Three Spanish players drafted in a single night. The greatest milestone in Spanish women’s basketball didn’t happen on a court in Madrid or Barcelona — it happened in New York.
This past April, the 2026 WNBA Draft rewrote the history books of Spanish sport. For the first time ever, three players born in Spain were selected in the same draft class: Awa Fam Thiam at pick 3, Iyana Martín at 7, and Marta Suárez at 16.
Awa Fam, selected by the Seattle Storm, matched Pau Gasol as the highest draft pick ever achieved by a Spanish athlete in American professional sports. That number 3 is not just an individual achievement — it’s the reflection of a generation that has been quietly building its path for years, largely through the American college system.
Marta Suárez, taken at pick 16, was coming off a standout NCAA season where she was one of the most impactful players in her conference. Iyana Martín, drafted 7th by the Portland Fire, arrived at the draft straight from Spain’s Liga Femenina Endesa, proving that the road to the WNBA doesn’t follow a single map.
The Context: Over 150 Spanish Players Already Competing in the NCAA
This milestone is no accident. During the 2025-2026 season, more than 150 Spanish players competed in NCAA Division I. In this year’s March Madness, names like Marta Alsina, Claudia Acín, Gina García, and Esther Rodellar represented Spain in the most-watched college basketball tournament in the world.
The ecosystem exists. The talent exists. What is changing is the visibility.
What Does This Mean for Young Spanish Players?
That the path is real — and proven.
The NCAA route — and especially Junior Colleges as a first step — is no longer a risky bet. It is a well-established pathway walked by more than 150 active players who have chosen to combine an American university education with the highest level of competition in the world. Some will finish their careers there. Others will return to the Liga Femenina Endesa. And a few, like Awa Fam, Iyana, and Marta, will make it to the WNBA.
What none of them will lose is the experience, the language, the network, and an education that no Spanish university can match today.
Spanish women’s basketball isn’t knocking on the door anymore. It’s already inside.
