UConn Forward Named Top 10 Pick for 2026 WNBA Draft
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The defending national champion UConn Huskies are no strangers to producing top WNBA draft picks. Just months ago, the program watched Paige Bueckers become the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Now, as Geno Auriemma's team prepares to defend its championship, another potential first-round pick has joined the roster. The 6-foot-4 forward is projected to be a first-round pick in ESPN's latest 2026 WNBA Mock Draft.
According to ESPN's Michael Voepel, the Washington Mystics will draft Serah Williams at No. 9 overall in next year's WNBA draft.
"One of the most intriguing transfers in college, Williams averaged 19.2 PPG and 9.8 RPG for Wisconsin last season," Voepel wrote. "But her college career went under the radar while with the Badgers, who last made the NCAA tournament in 2010. Now she's joining the 12-time national champion Huskies, and no program better prepares players for WNBA success."
Williams arrived at UConn as one of the top transfers in the country after spending three seasons at Wisconsin under former UConn assistant coach Marisa Moseley. The Brooklyn native moved to Toronto in 2018 and finished her middle school and high school years in Canada before committing to Wisconsin on October 14, 2021.
She appeared in 31 games in her freshman year, averaging 12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, while shooting 54.3 percent from the field. She earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team.
Williams became one of the most dominant two-way players in the Big Ten. She appeared in 30 games, charting a double-double with 17.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field.
Williams set both the program and Big Ten record for most consecutive double-doubles with 17 straight games. She was named the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten and All-Big Ten Defensive Team honors.
She appeared and started in all 30 games in her junior year at Wisconsin, averaging a team-high 19.2 points per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field. She also averaged 9.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game.
Williams set another incredible record by recording double-doubles in 12 consecutive games, setting both the program and Big Ten records for most consecutive games with a double-double. She reached the 1,000-point mark in just 66 career games, tying for the third-fastest in Wisconsin history.
She was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and Big Ten All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season. Williams finished her Wisconsin career with 1,494 points (16.4 PPG), 782 rebounds (8.6 RPG), and 211 blocks (2.3 BPG) across 91 games, recording 36 career double-doubles.
When Williams entered the transfer portal after three years at Wisconsin, she had simple criteria for picking her next school.
"It's my last year, and I'm a very instinctual person. I really thought: Where can I have the most fun but also take a big jump on the court?" Williams said.
Her decision came down to UConn and LSU, with the Huskies landing the talented forward.
"Once I got here, the girls were very funny, the staff was very welcoming. It was homey, the environment," Williams said. "You see all the championships everywhere and the success of the program, it's hard to not want to come here after seeing that".
Williams officially committed to UConn on April 30, 2025, choosing the defending national champions over LSU and North Carolina. She would aim to win her first national title with the No.1 program in the AP Preseason poll before taking the court at the biggest stage.
Nishant is a sports writer with over four years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and soccer. He has bylines in several reputable digital media platforms, including Sportskeeda, Athlon Sports, Pro Football & Sports Network, and PinkVilla. He's known for delivering insightful and engaging coverage on everything, turning game-day grit into punchy storytelling.