Seattle Storm select Spanish center Awa Fam Thiam with No. 3 overall pick in WNBA Draft
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 13: Awa Fam Thiam (R) of Spain poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (L) after being selected with the 3rd pick in the first round by the Seattle Storm during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed on April 13, 2026 in New (Angelina Katsanis / Getty Images)
For the second straight year, the Seattle Storm have looked international for their first selection in the WNBA Draft, selecting Spanish center Awa Fam Thiam with the third overall pick.
Thiam, 19, joins French center Dominique Malonga as the new young core of a Storm team that appears to firmly be in rebuilding mode following the departures of Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams, Erika Wheeler, and Brittney Sykes this offseason.
The Dallas Wings took UConn guard Azzi Fudd with the top selection in the draft, and the Minnesota Lynx grabbed TCU guard Olivia Miles at No. 2 overall before Seattle went on the clock with the third pick.
Scouting reports on Thiam describe her as being a strong ball-handler despite having the size of a traditional post player. She's comfortable shooting from distance while also being capable of playing closer to the basket.
A native of Alicante, Spain, Thiam has played for Valencia Basket Club in Liga Femenina Endesa and EuroLeague. In 27 games in Liga, Thiam averaged 9.2 points per game, while averaging 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, and shooting 52.9 percent from the field with a 31.7 percent rate from 3-point distance. Her numbers were slightly less in 12 EuroLeague games.
While playing for the Spanish National Team, Thiam appeared in five games, averaging 19 minutes a night with 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game, shooting 50 percent from the field and 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from 3-point range.
With the 14th overall pick, the Storm added Duke point guard Taina Mair to their 2026 draft class.
A Boston native, Mair played in 36 games for the Blue Devils, averaging 11.6 points, 5.6 assists, 5.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.1 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from 3-point range.
The Storm also held the No. 16 overall pick, which they used to draft TCU forward Marta Suárez.
However, Suárez was then traded to the Golden State Valkyries, along with a 2028 second-round pick in exchange for Flau'jae Johnson, who was selected by the Valkyries with the No. 8 overall pick earlier in the night.
Johnson appeared in 35 games for LSU last season, averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from 3-point range.
Johnson lost to Mair's Duke team in the Women's Sweet 16.
With their final pick – No, 39 overall in the third round – the Storm drafted Michigan State forward Grace VanSlooten.
VanSlooten played in 32 games this season for the Spartans, averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. However, VanSlooten is not a distance shooter. She only made three 3-pointers in four seasons in college, and attempted just one in her final season at Michigan State.
The Source: Information in this story came from the WNBA and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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