Swish City: Preview 2026

Here’s a look at our 2026 teams, lovingly written up by AI. A league of (near) strangers, a few WNBA newbies, a 9Cat experience that will involve logging scores by hand...What could go wrong?!

[ Draft Recap 2026 | Owner Draft Grades 2026 ]

#1 GWFC Gabby Williams Fan Club (Blaile)

Blaile opened the draft with the safest superstar in fantasy basketball and then immediately pivoted into one of the most aggressive upside builds in the league. A’ja Wilson gives Gabby Williams Fan Club an elite foundation in points, rebounds, blocks, steals, and efficiency, but instead of surrounding her with conservative veteran production, Blaile spent the rest of the draft targeting athleticism, defensive versatility, and breakout potential almost exclusively.

The defining pick may have been Dominique Malonga in Round 2. Malonga already flashed major fantasy upside last season, and Blaile is clearly betting on another leap in Year 2. It was an aggressive selection relative to some safer veterans still on the board, but it perfectly established the identity of the roster: long, disruptive players who can contribute across multiple categories while still possessing major growth potential.

That philosophy continued throughout the draft. Gabby Williams remains one of fantasy basketball’s strangest and most valuable category disruptors when active, capable of piling up steals, rebounds, assists, and defensive stats almost accidentally. DiJonai Carrington, Jordan Horston, and Saniya Rivers all fit the same mold: high-energy wings who can generate chaos defensively and create transition production even when their halfcourt offense fluctuates.

The backcourt may ultimately determine the team’s ceiling. Georgia Amoore was an especially important pick because her shooting and assist upside could stabilize categories that otherwise look somewhat thin. Meanwhile, Leïla Lacan, Flau’jae Johnson, and Gianna Kneepkens add even more developmental upside, though all come with varying levels of role uncertainty entering the season.

This roster has enormous volatility, but also enormous upside. GWFC may experience some uneven stretches offensively, particularly in assists and three-point consistency, but few teams can realistically match its athleticism, defensive activity, or long-term ceiling. If even two or three of the young breakout bets hit quickly, Blaile could have drafted one of the league’s most dangerous teams.

#2 HTLS Heatles (Sarah)

Sarah entered the draft with the second overall pick and came away with one of the league’s most balanced rosters. Napheesa Collier remains an ideal 9-cat anchor thanks to her efficiency, defensive production, rebounding, and low-turnover profile, but there is immediate concern surrounding the roster after Collier’s current injury situation, which could keep her sidelined into June. In a deeper WNBA format, losing a first-round centerpiece early is a real challenge, placing extra pressure on the supporting cast to keep Heatles afloat through the opening weeks.

Fortunately for Sarah, the rest of the roster feels thoughtfully constructed. Dearica Hamby was an especially strong Round 2 selection, giving the team another proven multi-category forward who can stabilize points, rebounds, steals, and minutes immediately. Hamby may quietly become the roster’s most important player while Collier recovers.

The middle rounds blended upside and reliability effectively. Rickea Jackson feels poised for a major offensive leap this season, while Sonia Citron already showed last year that her game translates cleanly to fantasy production. The biggest swing piece, however, is Cameron Brink. Brink’s return from injury carries obvious risk, but if she regains her pre-injury defensive form, Heatles could become one of the league’s best shot-blocking teams almost overnight.

Sarah also drafted smart veteran depth later on with Courtney Vandersloot, Myisha Hines-Allen, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, all of whom provide stability in a league where reliable rotation players disappear quickly.

This may not be the flashiest roster in the league, but it feels extremely well built for 9-cat play. If the team can survive the early injury uncertainty around Collier and Brink, Heatles has the profile of a steady contender capable of quietly winning categories every week.

#3 CLRK Clarktillery (Hades)

Hades used the third overall pick to build one of the clearest offensive identities in the league. Everything about Clarktillery revolves around pressure, pace, and shot creation, starting with Caitlin Clark as the franchise centerpiece. Clark’s turnovers will always create some 9-cat volatility, but few players can swing points, assists, and threes on a weekly basis the way she can. Rather than trying to “balance” Clark with low-usage efficiency players, Hades leaned fully into the strengths.

