Raven Johnson projected to Washington Mystics in final WNBA mock draft at No. 9

The 2026 WNBA Draft gets underway in a few hours.

After months of waiting, on Monday, April 13, one of the biggest events of the offseason will commence at The Shed in New York. In the previous few years, there's been a consensus No. 1 pick leading up to the event. This year's top spot has been up for grabs for weeks, driving lots of chatter about all the possibilities.

However, after an action-packed first week of WNBA free agency , the choice for the Dallas Wings got a lot clearer. The Wings should draft UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd at No. 1. Others in the mix for No. 1 include Spaniard Awa Fam, UCLA center Lauren Betts and TCU guard Olivia Miles.

In USA TODAY's final WNBA mock draft , South Carolina's Raven Johnson is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects her draft night will play out.

Our draft order factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Raven Johnson 2026 WNBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 9 overall, Washington Mystics

Hall's Analysis:

There's never anything wrong with taking guard depth and insurance as the Mystics wait to see how Georgia Amoore will fare once she returns to the court this season. Still, even with a healthy Amoore, Washington could use a gritty, scrappy guard like Johnson to anchor the defense and keep the offense running smoothly.

See USA TODAY's full WNBA mock draft here

Raven Johnson player profile

(all stats as of April 9)

• Position: guard
• Current Team: South Carolina
• 9.9 points per game
• 4 rebounds per game
• 5.1 assists per game
• 48.6% field goal percentage
• 39.8% three-point field goal percentage

Washington Mystics 2026 draft picks

• No. 4, No. 9 (via SEA), No. 11 (via NY), No. 19, No. 30 (MIN) and No. 34