Rising Australian stars selected in WNBA draft

Four rising stars have been chosen in the WNBA draft, continuing the mass influx of Australians to the top women's basketball league in the world.

Saffron Shiels was selected in the second round as pick No 26 by her Opals coach Sandy Brondello and the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday morning (AEST).

The Townsville Fire guard wasn't the only Australian to get drafted as Southside Melbourne Flyers forward Manuela Puoch was chosen in the third round as pick No.41 by the New York Liberty.

NSW country product Amelia Hassett was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks with pick No.35, while Queensland's Charlise Dunn was chosen by the Tempo as pick No. 36 after both players came through the US college system.

Puoch had been a key contributor off the bench during her breakout campaign last season, averaging 4.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game, while also helping Australia to a silver medal at the 2025 FIBA U19 Women's World Cup.

The 19-year-old's selection comes after her sister Nyadiew Puoch was picked up by the Portland Fire in the competition's expansion draft on April 4.

At the Liberty, she'll be joined by Perth Lynx's Anneli Maley, who signed a training camp contract, and Opal Bec Allan, who agreed to a reported deal of $US350,000 ($A494,000) in New York.

For Shiels, she'll be the fourth Australian on the Tempo's roster with Opal Kristy Wallace and Southside Melbourne's Maddy Rocci also securing contracts with the club.

A representative of Australia on both senior and junior levels, Shiels was part of the Fire's WNBL-winning team but didn't take the court last season.

She had played for Townsville in the two seasons prior, averaging 5.4 points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in the 2024/2025 campaign.

The 20-year-old is also the daughter of Peter Shiels, a former rugby league player who played for Penrith, Western Suburbs, Western Reds and Newcastle in the 1990s and 2000s.

The No.1 draft pick on the night went to the Dallas Wings, and they chose Azzi Fudd from the University of Connecticut after she had a stellar season which made her favourite for the top selection.

Guard Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx) was selected as pick No.2, with Awa Fam (Seattle Storm), Lauren Betts (Washington Mystics) and Gabriela Jaquez (Chicago Sky) rounding off the top five.

Elsewhere, Adelaide Lightning forward Steph Talbot inked a new deal with the competition's reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces.