WNBA Expands With New Franchises, Drafts Top Talent

Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye among players selected in expansion draft for Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire

Apr. 4, 2026 at 12:23am by Ben Kaplan

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented WNBA basketball game, with sharp planes of color and overlapping shapes representing the dynamic action of the sport.The WNBA's expansion brings new opportunities for rising stars like Barker and Nye to shine on the court.San Francisco Today

The WNBA is continuing its expansion, adding two new teams for the 2026-27 season - the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. In the league's latest expansion draft, the new franchises selected top talent including former Alabama stars Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye, who were drafted by the Fire and Tempo respectively.

Why it matters

The WNBA's expansion is an exciting development for the league, as it provides more opportunities for talented players to showcase their skills and grow the game. Barker and Nye, as high draft picks, will have a chance to make an immediate impact on their new teams and help establish the Tempo and Fire as competitive forces in the league.

The details

Barker, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, spent one season with the Los Angeles Sparks before being selected by the Portland Fire in the expansion draft. Nye, the No. 13 overall pick in 2025, played one year with the Las Vegas Aces and will now join the Toronto Tempo. Both players were known for their 3-point shooting and defensive abilities during their college careers at Alabama.

  • The WNBA expansion draft took place on Friday, April 4, 2026.
  • The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will begin play in the 2026-27 WNBA season.

The players

Sarah Ashlee Barker

A former star player at the University of Alabama, Barker was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and spent one season with the Los Angeles Sparks before being selected by the Portland Fire in the expansion draft.

Aaliyah Nye

Also a former Alabama standout, Nye was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and played one season with the Las Vegas Aces before being drafted by the Toronto Tempo in the expansion draft.

Portland Fire

One of two new WNBA expansion teams set to begin play in the 2026-27 season, the Portland Fire selected several talented players in the league's expansion draft.

Toronto Tempo

The other new WNBA expansion team for the 2026-27 season, the Toronto Tempo also built its inaugural roster through the league's expansion draft.

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What’s next

The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will continue to build out their rosters and prepare for their inaugural seasons in the WNBA, which are set to begin in 2026-27.

The takeaway

The WNBA's expansion is an exciting development for the league, as it provides more opportunities for talented players like Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye to showcase their skills and help grow the game of women's basketball.