The Round 2 selection of Arike Ogunbowale immediately gave Clarktillery one of the most explosive backcourts in the league. Arike’s efficiency can fluctuate wildly, but pairing her with Clark creates massive weekly scoring upside. Kahleah Copper in Round 3 only reinforced the strategy, adding another high-volume scorer capable of carrying points and transition offense.

The key to the draft, however, may have been Ezi Magbegor in Round 4. Ezi gives the roster a true defensive anchor in blocks and rebounds, helping offset the volatility of the guard-heavy core. The concern is timing: Magbegor is currently expected to miss roughly the first month of the season due to injury, which could leave Clarktillery vulnerable defensively early on. That makes the selections of Brionna Jones, Kayla Thornton, and Naz Hillmon especially important as stabilizing frontcourt depth.

This roster will likely live and die by efficiency categories. Field goal percentage and turnovers could become weekly headaches, especially with Clark and Arike sharing such enormous offensive responsibility. Still, few teams can realistically match Clarktillery’s upside in points, assists, and perimeter scoring. If Ezi returns healthy and the percentages hold just enough, this looks like a legitimate contender.

#4 SBMB Spongebob Me Boy (DtbChamp)

DtbChamp may have assembled the strangest roster in the league — and possibly one of the highest-upside ones too. Anchored by Alyssa Thomas and Skyler Diggins, Spongebob Me Boy immediately established a strong identity built around assists, rebounds, steals, and veteran playmaking. Thomas remains one of fantasy basketball’s ultimate category benders, capable of stuffing nearly every stat column while singlehandedly stabilizing rebounds and assists from the forward spot.

Where the draft became fascinating was the aggressive pivot into youth and frontcourt upside afterward. Kamilla Cardoso could take a major Year 2 leap if her offensive role expands, and DtbChamp followed that with one of the boldest swings in the draft by selecting Azzi Fudd in Round 4. Fudd’s shooting upside is obvious, but health and role consistency remain major questions entering the season. The same “bet on talent” philosophy continued with Lauren Betts and Aneesha Morrow, both of whom carry enormous long-term upside but uncertain immediate fantasy value.

The roster’s rebounding ceiling is especially intriguing. Cardoso, Betts, Morrow, Nyara Sabally, and Thomas could make SBMB one of the league’s strongest teams on the glass if the minutes materialize correctly. There is also sneaky assist depth thanks to Diggins and Erica Wheeler.

The biggest concern is offensive efficiency and role clarity. Several players on this roster still have uncertain minute projections or developmental volatility, and outside of Thomas and Diggins, there is not a ton of guaranteed stable production. Still, in a deep WNBA league, upside matters. If even a few of these breakout bets hit, Spongebob Me Boy could become one of the most physically overwhelming teams in the league by midseason.

#5 DELD Delle Donne Domination (Giorgos)

Giorgos drafted one of the most guard-driven rosters in the league, building around assists, steals, and backcourt consistency from the very beginning. Sabrina Ionescu gives Delle Donne Domination a true offensive engine capable of carrying threes, assists, and points almost singlehandedly on strong nights, and the follow-up selections reinforced that identity immediately. Kelsey Mitchell adds another major scoring source, while Courtney Williams provides secondary playmaking and excellent all-around guard production.

The most interesting part of the draft may have been Giorgos aggressively targeting defensive guards and connectors afterward. Veronica Burton and Natasha Cloud both bring strong steals upside, and Cloud’s recent move to the Chicago Sky should keep her assist production and ball-handling role extremely fantasy relevant. This roster looks built to pressure opponents heavily in assists and steals every week while remaining competitive in points and threes.

The frontcourt carries more uncertainty, however. Shakira Austin could become one of the key swing players in the league if she stays healthy, but durability has been a major issue throughout her career so far. Giorgos also leaned into upside with Maddy Siegrist, whose offensive role could continue growing this season, while Natasha Mack and Han Xu offer intriguing but less predictable frontcourt depth.

Overall, this feels like a roster with an extremely clear weekly identity. Delle Donne Domination should be difficult to beat in guard categories, especially assists and steals, but the team’s long-term ceiling may depend on whether Austin can finally stay on the floor consistently and whether enough rebounding and blocks emerge from the frontcourt rotation. If the bigs hold together, Giorgos has a very competitive roster.

