In most North American sports leagues, expansion teams pick at the top of the draft. The W does things differently: the Toronto Tempo pick 6th overall, and the Portland Fire pick 7th. When the moment arrives for general manager Vanja Černivec and head coach Alex Sarama to select the first amateur draft pick in Fire franchise history, here are three names I think they might choose from.

LSU Guard Flau’jae Johnson

In the transfer portal era, it is exceptionally rare for a student-athlete to spend four years at the same school. Flau’jae Johnson own that distinction. She also boasts a laundry list of honors and accolades: 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, 2024 All-SEC Second Team, and back-to-back Associated Press Third-Team All-American and All-SEC First Team honors in each of the past two years.

Johnson flashes experience - starting 139 of 141 games across 4 seasons in Baton Rouge - and versatility. This season, she averaged 14.2 points, 2.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game.

Spain international point guard Iyana Martín

Iyana Martín, also known as Iyana Martín Carrión, is a 20 year old Spanish international starlet. The 5’9” point guard first represented her home country at the 2022 U16 EuroBasket, winning a silver medal. She then played on Spain’s 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup team, also winning silver. A year later, she contributed to their U19 World Cup team, again placing second. At that tournament, Martín shined, scoring a game high 19 points in Spain’s gold medal loss versus the United States. When the final whistle blew, she was named to the All-Tournament Team, and selected as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Her star power progressed further at last summer’s EuroBasket, where the young playmaker saw her first action with Spain’s senior national team.

While the Fire might be content at the point this season - last week’s expansion draft featured promising young players Carla Leite and Sarah Ashlee Barker, plus experienced veteran Sug Sutton - Martín represents a long term investment. What she lacks in professional experience, she makes up for in potential.

French international forward Nell Angloma

Angloma has been mocked as high as 6th overall to Toronto, and as low as the mid-to-late teens. Frankly, the 19 year old French international has very little tape. However, she shines through that limited tape. In last summer’s FIBA U19 World Cup, the young forward spotlighted several traits valued by Černivec and Sarama. She played off-the-ball and as a point forward, shot efficiently from behind the arc, made skilled passes, and offered dependable defense. Much like the aforementioned Martín, Angloma’s selection would be a gamble - she has only played professionally for two seasons, both in her home country - but the long time reward might outweigh the risk.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

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Before the signing period opens Saturday April 11th, read this short look at the Fire’s roster, including takeaways from the expansion draft, and where the team might go from here.

Don’t expect many signings

Last Friday, the Fire drafted eleven players. Their final pick, Nika Mühl, suffered a season-ending ACL injury earlier this Spring. Minus Mühl, the team will start training with ten expansion draft picks and three amateur draft picks. That’s all before including any potential free agents. If the Fire stay quiet during free agency, a glance of the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement might explain why.

From Article XXXIII, Section 4: “Each Team may maintain up to a maximum of twelve (12) players on its roster during each Season covered by this Agreement (barring the granting by the WNBA of a roster hardship exception).“

Simply put, the results of next week’s draft will put them over twelve players, and they’ll need to cut one. If they sign any free agents, then their number of required cuts would go up further.

Still, the Fire will talk with free agents

In an ESPN.com piece published yesterday morning, Kendra Andrews wrote that the Fire would pitch free agents during the WNBA negotiating period, which began this morning.

From that piece: “A team source with the Fire told ESPN that the franchise was trying to get as many meetings as possible with players looking for new teams so they could pitch their vision.“

General manager Vanja Černivec and head coach Alex Sarama will use the negotiating period to share their long-term vision with players and agents. Sarama, 30, is the league’s youngest head coach. He also boasts a unique philosophy and coaching style. While the Fire might not make a big splash in free agency, they can begin introducing Sarama to the W, building relationships that will pay dividends in future offseasons.

If they do add any signings, consider these positions of need

Sarama’s first Fire roster can drive, kick, and shoot threes. They also flash length and positional versatility on defense. However, the roster has two glaring needs: post players, and shooting guards.

