Portland’s newest pro squad is finally getting some names to go with the logo. The Portland Fire start building their inaugural WNBA roster on Friday when the league’s expansion draft tips off, and thanks to a lucky coin toss they own the very first pick. The two-round event will see the Fire and fellow newcomer Toronto Tempo alternate selections from players left unprotected by other teams, giving Portland its first real chance to shape an on-court identity before the May home opener at the Moda Center.
How the expansion draft works
The league has set up a two-round expansion draft with room for up to 24 total selections, with Portland picking first and then alternating with Toronto. Each existing franchise can shield up to five players, and only one unprotected player can be taken from any single roster. Each expansion team is allowed to draft only one potential unrestricted free agent, and those players could later negotiate new supermax deals under the recently ratified CBA. Coverage of the expansion draft airs on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT), according to the WNBA.
Names to watch
Speculation is already swirling about who might slip through the cracks. The Oregonian’s early projections, amplified by Axios, include Golden State’s Iliana Rupert, Dallas’ Haley Jones and Las Vegas’ Kierstan Bell as possible unprotected options. Axios also flagged veteran unrestricted free agents Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones as potential targets who could give Portland instant experience and scoring punch. Sabrina Ionescu, the city’s marquee name, is widely expected to be off-limits in the process, as reported by Axios.
A side deal that reshaped the board
Portland’s front office has already started playing the long game. The Fire acquired the No. 17 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft through a deal with the Chicago Sky that also included a crucial promise: neither Portland nor Toronto will select any of Chicago’s unprotected players in the expansion draft. In the trade, the Sky sent the No. 17 pick to Portland in exchange for the Fire’s No. 21 selection, and also shipped their No. 26 pick to Toronto, a maneuver intended to keep Chicago’s roster intact heading into the offseason. That agreement forces Portland to balance the value of an extra college prospect at No. 17 against immediate help available in the expansion draft, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
What it means for fans
Even before a single Fire player hits the floor, Portland fans are already buying in. Single-game tickets went on sale earlier this month and demand has been intense, with a reported ticket frenzy and early schedule buzz around town. The team’s home opener is locked in for May 9 at the Moda Center, a date confirmed on the club’s page at ESPN. Fans will not have to wait long to connect new names to those tickets: the expansion draft goes live Friday at 12:30 p.m. PT (3:30 p.m. ET) on ESPN, when the Fire’s first official roster starts to come into focus.
What’s next
The pace does not slow after the expansion dust settles. Teams must submit their protected lists by Sunday, and the college draft follows on April 13, setting up a rapid-fire stretch of roster decisions for both the Fire and the Tempo. The results of the expansion draft are expected to influence free agency talks and shape Portland’s strategy heading into the April 13 draft and the May 9 opener, as reported by OPB.
