For a long stretch, UCLA’s 6’7 center Lauren Betts looked like the obvious No. 1 pick for the 2026 draft. She dominates the paint with her size, strength, soft hands, and surprisingly quick footwork. Tools that fit almost any team’s needs and suggest a ceiling that still isn’t clear. But for the first time in a while, Betts has fallen from the top spot in the latest 2026 mock drafts.

Dallas Wings has the highest chance of getting the No.1 pick (42%) during the November 23 Lottery. Minnesota Lynx (via Chicago Sky) is behind at 26.1%. Ahead of the lottery, ESPN released their latest draft projections and pushed Betts to the No.2. Taking her No.1 spot is someone with ‘international flavor’. It is the Spanish center Awa Fam.

“Fam’s agent told ESPN that competing in the WNBA is her “top priority” for 2026. She currently plays for Valencia in Spain and will turn 20 in June. Her potential seems very high, and she could be another key building block for the Wings to add after 2025 No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers was WNBA Rookie of the Year last season,” Michael Voepel wrote. 

The main reason for the shift is what’s happening in Dallas. The Wings hired longtime USF coach José Fernandez as their new head coach, and the organization made it clear that “international connections” were a priority in the search. And Fernandez brings plenty of those.

He spent 25 years recruiting globally at USF and has worked extensively with USA Basketball and FIBA, building strong ties with European clubs, federations, and agents. That network is a key factor in the move from projecting Lauren Betts at No. 1 to placing Awa Fam in that spot.

“His (Jose Fernandez) USF program had extensive recruiting contacts in Europe — 12 of the 14 players on the Bulls roster for 2024-25 hailed from outside of the United States — and we’ve tilted our projected top pick in ESPN’s latest WNBA mock draft in that direction, too,” Voepel wrote. 

Betts and Fam are fairly neck and neck when it comes to quality.

Betts is averaging 15.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 blocks through 5 games this season. Last year, she averaged 20.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.9 blocks. So, it’s a slow start in comparison.

When it comes to the 19-year-old Fam, she is already a pro in Spain. Fam plays with players who are 4-12 years older, and she was two years younger than the competition at the 2023 U19s and 2024 U20s. Last season, she averaged 10.0 points, 6.3rebounds, and 1.7 assists, according to 4ps basketball.

Her athleticism, decision-making, and passing are all highly regarded. Another reason for Fam’s rise to the top is her possible fit with Dallas Wings point guard Paige Bueckers. 

Awa Fam – A Better Fit For Paige Bueckers Than Lauren Betts?

Dallas Wings might have the No.1 pick for the second consecutive year. The Wings won the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes. As expected, she dazzled in her rookie campaign. Bueckers finished as the Rookie of the Year, an All-Star, and made the All-WNBA Second Team while leading the team in points and assists per game.

The Wings are looking to build around her, giving Bueckers the pieces to succeed. According to Chiney Ogwumike, Fam’s profile fits better when considering the on-court partnership with Bueckers. 

“Very dynamic, mobile big. So, if you’re trying to pick someone to play alongside Paige Beckers, maybe it’s not the back-to-the-basket big. It’s this big right here. Awa Fam, who is tremendous with her athleticism, is a good finisher, soft touch, can extend the floor, has enough size. I think that’s why we have more motion than we thought,” Chiney Ogwumike said on NBA Today regarding Fam. 

We must note that if Minnesota, the Sky, or the Mystics get the No.1 pick against the odds, Betts would likely move up again. “Betts is still in the mix as the No. 1 pick, which is where we had her in our first 2026 mock draft last month,” Voepel wrote.

Even for the Dallas Wings, plans might still change. With the CBA situation still evolving, there is little idea how the squad would look next year.