WNBA expansion draft selects three Australian players for new teams Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo
Consensus Summary
The WNBA’s expansion draft selected three Australian players for its two new teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. Nyadiew Puoch, a rising star from the UC Capitals in the WNBL, was chosen 16th by Portland after a standout season averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Her clutch half-court buzzer-beater against the Perth Lynx in January highlighted her breakout potential. Chloe Bibby, the 11th pick, joins Puoch in Portland, while Kristy Wallace, an Olympic bronze medalist, was selected by the Toronto Tempo. Sandy Brondello, a two-time WNBA champion, leads the Tempo and secured Julie Allemand and Bridget Carleton as top picks for her new team. The expansion follows a new collective bargaining agreement raising the salary cap to $7 million and maximum player salaries to $1.4 million, with the season set to begin May 8 after the draft on April 13. The move marks a significant opportunity for Australian players in the league, with multiple stars now competing in the expanded competition.
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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: 23rd, but Guardian says 23rd is Brondello’s pick—corrected to 21st per ABC’s draft order)
- Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo are the 14th and 15th WNBA teams respectively
- The WNBA season begins on May 8, 2024, after the draft on April 13
- The new collective bargaining agreement was finalized on March 24, 2024, increasing the salary cap to $7 million and max one-year salary to $1.4 million
- Nyadiew Puoch averaged 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game for UC Capitals in the 2023 WNBL season
- Nyadiew Puoch scored a half-court buzzer-beater in January 2024 to win for UC Capitals against the Perth Lynx
- Sandy Brondello is coaching the Toronto Tempo and was a two-time WNBA champion
- Bridget Carleton was selected as the first pick by the Portland Fire in the expansion draft
- Julie Allemand was selected as the first pick by the Toronto Tempo in the expansion draft
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Kristy Wallace was selected as the 23rd overall pick by the Toronto Tempo
- Portland selected Bridget Carleton with the first pick in the expansion draft
- Toronto Tempo selected Julie Allemand with its first pick
- The WNBA salary cap increase is noted as $7 million ($A10m) and max salary $1.4m ($A2.3m) with Australian dollar equivalents
- Puoch’s quote: 'I go out there, have fun, play basketball and these opportunities have opened up for me.'
- Puoch mentions 'two members at the club who are Australian as well' (unspecified)
- Kristy Wallace was selected as the 21st overall pick by the Toronto Tempo
- The WNBA draft (for remaining roster spots) is scheduled for April 13, 2024
- Puoch delayed her 2024 draft selection by the Atlanta Dream to continue development in the WNBL
- The expansion teams could select from current rosters, with existing teams protecting up to five players
- Puoch’s quote: 'Honestly, if you spoke to me this time three years ago, I wouldn’t believe any of this would happen.'
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states Kristy Wallace was selected as the 23rd overall pick, while ABC says she was the 21st pick
- The Guardian lists Julie Allemand as the first pick for Toronto Tempo, but ABC does not mention her pick number or team
- The Guardian specifies Bridget Carleton was the first pick for Portland Fire, but ABC does not mention her pick number
- ABC notes Puoch delayed her 2024 draft selection by the Atlanta Dream, but the Guardian does not mention this delay explicitly
- The Guardian includes Australian dollar equivalents for salary figures ($A10m and $A2.3m), while ABC does not
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
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