STANFORD, Calif. – The WNBA's 30th season tips off tonight and seven players who entered the league out of Stanford are on the opening-day rosters of its 15 franchises. The Cardinal's seven in the league are the fifth-most among all schools (UConn – 16, South Carolina – 12, Notre Dame – 11. UCLA – 11).
Entering her 15th WNBA season, Nneka Ogwumike is making a return to the Los Angeles Sparks following two years in Seattle. Last season with the Storm, she earned her 10th All-Star selection, tying her for third-most in WNBA history with Tamika Catchings and Brittney Griner, after averaging 18.3 points on 51.9 percent shooting and 7.0 rebounds. The 2016 WNBA MVP, Ogwumike has also been named to eight All-WNBA teams, and her seven All-Defensive Team selections are tied for fourth-most in league history.
Joining Ogwumike on the Sparks in her third WNBA season is Cameron Brink. Brink made a return to the floor in late July last year following a midseason ACL tear during her rookie campaign. She averaged 5.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 19 games.
Lexie Hull enters her fifth professional season with the Indiana Fever after being taken with the sixth overall pick in 2022. She had her best season a year ago, averaging career highs in points (7.2), rebounds (4.3), assists (1.8) and steals (1.2). Hull recorded her first career double-double last June against Seattle with 15 points and 11 rebounds, followed by her first career postseason double-double against Las Vegas in September with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Alanna Smith signed with the Dallas during the offseason, joining the Wings following two standout seasons with the Minnesota Lynx. In 2025, Smith appeared and started in 42 regular-season games for the Lynx and averaged 9.6 points on 48.5 percent shooting, along with 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.3 steals in 26.3 minutes per game. The 6-4 forward was voted the 2025 WNBA Co‑Defensive Player of the Year and named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team. Smith finished third in the league in both blocks per game and total blocks (80) in 2025, setting career highs in both categories. Her 80 blocks established a Lynx single‑season franchise record, and she became the eighth player in league history to record 80 blocks in a season.
Haley Jones is in her first year in Portland after being selected by the Fire in the expansion draft. Jones joined the Dallas Wings last season on a hardship contract and signed a rest-of-season contract with the team on July 9. She appeared in 24 games for Dallas, started in 16 and averaged career bests of 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.8 steals. Jones recorded a season-high 18 points on September 4 at Golden State and tallied a career-high 10 rebounds on August 24 against Seattle.
Karlie Samuelson signed with Portland in early April and brings seven seasons of WNBA experience to the Fire, having appeared in 121 career games with 49 starts across stints with the Los Angeles Sparks, Dallas Wings, Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury, Washington Mystics and Minnesota Lynx. Over her WNBA career, Samuelson has averaged 5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, while shooting 39.2 percent from three-point range. She served as an intern with the Stanford women’s basketball last season, returning to her alma mater to rehab from a left foot injury she sustained last June.
Kiana Williams made Phoenix’s opening day roster after signing a training camp contract early last month. She had her best season appearing in 11 games for the Mercury last season, posting career highs in points (4.1), rebounds (1.0), field goal percentage (.425) and 3-point percentage (.346).
Since the WNBA's inaugural season, 34 former Stanford players have appeared in a regular-season game, and seven players have won a combined eight WNBA championships.