With a new season coming up, all eyes were on the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire’s expansion draft picks. Coming into the league as expansion teams, both the franchises had a select number of players from which they could choose to lay the foundation of their team.
While Portland Fire landed the first pick via a coin toss earlier, Tempo were determined to walk out of the draft with a strong showing. And as the day came to an end, the team had acquired quite a launch pad for the upcoming days. Here’s how Tempo fared in the expansion draft.
Who Was the First Expansion Draft Pick For The Toronto Tempo?
For their first pick, Toronto picked the former Los Angeles Sparks star guard, Julie Allemand. Appearing in 34 games last season, Allemand had quite a muted performance. She averaged 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5 assists for the Sparks. Surely, the Tempo would hope for the star player to perform better this time around.
Expressing her excitement about the future of the team, General Manager Monica Wright Rogers said, “This group gives us the ability to compete from day one while continuing to build, and embraces the opportunity to help shape something new in a new country as Canada’s first WNBA team.”
Toronto Tempo full Expansion Draft selections:
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) April 3, 2026
Julie Allemand
Nyara Sabally
Marina Mabrey
Aaliyah Nye
Lexi Held
Maria Conde
Maria Kliundikova
Adja Kane
Nikolina Milic
Kitija Laksa
Kristy Wallace pic.twitter.com/FKBaW0UEhR
Ahead of the draft, the Chicago Sky announced several trades with Tempo to prevent them from choosing Chicago’s players. Yet, the team walked out with a solid-looking roster. One of their biggest picks for the season was the New York Liberty’s Nyara Sabally. They also acquired the services of Marina Mabrey, Aaliya Nye, Lexi Held, and Maria Conde.
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Meanwhile, with things looking rosy, Toronto got yet another boost as Serena Williams wanted to get involved.
Will Serena Williams Join The Toronto Tempo?
After dominating the tennis realm, Serena Williams is an active advocate for the expansion of women’s sports. And as the WNBA has gained massive popularity over the last few years, the tennis legend is now looking to put her money on the Toronto Tempo for the love of women’s sport.
“One of the reasons I wanted to become an owner of a WNBA team is because I love the sport. I love women’s sports. I’ve been championing sports for so many decades. And I feel like there’s so much more that I can bring to the sport,” Williams said in a recent interview.
Trailblazer. Champion. Investor for a better future in women's sport.
— Toronto Tempo (@TempoBasketball) March 23, 2026
Serena Williams has always set the standard for athletics, both on and off the court. For her, becoming an owner in the Toronto Tempo didn't just mean being part of history, but bringing her expertise and… pic.twitter.com/8EP2Ve2Squ
Thus, with things looking upbeat, fans will wait to see what happens next.