#6 NINT Ninetales (Drew)

Drew drafted one of the steadier and more structurally balanced rosters in the league, anchored by the enormous fantasy upside of Paige Bueckers. Bueckers enters the season with massive expectations and immediately gives Ninetales strong scoring, playmaking, and efficiency potential from the guard spot. In a deeper WNBA league where true offensive engines are scarce, landing Paige at sixth overall could end up looking like one of the best value picks in the draft if she adjusts quickly to full-time lead responsibilities.

What stands out about the roster overall is how intentionally Drew surrounded Bueckers with veteran stability. Jonquel Jones remains one of fantasy basketball’s most complete frontcourt players when healthy, capable of contributing rebounds, blocks, efficiency, and threes without hurting turnovers. Azura Stevens and Jessica Shepard continue that theme by adding reliable rebounding and efficient interior production, while Kayla McBride and Ariel Atkins provide dependable veteran guard play and perimeter scoring.

There is also sneaky category balance throughout the middle and late rounds. Atkins and Natisha Hiedeman help support assists and steals, while Emily Engstler gives the roster an intriguing defensive upside swing if her role grows. Iliana Rupert and Dorka Juhasz add additional frontcourt depth in a format where reliable bigs disappear quickly.

The biggest question for Ninetales is offensive ceiling outside of Bueckers. This roster feels very solid week-to-week, but there may be stretches where Drew needs Paige to carry a massive amount of shot creation. Still, the overall construction is strong: balanced categories, veteran reliability, and enough frontcourt depth to compete nearly everywhere. If Paige delivers immediately at a star level, Ninetales has a very real path toward contender status.

#7 SIXS 6666666666 (Hotel)

Hotel drafted one of the highest-variance rosters in the league, blending established fantasy stars with several players whose value could swing dramatically depending on health, role, and team context. The foundation, though, is extremely strong. Aliyah Boston gives SIXS a reliable all-category frontcourt anchor capable of stabilizing rebounds, blocks, and efficiency every week, while Kelsey Plum and Jewell Loyd bring massive scoring and perimeter firepower.

The most fascinating pick on the roster may be Satou Sabally in Round 3. On pure talent, Sabally has first-round fantasy upside, but her move to the New York Liberty creates one of the biggest projection questions in fantasy basketball this season. Playing alongside an already star-heavy roster could reduce some of her offensive volume compared to previous years, and it remains unclear exactly how usage and touches will be distributed. Even so, Sabally’s versatility across points, rebounds, assists, and defensive stats still makes her an enormous upside swing if the fit works smoothly.

Hotel also did an excellent job reinforcing the frontcourt throughout the middle rounds. Kiki Iriafen already emerged as one of the league’s more impactful young bigs last season, and her rebounding, athleticism, and interior scoring give SIXS another major building block next to Boston. NaLyssa Smith adds even more rebounding upside, though her week-to-week consistency remains difficult to project.

The biggest concerns surrounding this roster are availability and role clarity. Jordin Canada is currently dealing with injury concerns, while the statuses of Emma Meesseman and Chennedy Carter remain uncertain entering the season. Meanwhile, Aziaha James and Maria Conde add additional upside but also volatility.

There is enormous talent here. If the health questions settle and Sabally’s transition to New York still allows her to produce near-star fantasy numbers, SIXS has enough scoring, rebounding, and shot creation to compete with anyone in the league. The ceiling is real — but so is the chaos.

#8 AURA Aurora Abyss (Juice)

Aurora Abyss may have drafted the most quietly complete roster in the league. Rather than leaning heavily into one statistical identity, Juice built a team that projects as competitive across nearly every category while still carrying significant upside. Breanna Stewart remains one of fantasy basketball’s safest superstars, capable of contributing elite production everywhere without creating major efficiency or turnover problems. Starting with Stewart immediately gave Aurora Abyss one of the strongest all-around foundations in the league.

From there, the draft consistently emphasized versatility and stability. Jackie Young was an especially strong second-round fit because of her efficient scoring, improving playmaking, and reliable perimeter production. The most aggressive swing came in Round 3 with Olivia Miles, whose transition into the league could dramatically shape this team’s ceiling. Miles brings enormous assist upside and offensive creativity, but rookie guards often face uneven early adjustment periods, particularly in a deeper fantasy format where consistency matters.

