Get ready for WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY with an analysis of three forwards/centers: Lauren Betts, Awa Fam Thiam, and Cotie McMahon.

This year’s draft class features a real battle between a ton of talented bigs. That’s excellent news for teams right on the border of postseason contention who already have solid guard rooms in tow, and still solid news for teams looking to add depth to their F/C room with rookie talent. 

Lauren Betts (UCLA) – 17.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.1 BPG

Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins

Betts is a natural center who uses her strength and size in the paint to establish her dominance. Her accolades speak for themselves, with multiple AP All-American selections, two Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year awards, and the Big Ten Player of the Year award for the 2025-26 season. If plugged into a roster with an established point guard, she could thrive as a defensive stalwart with the hands to make passes directly to the paint mostly turn into points. 

Betts’ shooting took a bit of a dip in 2025-26, going 58.2 percent from the field compared to her career average of 61.9 percent. However, she had a big role in UCLA’s offense alongside guard Kiki Rice, taking the second-most shots of her career this past season (12.9 attempts per game). That increase in usage was bound to cause some of her shooting numbers to go down, but she still acted as a hub for the Bruins’ go-to, “break class in case of emergency” option on offense because of how reliable she is in the paint. 

Her defense is, of course, her bread and butter. She’s imposing against other bigs, similarly to the presence that WNBA players like Brionna Jones or Jonquel Jones have for their teams’ defenses. It’s difficult to stop her without a double or triple team, and that’s helped turn her assist numbers up to 3.2 per game – the highest of her college career. She may be the most polished true center in this year’s class. 

Awa Fam Thiam (Spain/Valencia Basketball Club) – 7.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.2 SPG

Awa Fam of Spain

Similar to McMahon in the sense that she’s not a true forward or center, Fam Thiam is a fluid big who can likely thrive at the 4 or 5, depending on which team decides to take a swing on the Spanish star in this year’s draft. Fam Thiam, who is going to be just 20 years old in her rookie season in the WNBA, has one of the highest ceilings in this year’s class. 

She has the potential to be an efficient three-level scorer, but is currently at her best as the beneficiary of a pick-and-pop system alongside an effective point guard. Her speed and finesse when driving to the paint pop off the screen, and she’s only going to get more proficient with her driving and popping as she gains more professional experience under her belt.  

Seeing her in a lineup alongside another “big” who is more of a paint presence could really unlock her game as a mid-range threat, as well as spread the floor out enough for her to get more shots up from three-point range. She only hit 30.8 percent from deep this last year, but she’s markedly not afraid to try and get those shots up if given the space. 

If you’re looking for a proper professional comparison to Fam Thiam that isn’t someone who’s a traditional center, look to the Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike: a silky-smooth scorer with footwork and ballhandling that can slice through the paint against smaller matchups. Fam Thiam, again, has some development underway. But she’s a versatile forward that could thrive with a quick point guard that loves to feed bigs.

Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss) – 19.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG

Cotie McMahon #32 of the Mississippi Rebels

McMahon posted a successful transfer season with Ole Miss in her final collegiate year. The former Ohio State Buckeye spent her final year with head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin and helped the Rebels to a 24-12 season. McMahon is a force with the ball in her hand, acting as more of a hybrid forward-guard than a traditional big. When on the floor, she attracts a ton of attention thanks to her proficiency as a rim-runner and a cutter. 

Her three-point shooting (28.6 percent from the field) isn’t an eye-popper, but that’s not where she’s dangerous for opposing defenses. Watching any highlight reel of McMahon from her four years in the NCAA, you’re immediately struck by her ability to get downhill and poise when facing down a defensive challenge from scrambling guards in the paint. 

The 3x All-Big Ten, 2025-26 All-SEC, 2026 All-SEC Tourney, and former 2022-23 Big Ten ROY could be a sneakily impactful selection for a team seeking scoring depth off the bench. She’s a fluid forward who should land with a team willing to find a role for her scoring capabilities in addition to her facilitating skills.