The highly anticipated expansion draft for the newly minted Golden State franchise is set to take place on December 6, with ESPN broadcasting the event. As the WNBA gears up for the team’s inaugural season in 2025, the league has outlined the details of the expansion draft, the first of its kind since 2008.
Each of the 12 existing WNBA teams will have the opportunity to protect a maximum of six players from being drafted by Golden State. Teams will submit their roster lists, comprising all players under contract or with retained rights as of the final day of the 2024 regular season, with a deadline expected around 10 days prior to the expansion draft. Golden State will then have the chance to acquire the contract or rights of one available player from each team.
In the event a player not under contract for 2025 is selected, Golden State will inherit the rights to that player. The team can also choose one unrestricted free agent, provided they haven’t been cored for two or more seasons, and subsequently core them in January ahead of free agency.
Between the roster list deadline and the expansion draft, Golden State can engage in trades with other teams, selecting a player and trading them to another organization, or agreeing to select (or not select) a player from a trading team’s list of available players.
While the league has yet to announce Golden State’s position in the 2025 college draft, the team has already made significant moves, hiring Ohemaa Nyanin as general manager in May. The search for a head coach remains ongoing. The WNBA has also recently expanded its reach, introducing new franchises in Toronto and Portland, set to debut in 2026.
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