Forwards Emily Engstler and Chloe Bibby are better suited to play stretch roles on the perimeter. Centers Luisa Geiselsöder and Nyadiew Puoch share a combined 28 games played in the WNBA. Frankly, the Fire need a veteran presence in the paint.

At two guard, former Atlanta Dream vet Maya Caldwell will likely compete with former Dallas Wings guard Haley Jones. Caldwell and Jones started sixteen games apiece last season, but have largely played rotational roles during their professional careers. Carla Leite might be ready to run the point, but Portland would be wise to add a veteran shooter next to her.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is free to read without a paywall, and 100% advertisement-free. Instead, Matt concludes every article with a brief spotlight on his favorite local charities.

SheFlies is an initiative under the Sport Oregon Foundation working to support, engage, and celebrate girls and women in sport across Oregon. Their grants help all who identify as girls and women have an opportunity to use sports to take flight into the many positive benefits of sports participation. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

In the span of twenty-one hours, from 12:30 PM Friday to 9:30 AM Saturday, I wrote thirteen different articles covering the Portland Fire’s expansion draft. That’s the most I’ve ever written in such a short amount of time.

Since then, the Fire have continued to make splashes: they’ve organized press conferences, extended qualifying offers to players on the eve of free agency, and more.

Tomorrow, I will cover the team’s opening day of WNBA free agency. I will also continue to upload videos to the PortlandSupporter Youtube channel. This site is a portfolio piece for my writing, and that channel is a (very raw) portfolio piece for shortform video covering the team.

Thank you for following my work here, and I can’t wait for all of us to share our love for this team when the season opens on May 9th.

Nika Mühl won’t play this season. The career of UConn’s all-time assist leader has been derailed by repeated knee injuries. If she can return to form next season, the Fire might have a future floor general.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

After flashing potential in her native country Croatia, Mühl drew interest from several major college basketball programs. In the Spring of 2019, she committed to UConn. Playing alongside Paige Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards, and Azzi Fudd, Mühl was a star in her own right. In Storrs, she broke Sue Bird’s school assists record, set new marks for assists in a single game and a single season, and was twice named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

In the 2024 WNBA draft, Seattle selected Mühl in the second round. She made the team, and saw limited action as a rookie. Despite rarely seeing the court, head coach Noelle Quinn praised Mühl’s work ethic and toughness. Hungry for more playing experience after the season, the young guard signed with Turkish powers Beşiktaş. Unfortunately, her stint overseas featured the first of two consecutive season-ending injuries.

Mühl and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Rogue Trans Outreach is a non-profit supportive network for transgender residents of rural Southern Oregon, where Matt grew up. They recently opened Free Closet in Ashland, a safe space where individuals can access gender-affirming clothing and accessories at no cost. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

The former 36th overall pick in 2020 has played four years in the W, six years of professional basketball overall, and will soon share her experiences with a young expansion team.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

A two year starter at Texas, Sutton exceled on both ends of the floor, averaging over 5 assists and 1 steal per game across her junior and senior seasons. The Washington Mystics selected her late in the 2020 WNBA Draft, and that inauspicious start would carry over into the preseason. Prior to the season opener, Washington released their overlooked draft pick. Later that summer, the Mystics brought her back, but she was waived again before 2021’s season opener.

From there, Sutton became a world’s traveler: she played professionally in Poland, Australia, and Turkey. In 2023, she made the opening night roster for the Phoenix Mercury, and would later make history with the franchise’s first triple-double. Midway through the 2024 season, she was traded back to Washington, who offered her a promising new role. Over the 2025 season, Sutton started every game, notching career-best 42.2% field goal shooting and 35.3% three point shooting rates. Flashing that same defensive feistiness she showed in college, Sutton averaged a career high 0.8 steals per game.

