Ptackova’s Lionesses._ * _This is an extract from WNBA 30, where Jordan Robinson covers the biggest stories in the league on and off the court each week. [Subscribe for free here](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/12/sign-up-for-wnba-30-a-limited-run-womens-basketball-newsletter)._

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers made the most of their World Cup debuts to help the United States rout China in the opener of the tournament. Clark had 14 points and 11 assists and Bueckers added another 14 points as the Americans topped China 94-61 on Friday. It was the first of likely many times that Clark and Bueckers will play together in the US backcourt over the next decade for the senior national team. “It’s just organic. We know how to play well off of each other,” Bueckers said. “She draws so much defensive attention, so a lot of the defense is worried about her.” Clark loved having so many offensive options, including Bueckers. Everywhere she turned to pass there was a teammate waiting to score. “Obviously being around so many talented players, obviously our guards are incredible and our bigs too, but you know anybody I pass the ball to, it feels like they’re never going to miss a shot,” Clark said. “That’s one of my goals when I come into the game – to facilitate.” Clark’s 11 assists were the most by a US player since Dawn Staley had 12 against Russia in 1998, which tied her for the most ever with Teresa Edwards, who had a dozen against China in 1986. The US beat China for the gold medal in the 2022 World Cup, but that Chinese team didn’t have 7ft 3in Zhang Ziyu. The 19-year-old had her own impressive debut in the World Cup, finishing with 13 points and hitting nine of her 10 free throws. The towering Zhang had just two blocked shots, but made the Americans think twice about driving to the basket. Bueckers took a few foul line jumpers instead of attacking Zhang. “I like to think I’m pretty smart. I thought that a layup over some 7-3 center is probably not the best idea,” Bueckers said, smiling. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/04/caitlin-clark-usa-china-womens-basketball-world-cup#EmailSignup-skip-link-12) Free newsletter | Weekly for the 2026 WNBA season Sign up to WNBA 30 A limited run women’s basketball newsletter dedicated to the league’s historic 30th season. _(4).jpg) after newsletter promotion Clark agreed that Zhang presented a difficult challenge, but the US frontcourt of Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Aliyah Boston and Angel Reese held their own, collecting a combined 24 rebounds. “This was a different type of basketball game that I probably ever played in my entire life,” Clark said. “I’ve never played against a woman of that size. She obviously presented some challenges for us, but you gotta give our post players a lot of credit.” Reese and Boston also were making their World Cup debut. In total, nine of the 12 players on the American roster, which is full of WNBA All-Stars, were playing in their first World Cup. They were able to keep the US rolling. The win was the 31st in a row for the Americans, who have a day off Saturday before facing Italy on Sunday and the Czech Republic on Monday. “It was great. Obviously the first one we got to shake off our rust,” Bueckers said. “Get back into game shape. Get back into game mode. And it’s our first time playing together as a team, as a unit. So we got a couple of days of practice, but there’s nothing like getting game reps, getting game experience together.”