The frontcourt construction was handled extremely well afterward. Alanna Smith remains one of fantasy’s most underrated category contributors thanks to her ability to quietly produce blocks, rebounds, and efficient scoring, while Brittney Griner still offers major shot-blocking and interior scoring value if healthy. Aaliyah Edwards was another strong upside addition later in the draft and could take a meaningful step forward offensively this season.

The depth picks also fit the roster’s overall identity well. Bridget Carleton and Tiffany Hayes provide stable veteran wing production, while Carla Leite and Rae Burrell add upside if their offensive roles continue expanding.

Aurora Abyss may not dominate one category as aggressively as some other teams, but this roster feels built to survive almost any matchup. There is scoring, efficiency, rebounding, blocks, assists, and enough veteran stability to absorb some rookie volatility from Miles and Leite. If the young guards hit quickly, this could become one of the most balanced contenders in the league.

#9 RCEJ Rice Enjoyers (Sin)

Rice Enjoyers drafted one of the oldest and most experienced rosters in the league, but there is a clear logic behind the approach. Sin prioritized proven fantasy production almost immediately, building around players with stable roles, strong category diversity, and long track records of surviving the grind of a WNBA season. Angel Reese gives the roster a dominant rebounding foundation and should continue producing elite numbers on the glass, while Rhyne Howard balances the build nicely with perimeter scoring, steals, and three-point volume.

The middle rounds reinforced that veteran-heavy identity. Chelsea Gray remains one of the league’s smartest and most efficient playmakers when healthy, and both Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner still provide reliable multi-category production despite being well into the later stages of their careers. On paper, this looked like a roster designed to compete immediately through consistency, physicality, and category balance rather than volatility.

The biggest complication, however, arrived almost instantly after the draft. Tina Charles officially announced her retirement from the WNBA, creating a major hole in the middle of the roster and dramatically changing the team’s frontcourt depth outlook. Losing a third-round pick this quickly is difficult for any fantasy roster, particularly in a deeper league where replacement-level production becomes scarce very fast.

That reality places even more importance on the team’s younger upside swings. Awa Fam and Maia Hirsch both carry intriguing long-term frontcourt potential, while Kiki Rice could eventually become a useful source of guard depth and assists if her role develops quickly. Marine Johannes was also a strong late-round upside selection because of her ability to generate instant offense and three-point production in stretches.

There is still plenty of talent here, especially in rebounds, steals, and veteran stability, but Rice Enjoyers may now depend heavily on aging stars holding their production levels while one or two younger players emerge faster than expected. This roster feels competitive, experienced, and tough — but also much thinner than it appeared on draft night.

#10 TLTP Tilted Pups (Will)

The Tilted Pups may have drafted the scrappiest roster in the league. While several teams chased superstar upside or flashy rookie swings, Will consistently targeted players with stable minutes, defensive production, and proven fantasy utility. The result is a roster that may not dominate headlines but could become incredibly annoying to play against every single week.

Allisha Gray was an excellent first-round anchor for this kind of build. Gray quietly contributes across nearly every category without major weaknesses, and she fits perfectly alongside Nneka Ogwumike, who remains one of fantasy basketball’s safest efficiency bigs even as she moves deeper into the veteran phase of her career. The first few rounds established the team’s identity quickly: balanced production, defensive activity, and experienced players with secure roles.

The middle rounds only reinforced that approach. Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes bring steals, assists, and aggressive perimeter play, while Elizabeth Williams gives the roster another reliable source of rebounds and blocks. There is also some intriguing upside mixed into the veteran core. Janelle Salaün and Leonie Fiebich both flashed real fantasy value last season and could take larger roles this year, especially if their offensive opportunities expand.

What stands out most about this roster is its depth of competent rotation players. There are very few obvious dead spots, and Will smartly avoided many of the injury or availability risks that shaped other teams. Odyssey Sims and Bria Hartley may not be glamorous late-round picks, but both are capable of becoming useful contributors if injuries create opportunities during the season.

The biggest question is star power. Tilted Pups may not have the overwhelming weekly ceiling of some top-heavy teams, particularly in points and elite shot creation. Still, this roster feels extremely functional for 9-cat basketball: rebounds, steals, assists, efficiency, and veteran consistency across the board. If the breakout wings hit and the team stays healthy, TLTP could quietly grind out wins all season long.