Sutton and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Rogue Trans Outreach is a non-profit supportive network for transgender residents of rural Southern Oregon, where Matt grew up. They recently opened Free Closet in Ashland, a safe space where individuals can access gender-affirming clothing and accessories at no cost. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

A year after moving across the country to embark upon a professional career, the Osteochondritis dissecans survivor must start over once again. Yesterday, the Portland Fire selected Barker in the second round of the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

As the daughter of former Alabama Crimson Tide national champion quarterback Jay Barker, Sarah grew up in the Birmingham suburbs, excelling in sports. The younger Barker furthered her family legacy by becoming the 2020 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year, the 2020 Alabama Sports Writers’ Association Miss Basketball, and a two-time Alabama big-school 7A class Player of the Year. In 2018, she committed to play college basketball at Georgia.

Following a 2020-21 freshman year which earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors, Barker started every game as a sophomore. At season’s end, she transferred back home to Alabama, and was a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide. In Tuscaloosa, she earned back-to-back All-SEC First Team honors. Across five years of college basketball in one of the nation’s toughest conferences, Barker averaged 11.2 points on 44.3% field goal shooting, and 32.9% three point shooting, with 2.6 assists and a feisty 1.5 steals per game.

Last April, the Los Angeles Sparks drafted Barker ninth overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. She appeared in 34 games, with 8 starts, averaging 14.1 minutes per contest. While her points and assists were low, Barker flashed dependable defensive prowess that could keep her employed in the W for many years to come.

Barker and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

The Oregon Food Bank believes food is a basic human right. They provide free food and groceries across Oregon and Southwest Washington, while also advocating for fair policies that can help prevent hunger in the first place, like affordable housing and healthcare. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

Yesterday, the Portland Fire tried to change that. They selected Puoch in the second round of the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

Falling in love with basketball at an early age, the daughter of a South Sudanese immigrant played for Melbourne’s Dandenong Rangers U12 through U18 teams. After climbing the ranks as an amateur and then semi-professional, she signed with the Australian WNBL’s Southside Flyers in 2022-23. During her first year in Australia’s top league, Puoch was nominated for the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year and Breakout Player awards. The following year, she was invited to the inaugural women’s Nike Hoop Summit game in Portland, tallying 16 points and 4 blocks.

Puoch was selected by the Atlanta Dream in the 2024 WNBA Draft - who continue to retain her rights - but she elected to stay in Australia. Now age 21, there is hope that the promising young forward is ready to further her playing career in the Rose City.

Puoch and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Oregon Pride in Business champions economic empowerment for LGBTQIA2S+ businesses and communities throughout Oregon and SW Washington. They empower LGBTQIA2S+ small business entrepreneurs and professionals, collaborate with nonprofit advocates, and engage with business and civic leaders to support policies that foster a more inclusive and welcoming business community. To learn about becoming a supporting member, browse this link.

Yesterday, the Portland Fire selected Jones in the second round of the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

Jones, born in Santa Cruz, starred at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose. Following her senior season at Mitty, she was named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, a McDonalds All-American, and the number one recruit in the 2019 class by ESPN.

From there, Jones attended the Ivy of the West. Playing for legendary coach Tara VanDerveer in Palo Alto, the nation’s top recruiting prospect lived up to the hype. Starting 13 games early in her 2019-20 freshman year, she averaged 11.4 points, 2.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. A season-ending knee injury sidelined her efforts, but she returned in 2020-21 with a vengeance: an average of 13.2 points, 2.8 assists, and 7.4 rebounds with 32 of 32 starts. Her breakout season finished with flair, as Stanford defeated Arizona in the national championship game.

Before her college career ended, Jones earned significant recognition: three-time All-Pac 12 status, the Pac-12 Co-Player of the Year (2022), the Pac-12 Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player (2022), and a two-time All-American across multiple outlets.

Finally, fate forced the standout guard out of the Bay Area. With the sixth pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, the Atlanta Dream selected her. In 2023, her rookie year featured 40 game appearances, with Jones contributing modestly: averaging 3.7 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.4 rebounds. Despite starting a career-high 24 starts in 2024, the Dream waived her on the eve of the 2025 regular season opener.

