Fire nab Carleton with 1st pick of WNBA expansion draft
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The Portland Fire selected Bridget Carleton of the Minnesota Lynx with the top pick in the 2026 WNBA expansion draft Friday.
Portland received the first pick after the Toronto Tempo, who won a coin toss between the two in March, opted for a higher selection (No. 6 instead of 7) in the WNBA's rookie draft.
Carleton started a combined 50 regular-season and playoff games for the Lynx in 2025 and was a key defensive figure for Cheryl Reeve's squad. The Canadian vet averaged 6.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and two assists while shooting 37.3% from behind the arc to help Minnesota finish with a league-best 34 regular-season wins and an appearance in the WNBA semifinals.
The Fire and Tempo had the opportunity to pluck an unprotected player from any franchise except the Chicago Sky, who made their entire roster untouchable by trading a first-round pick to both expansion clubs.