Portland Fire picks Bridget Carleton first in WNBA expansion draft on Friday

The Portland Fire selected 11 players in the WNBA expansion draft, with Bridget Carleton being their first pick. This is how they start building their team.
By Newsroom | Sports, Basketball |

The 'Portland Fire' franchise, embarking on its reentry into the WNBA, has positioned 'Bridget Carleton' as their inaugural selection in the recent expansion draft. This move places a six-year veteran, most recently with the 'Minnesota Lynx', at the forefront of their roster construction.

Carleton, a forward, was declared an 'unrestricted free agent' prior to the draft. She joins the Fire alongside other selections made by the franchise. These selections are not absolute guarantees of a permanent place on the team's final roster.

Fire make Carleton top WNBA expansion draft pick - 1

FIRESIDE FRAGMENTS

The 'Portland Fire' assembled a total of eleven players through the expansion draft. Alongside Carleton, other players chosen include:

Fire make Carleton top WNBA expansion draft pick - 2

  • Carla Leite, acquired from the 'Golden State Valkyries'.

  • Luisa Geiselsöder, a pick from the 'Dallas Wings'.

  • Emily Engstler, previously with the 'Washington Mystics'.

  • Maya Caldwell, a former 'Atlanta Dream' player.

  • Chloe Bibby, selected from the 'Indiana Fever'.

  • Haley Jones, also from the 'Dallas Wings'.

  • Nyadiew Puoch, another acquisition from the 'Atlanta Dream'.

  • Sug Sutton, formerly of the 'Washington Mystics'.

  • Nika Mühl, drafted from the 'Seattle Storm'.

  • Sarah Ashlee Barker, from the 'Los Angeles Sparks'.

The 'Toronto Tempo', the league's other expansion franchise, also made their selections, notably picking 'Marina Mabrey' from the 'Connecticut Sun' with their first choice.

Fire make Carleton top WNBA expansion draft pick - 3

DRAFT MECHANICS AND TIMING

The WNBA expansion draft unfolded on a Friday, with the 'Portland Fire' securing the first pick due to a coin toss outcome. This dictated the order for the initial round, with 'Toronto' leading the second round. The draft proceedings were broadcast nationally on 'ESPN', with live streaming available via the 'ESPN App'. The event commenced around 3:30 p.m. ET.

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BACKGROUND NOISE

Expansion drafts are a common mechanism for new teams entering a league to establish a foundational player pool. Teams can select from available players on existing franchises, often with certain restrictions or compensation structures in place. The selections made in such drafts represent a starting point, with further roster shaping occurring through subsequent trades, free agency, and upcoming drafts. The 'Portland Fire' currently hold the seventh pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, while 'Toronto' is positioned with the sixth pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who did the Portland Fire pick first in the WNBA expansion draft on Friday?
The Portland Fire picked Bridget Carleton first in the WNBA expansion draft on Friday. She is a six-year veteran player.
Q: How many players did the Portland Fire pick in the expansion draft?
The Portland Fire picked a total of eleven players in the expansion draft. This is how they are starting to build their new team.
Q: When did the WNBA expansion draft happen?
The WNBA expansion draft happened on a Friday. It started around 3:30 p.m. ET and was shown on ESPN.
Q: Why are expansion drafts important for new teams?
Expansion drafts help new teams like the Portland Fire choose players from other teams. This gives them a starting group of players for their first season.