2025 was an even more difficult year for Jones. On June 1st, the Phoenix Mercury signed her to a short-term hardship contract. A week later, they waived her. One week later, she benefitted from another hardship exception, this time with the Dallas Wings. At the end of June, she was waived for a third time in one season. Two weeks later, the Wings brought her back on a contract through the season’s end. Jones averaged over 22 minutes across 24 games with Dallas this season, averaging career-highs in points (8.1), assists (2.5), rebounds (3.8), steals (0.8), and blocks (0.9).

Jones and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Unidos Bridging Community is a Latinx-led nonprofit based in nearby Yamhill County. Their mission is to foster the reciprocity of knowledge, connections, and opportunities among individuals and families of Latin American roots for wellness through health, intergenerational wealth, civic engagement, and education. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

Like first pick Bridget Carleton, and fellow first rounder Maya Caldwell, Bibby can shoot threes. Perhaps that’s why she was selected today, one of the lucky eleven who made history as the franchise’s first members.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

Bibby - no relation to former NBA playmaker Mike Bibby - was born and raised in Australia. In 2017, she moved stateside to play college basketball at Mississippi State.

The forward played three years in Starkville, earning 49 starts. During her sophomore 2018-19 season, she shot a blistering 45% from beyond the arc, and earned a career high 11.3 points per game. Ahead of the 2021-season, Bibby transferred to Maryland, where she instantly plugged into the starting lineup. Never missing a game across two seasons with the Terrapins, Bibby added balance to her game with impressive free throw shooting (averaging 80%), and reliable defense: she averaged 5.7 rebounds per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 0.4 blocks per game.

After going undrafted in 2022, Bibby returned to the land down under for a professional basketball career. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, she transferred to Polish side AZS AJP Gorzów Wielkopolski, who regularly compete against some of Europe’s best teams in the EuroCup. In her only season in Poland, Bibby was the Polish women’s basketball league’s Most Valuable Player with an impressive 20.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. At season’s end, she signed with Spanish side Uni Girona CB. Like clockwork, she proceeded to win the Spanish women’s basketball league’s MVP award.

Bibby’s success overseas drew the attention of last year’s WNBA expansion darlings, the Golden State Valkyries. However, her WNBA start was short-lived. After just five games, the Valkyries waived Bibby. She then picked up a seven day contract with the Indiana Fever, and leveraged that tryout into a one year deal. Just as her career was appearing to take off, Bibby suffered a season-ending knee injury after nine games in Indiana.

Her rookie year in the WNBA was exceptionally brief - just 14 games, with no starts - but Bibby etched a reputation as a stretch four by shooting 40.5% from distance. Bibby and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

The OSAA Foundation is a direct grant wing of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), the governing body of Oregon high school athletics. Their grants and programs help students across Oregon participate in high school sports, and help schools cover the costs of equipment, staff budgets, and more. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

Today, the WNBA expansion franchise selected Caldwell in the first round of the 2026 WNBA expansion draft.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

Caldwell - from the suburbs of Charlotte, NC - played college basketball at Georgia (2017-21). She played right away, seeing game action in all 33 contests during her freshman year. One particular stat from that opening campaign resonates with the rest of the roster assembled today in Portland: as a true freshman at Georgia, Caldwell led her team in three point shooting percentage.

With ten games remaining in her sophomore year, she became a starting small forward for the Bulldogs. Staying in the starting lineup for her junior and senior seasons, Caldwell notched career highs in all categories except three point shooting. In 2021, the senior was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team.

Later that year, Caldwell was drafted 33rd overall by the Atlanta Dream. Before the regular season opener in May 2022, they waived her.

After bouncing between Atlanta and Indiana, plus overseas stints with clubs in Israel, Turkey, and Spain, Caldwell found her form in 2025. She started 16 games for the Dream, averaging 18.5 minutes across 41 game appearances, while shooting 42.6% from the field and 35.5% from distance. She also earned a career high 3.1 rebounds per game.

Caldwell and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Women’s Foundation of Oregon (WFO) supports communities, programs, and individuals that improve the lives and opportunities of women and girls. They offer direct grants, advance research, and advocate for policy. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

As an added bonus, one particular pick will make rookie head coach Alex Sarama’s job easier.

