indiana fever figures prominently in a fast-moving expansion draft that has sent Australian talent into new WNBA homes. Nyadiew Puoch, Chloe Bibby and Kristy Wallace were all selected as the league’s expansion picture took shape, with the Indiana Fever connection standing out in the middle of the shuffle. The moves come as Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo build their first rosters ahead of the expanded competition beginning on 8 May ET.
Puoch’s rise reaches Portland Fire
Nyadiew Puoch, 21, earned selection for Portland Fire after a standout season with the UC Capitals in the WNBL. She averaged 11. 4 points, 4. 3 rebounds and 1. 5 steals as Canberra came up just short of the finals, and her biggest moment came in January when she buried a half-court shot in the final seconds of a 77-74 win over the Perth Lynx.
Chosen as the No. 16 overall pick, Puoch will now join Portland’s roster after previously being drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2024. “Honestly, if you spoke to me this time three years ago, I wouldn’t believe any of this would happen, ” Puoch said. “I go out there, have fun, play basketball and these opportunities have opened up for me. ”
indiana fever links run through the draft
The most direct indiana fever thread came with Chloe Bibby, who was acquired by Portland as the 11th pick after spending last season with Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever and the Golden State Valkyries. Puoch said having Bibby on the roster makes the transition easier, calling it “less daunting” and adding that Bibby is “a great player and a great human. ”
That same draft spread also reached Toronto, where Opals coach Sandy Brondello selected Kristy Wallace as the 23rd overall pick for the Tempo. Wallace, an Olympic bronze medallist, joins another new franchise as Brondello takes charge of the league’s other expansion team.
Portland and Toronto begin building from the top
Portland opened by selecting veteran forward Bridget Carleton with the first pick in the expansion draft, while Toronto used its first pick on guard Julie Allemand, who played last season for the Los Angeles Sparks. Portland’s return to the city after 24 years adds another layer to the rebuild, but the draft’s clearest immediate story is how quickly Australian players have been folded into both new teams.
The league’s expanded competition follows a new collective bargaining agreement completed on 24 March ET. That deal creates a new revenue-sharing system, raises the salary cap to $7 million from $1. 5 million, and increases one-year salaries to a maximum of $1. 4 million.
What the expansion draft means next
For Puoch, the selection is another step in a rapid rise that has moved from WNBL breakout form to an WNBA expansion stage. For the indiana fever side of the story, the draft also marks a roster crossroads for players with ties to the team, as Portland and Toronto continue shaping lineups before the season opens on 8 May ET. The next watch point is how quickly these new combinations settle, and whether the indiana fever connection continues to shape the wider Australian presence in the league.
