World Cup qualifiers could be ultimate litmus test for 2026 WNBA draft prospects

USA Basketball revealed a young, star-studded roster that will face Puerto Rico, Italy, New Zealand, Senegal, and Spain at the World Cup qualifiers next month. The U.S. isn’t the only country sending young talent to the tournament, though. Spain’s roster isn’t finalized yet, but should include 2026 draft prospects Awa Fam and Iyana Martín. If they play, going up against Team USA will be the ultimate litmus test ahead of the draft. 

Team USA’s roster is made up of a strong mix of experienced veterans and young stars. Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Kahleah Copper all won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Rhyne Howard and Dearica Hamby won bronze in the 3×3 competition. Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Caitlin Alark, Kiki Iriafen, and Angel Reese are some of the best young players the W has to offer. 

Fam’s and Martín’s performances against that group could boost or tank their draft stocks. 

Awa Fam could even be the number-one pick

Awa Fam has everything a WNBA team could look for in a lottery pick. She is still very young, already has pro experience, and her ceiling is incredibly high—maybe the highest in a 2026 WNBA Draft class filled with college stars. 

She is playing for Valencia this season, competing in the top Spanish league and EuroLeague. She is currently averaging 7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals over 12 EuroLeague games and 9.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists over 19 Spanish league games. Those numbers may not jump out compared to what some of the best players in college basketball are averaging, but Fam has to go up against actual pros, including some WNBA talent. 

When she played against Fenerbahce, for example, she went up against Emma Meesseman, Iliana Rupert, Megan Gustafson, Rebecca Allen, Sevgi Uzun, Julie Allemand, and Kayla McBride. 

She also represented Spain at the 2025 EuroBasket, averaging 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists over six games. The team won silver. 

Going up against a frontcourt rotation of Aliyah Boston, Dearica Hamby, Kiki Iriafen, and Angel Reese will reveal where exactly Fam is in her development compared to some of the best young bigs in the game.

Iyana Martín could also be a first-round pick

Martín is a guard currently playing for Perfumerias Avenida Salamanca in the top Spanish league and Eurocup competitions. She averaged 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals over 19 games in the Spanish league. Over ten Eurocup games, she put up 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals. 

Despite being the youngest player on the team, Martín is a starter, her team’s leading playmaker, and one of its top scorers. Right now, she could be a late first-round pick or an early second-round pick, depending on how much teams trust her to contribute at the WNBA level as a smaller guard and her commitment to playing in the U.S. 

Martín also played on the Spanish national team last year. She averaged 9.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in three games. Martín and Fam were the youngest players on the roster. Depending on the makeup of the Spanish roster for the World Cup qualifying tournament, Martín could see some more minutes.