Emily Engstler, an experienced role player who has competed in the W for four years with three different teams, will bring crucially-needed veteran presence to the expansion franchise.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

Engstler - born in Queens and raised on Roosevelt Island - is a native of the Big Apple. After three seasons at Syracuse, starting 36 games at small forward, she transferred to Louisville ahead of the 2021-22 season. The reigning ACC Co-Sixth Player of the Year helped the Cardinals reach the Final Four, and finished her senior year with ACC All-Conference and All-Defensive Team honors.

Her professional career has suffered several hurdles. Despite notching six starts - 66% of her career total - in her 2022 rookie season, the Indiana Fever waived their former fourth overall draft pick one year later. Then she signed a training camp contract with the Washington Mystics, but failed to make the final roster. In June 2023, the forward signed a hardship contract with the Minnesota Lynx, playing in 12 games, but was released after Minnesota teammate Jessica Shephard recovered from illness.

Before her third year in the league, Engstler inked a contract with the Washington Mystics. This time, she made Washington’s final roster, and began to find her role in the league. Over the past two seasons, she has played 72 games with 3 starts, tallying career highs in points, field goal percentage, three point shooting percentage, and free throw shooting percentage.

Engstler and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities. The Autism Society of Oregon sponsors local support groups across Oregon which assist people of all ages on the autism spectrum, and their caregivers. To learn more about volunteering and/or donating to ASO, browse this link.

In the first round of the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft, Geiselsöder’s name appeared as one of the Portland Fire’s selections, visible on a nationally-televised broadcast for all to see.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

The 26 year old Geiselsöder grew up in the Bavarian town of Ansbach, ninety miles north of Munich. Her basketball trajectory skyrocketed as a member of the Germany U16 team at the 2016 FIBA European Championship, where she averaged 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds on the silver medal winners. Two years later, the promising young center featured on Germany’s gold medal U18 team at the same tournament, averaging 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Her basketball career began in 2015 with local club BG Donau-Ries. Over her 2019-20 season, the Bavarian big tallied career numbers with 18.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Soon, she earned her first appearance with Germany’s senior national team, and drew the attention of higher-profile professional teams.

First, she was selected by the Dallas Wings in the first round of the 2020 WNBA Draft. However, the German big suffered an injury that kept her out of training camp, and her contract was suspended before ever playing a game in the W. Her basketball career endured with stints French clubs Landernau (2020-22) and Roche Vendée (2022-23). In 2023, Geiselsöder inked a contract with Basket Landes, winning a pair of French league championships.

Still, the WNBA beckoned. In early February 2025, the German center signed a new contract with Dallas. She made her WNBA debut early last May, and notched a career high 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting in a June loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Following a break to represent Germany in last summer’s FIBA EuroBasket tournament, Geiselsöder briefly returned to action before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in late August.

Her rookie year featured 28 games played, 24 starts, 6.9 points per game, and 4.8 rebounds per game. In addition, she placed among a select trio of rookies league-wide. When the regular season ended, Geiselsöder finished in the top nine among all WNBA rookies in steals, blocks, field goal percentage, and rebounds.

Geiselsöder and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

SheFlies is an initiative under the Sport Oregon Foundation working to support, engage, and celebrate girls and women in sport across Oregon. Their grants help all who identify as girls and women have an opportunity to use sports to take flight into the many positive benefits of sports participation. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

Carla Leite, who grew up in the suburbs of Paris, furthered her basketball dreams at the Tony Parker Academy. Basketball fans don’t have to think hard to remember that name. Parker was a four-time NBA champion, the 2007 NBA Finals MVP, and the cover athlete for NBA Live 09.

After today’s WNBA expansion draft - which saw Leite selected in the first round by the Portland Fire - fans in the Rose City hope this French point guard can evoke memories of her school’s namesake, arguably France’s all-time greatest player.

