Three Australian WNBL players selected in WNBA expansion draft for new teams Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo
Consensus Summary
Three Australian WNBA prospects—Nyadiew Puoch, Chloe Bibby, and Kristy Wallace—were selected in the league’s expansion draft for the new Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo teams. Puoch, a breakout star for the UC Capitals in the WNBL, was taken 16th by Portland after previously being drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2024 but choosing to develop further in Australia. Bibby, a former Indiana Fever player, joined Portland as the 11th pick, while Wallace, an Olympic medalist, was selected by Toronto. Both teams are led by Australian coaches, with Sandy Brondello heading Toronto. The draft follows a new CBA that nearly doubled the salary cap to $7 million and increased maximum salaries to $1.4 million. The WNBA’s expansion marks a significant moment for Australian basketball, with multiple players now competing in the league ahead of the 2025 season opener on May 8. While details like Wallace’s exact pick number and additional roster selections vary slightly between sources, the core story highlights Australia’s growing influence in the WNBA.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Nyadiew Puoch was selected by the Portland Fire in the WNBA expansion draft as the 16th overall pick
- Chloe Bibby was selected by the Portland Fire as the 11th overall pick in the expansion draft
- Kristy Wallace was selected by the Toronto Tempo as the 21st overall pick (ABC) or 23rd overall pick (Guardian)
- The WNBA expansion draft occurred ahead of the 2025 season opener on May 8
- The WNBA draft to complete rosters will be held on April 13, 2025
- Nyadiew Puoch averaged 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game for the UC Capitals in 2024
- Puoch scored a half-court buzzer-beater against the Perth Lynx in January 2025
- Puoch was previously drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2024 but delayed her rookie season to play in the WNBL
- Sandy Brondello is coaching the Toronto Tempo and was an Opals coach
- The WNBA and players' union agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement on March 24, 2025
- The salary cap increased from $1.5 million to $7 million, with maximum one-year salaries rising to $1.4 million
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Kristy Wallace was selected by the Toronto Tempo as the 21st overall pick
- The existing WNBA teams were allowed to protect a maximum of five players in the expansion draft
- Portland is the 14th WNBA team and Toronto Tempo is the 15th
- The Fire and Tempo selected players from current rosters, not just college players
- Puoch mentioned two Australian teammates on the Portland roster (not just Bibby)
- Kristy Wallace was selected by the Toronto Tempo as the 23rd overall pick
- Bridget Carleton was selected as the first pick by the Portland Fire
- Julie Allemand was selected as the first pick by the Toronto Tempo
- The salary cap increase was converted to Australian dollars ($A10m and $A2.3m)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC states Kristy Wallace was the 21st pick, while the Guardian says she was the 23rd pick
- ABC does not mention Bridget Carleton or Julie Allemand being selected, while the Guardian does
- ABC does not specify Portland as the 14th team or Toronto Tempo as the 15th, though the Guardian implies this order
- The Guardian converts salary figures to Australian dollars ($A10m and $A2.3m), while ABC does not
- ABC mentions Puoch having two Australian teammates on the Portland roster, but the Guardian does not specify this
Source Articles
Rising star among 3 Australians picked in WNBA expansion draft
WNBL rising star Nyadiew Puoch and Chloe Bibby are selected to join the Portland Fire in the WNBA, while fellow Australian Kristy Wallace is picked by Toronto Tempo....
‘Means a lot’: Nyadiew Puoch among three Australians picked in WNBA expansion draft
21-year-old rising star and Chloe Bibby selected to join Portland Fire Opals coach Sandy Brondello’s Toronto Tempo pick Kristy Wallace Australian rising star Nyadiew Puoch has been rewarded for her st...