This piece is one of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

Leite went pro at 18, signing with Tarbes in France’s Ligue Féminine de Basketball, the country’s top women’s basketball league. During her 2022 debut season she averaged 11.8 points per game, and was named the league’s best young player. In 2024, she transferred to another French club Villeneuve d’Ascq, leading the team to a 2024-25 EuroCup, and earning Finals MVP along the way.

At season’s end, she was drafted ninth overall by Dallas in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but chose to stay in Europe. Eight months later, Golden State picked the French point guard in their expansion draft, and she agreed to contract terms. Last season, Leite started 6 games in 37 appearances, averaging 17.2 minutes. She tallied 7.2 points per game and 2.0 assists per game, while shooting 38.7% from the field and 17.3% from three point range.

Leite and her new Portland Fire teammates will return to the court later this Spring. The Fire’s regular season opener is at home May 9th against the Chicago Sky.

—

Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

SheFlies is an initiative under the Sport Oregon Foundation working to support, engage, and celebrate girls and women in sport across Oregon. Their grants help all who identify as girls and women have an opportunity to use sports to take flight into the many positive benefits of sports participation. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

Earlier this afternoon, the Ontario Canada native and Minnesota Lynx small forward was selected first overall by the Portland Fire in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft.

This piece is the first of eleven profile pieces spotlighting the career journeys of Portland’s expansion draft selections - the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since 2002 - and the first members of Portland’s new WNBA team.

Carleton grew up in the southwestern Ontario city of Chatham-Kent (population just above 100,000), and was recognized for her basketball prowess at an early age. She competed for Canada’s U16, U17, U18, and U19 teams, and was rated as Canada’s top prep basketball prospect in 2015 by Crown Scout Recruiting Service. Her first basketball experience stateside came at Iowa State, where Carleton was a four-year starter. She went to win the Big 12 Player of the Year award and the Cheryl Miller Award winner, be named an All-American by multiple outlets, and more.

Accolades have been harder to earn for Carleton in the W, but her career has steadily progressed since a humbling start. After being drafted in the second round and making the Connecticut Sun’s opening day roster in 2019, she was cut after just four games. A month later, Carleton signed a seven day contract with the Minnesota Lynx. They would later sign her to their full roster for the remainder of the 2019 season.

After gradually earning respect and trust as a role player, Carleton broke out in 2024. She started a career high 36 games, playing 29.9 minutes per game, and made the most of it: 44% field goal shooting, 44% three point shooting, plus career highs in points per game (9.6), rebounds per game (3.8), steals per game (1.0), and blocks per game (0.3).

Entering the upcoming whirlwind free agency period, Carleton’s contract was up. Sensing an opportunity to add an emerging talent, the Fire selected her first overall in today’s expansion draft. When the pick was announced, ESPN personality Monica McNutt raved about the move.

“Bridget Carleton is someone who is tested in this league. She’s been a part of that Lynx organization, played in big games, hit big shots, and is praised for her versatility as a defender as well. So I think that’s an exciting first selection in this expansion draft.”

The Fire now hold exclusive rights to negotiate on a contract with Carleton before WNBA free agency starts later this month.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

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Before she became the general manager of the Portland Fire, Černivec served as the vice president of last year’s WNBA expansion darlings in the Bay Area, the Golden State Valkyries. In that role, she oversaw an expansion draft which laid the foundation for the most successful expansion season in league history.

In a 1-on-1 interview with ESPN personality Malika Andrews, Černivec discussed her second ever expansion draft, the return of professional women’s basketball to the Rose City, the significance of first pick Bridget Carleton, and more.

When asked about Minnesota Lynx small forward Bridget Carleton, who broke out over the past two seasons thanks to dependable defense and a fiery hot 44% three point shooting clip, Černivec flashed a wide grin.

“With Bridget, the strategy was ‘Who was an unrestricted free agent that just immediately stood out?‘ and then the strategy went ‘How do we make sure that she ends up on our roster?’, and the obvious logic was she’s gonna be our number one pick. Bridget is someone that - number one - everybody wants to play with. Her character speaks for herself. What she brings on the court on both ends of the floor, it’s something that’s hard to find in a player. We’re very excited to see her excel defensively, but also kind of stretch the floor and play modern, team-oriented basketball on the offense.”

Later, Andrews asked Černivec about what this day meant for Portland. The ESPN host understood the significance of the question - Andrews studied at the University of Portland before her meteoric rise through national media - and the Fire’s general manager responded with appreciation for the Rose City.

“The community is so excited to have the team back. They deserve a good product on the floor. I just can’t wait to live through the first game at Moda, and I have a feeling we’re going to be a very tough arena to play in. Our goal is to be basically for teams to just hate playing in Moda, and we challenge the [Golden State] Valkyries’ fans and the community in the Bay when it comes to that.”

Černivec, head coach Alex Sarama, and the Fire will now turn their attention to the league’s amateur draft scheduled for April 13th on ESPN. In the first round, Portland is scheduled to pick 7th. Following a pick swap with the Chicago Sky, which guaranteed that Portland would not select any Chicago players in today’s expansion draft, the Fire will pick again at 17th overall in the second round.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sports journalist with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Named after pioneering political activist and Portland icon Marie Equi, The Marie Equi Center strives to enrich the health of Portland’s trans, queer, intersex and gender diverse communities through trauma-informed care, culturally-affirming services and social justice advocacy. To learn more about donating to The Marie Equi Center, browse this link.

Today, the WNBA expansion franchise Portland Fire selected 11 members in an expansion draft. They are the first professional women’s basketball players to represent the Rose City since the original Portland Fire folded in 2002.

In a nationally televised spectacle on ESPN this afternoon, both expansion franchises Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo announced their picks. Afterwards, their general managers each performed 1-on-1 interviews with ESPN’s Malika Andrews.

The first selection in Portland Fire history was Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton. The 28 year old Carleton is a three-point sniper and defensive stalwart. Carleton broke out in 2024, tallying 9.6 points per game on 44% field goal shooting and 44% three point shooting, while averaging 29.4 minutes per game. She also represents Canada at the international level, where she won a gold medal at 2017 FIBA AmeriCup and a silver medal at the 2019 AmeriCup.

The full list of Portland’s expansion draft selections, with links to feature pieces here at PortlandSupporter.com, can be browsed below:

Minnesota Lynx F Bridget Carleton

Golden State Valkyries G Carla Leite

Dallas Wings C Luisa Geiselsöder

Washington Mystics F Emily Engstler

Atlanta Dream G Maya Caldwell

Indiana Fever F Chloe Bibby

Dallas Wings G/F Haley Jones

Atlanta Dream F/C Nyadiew Puoch

Los Angeles Sparks G Sarah Ashlee Barker

Washington Mystics G Sug Sutton

Seattle Storm G Nika Mühl

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities. The Autism Society of Oregon sponsors local support groups across Oregon which assist people of all ages on the autism spectrum, and their caregivers. To learn more about volunteering and/or donating to ASO, browse this link.

The moment marks another step towards the return of professional women's basketball to Portland. Each women selected will make history as members of the reignited Fire's first roster.

This piece addresses two important questions: when is the expansion draft, how will it work, and how can fans watch it? In addition, I will attempt to preview the Fire's selections. The list of available players is too extensive to accurately forecast, but there are several traits which I expect head coach Alex Sarama and general manager to covet. By spotlighting those traits, I think we all can be prepared for what the Fire will do on Friday.

When is the WNBA expansion draft?

The WNBA Expansion Draft is slated this Friday at 12:30 PM PST.

How will the WNBA expansion draft work?

The two expansion franchises this season - Portland and Toronto - will alternate picks. Each team can make up to six picks per round, and there are two rounds, so they can hypothetically pick up to twelve players each. After winning a coin toss on Monday, Portland will pick first in the first round; Toronto will pick first in the second round.

Many players are eligible to be selected. Per the league office: “In each round, Portland and Toronto will alternate selections and shall have the right to acquire the player contract of, or the negotiating rights to, one player listed on the Unprotected List of each of the existing 13 teams.“

Each team’s unprotected list contains their entire roster, except for five players, picked at each team’s discretion. Those five players are protected from being selected in the expansion draft.

In addition to picking from unprotected lists, Portland and Toronto are allowed to select one unrestricted free agent this offseason under the new collective bargaining agreement.

Frustratingly, the protected/unprotected lists are all private, meaning only WNBA front offices know who is or isn’t eligible to be selected.

Who will the Fire target in Friday’s WNBA Expansion Draft?

This is truly the million dollar question. Given the draft format explained above, teams are incentivized to protect their five most valuable core players. Muddying waters is the league’s secrecy behind the protected/unprotected lists.

Predicting who Portland will pick amidst that chaos is an impossible task, but I believe it is possible to predict how Portland will pick. I believe that head coach Alex Sarama and general manager Vanja Černivec will covet four traits in Friday’s expansion draft:

• Veteran leadership

• International playing experience

• Alignment with Alex Sarama’s philosophies

• Local ties

Veteran leadership is an obvious need. Over a hundred players league-wide are eligible for free agency later this month, freeing up teams to fight for the highest bid. If the money is even, players often pick their best career fits, or whichever team is likelier to contend for a championship. In such a competitive environment, Portland’s expansion team may appear less attractive. If they can’t sign veterans on the open market, the Fire might consider drafting them instead.

International playing experience is an another obvious consideration, given that both head coach Alex Sarama and general manager Vanja Černivec have extensive experience working overseas. The Englishman has learned many lessons coaching in Europe, and will have an easier time applying those lessons with international players.

Related to the second point, alignment with Sarama is a crucial trait for any player considered this offseason. The Fire’s coaching prodigy talks openly about a unique, experimental, constraints led approach to basketball coaching. He has also led coaching clinics on his offense, which emphasizes pace, space, and dribble-drive motion to create efficient shots. Athleticism will be at a premium, as will passing, shooting, and a player’s willingness to learn.

Lastly, and perhaps cynically, local players might help sell tickets. Oregon Ducks legend Sabrina Ionescu is reportedly off the table, but Phoenix forward Satou Sabally (Ionescu’s Oregon teammate from 2017-20) is set to hit the market, and might not make the Mercury’s protected list Friday. Likewise, 37 year old Chicago guard Courtney Vandersloot might not make the Sky’s protected list, but the former Gonzaga star and King County native might find a second wind back home in the Pacific Northwest.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we instead choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article. Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn about how you can volunteer time and/or donate money to Basic Rights Oregon, browse this link.

Women’s sports are currently experiencing a golden age, with the NWSL and WNBA drawing millions of new fans from every corner of the globe. Those many millions of new fans have smashed attendance records, surged television ratings, sold out merchandise, and more. The marketability of professional female athletes has never been greater. Despite that, front offices have been stuck in the past, paying players a pittance in exchange for their physical gifts.

When the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) failed to reach an agreement with the league following the conclusion of the 2025 season, I became discouraged. After the league repeatedly rolled over deadline after deadline, losing precious time for an expansion draft, free agency, and training camp, my concerns grew. Right up until the agreement of the new CBA last week, I firmly believed we were destined for a lockout that would doom the season.

I am so truly, deeply thankful to be wrong.

With the WNBA collective bargaining agreement now safely in the rear-view mirror, I will resume my plans to cover the WNBA expansion Portland Fire here on this site. I will also begin producing videos, podcasts, and more. I have loved women’s sports all my life - as a media professional covering games big and small across our state, but also as a fan - and I can’t wait to break down the upcoming expansion draft, amateur draft, free agency, and professional women’s basketball returning to Portland.

Thank you for joining me here, following this coverage, and loving women’s sports with a fiery passion.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sports journalist with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Named after pioneering political activist and Portland icon Marie Equi, The Marie Equi Center strives to enrich the health of Portland’s trans, queer, intersex and gender diverse communities through trauma-informed care, culturally-affirming services and social justice advocacy. To learn more about donating to The Marie Equi Center, browse this link.