Duke, UNC players picked in the WNBA Draft

Duke star Taina Mair was picked in the first round of the WNBA Draft Monday. Two more North Carolina players—the Blue Devils’ Ashlon Jackson and UNC’s Indya Nivar—were taken in the second round.

Two Duke women’s basketball players were selected in the 2026 WNBA Draft on Monday, April 13.

Guard Taina Mair was selected No. 14 overall in the first round while guard Ashlon Jackson was taken No. 23 overall in the second round by the Golden State Valkyries. It marks the first time since 2020 that a pair of Blue Devils players were drafted and the first time since 2014 that two Duke players were taken in the first two rounds.

Mair became the first Blue Devil to be selected in the first round since Lexie Jones in 2018 and the 12th overall. Duke’s primary point guard this past season, Mair averaged 11.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, with her 201 assists on the season matching Duke’s single-season assist record set by Chelsea Gray.

The native of Dorchester, Massachusetts, finished her three-year Duke career as one of six Blue Devils to finish her career with at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. Mair posted 1,367 points, 610 rebounds and 675 assists, which rank seventh in ACC history.

Jackson averaged 11.2 points, 4.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game during her senior season. She was the Blue Devils’ top 3-point shooter throughout her career, draining 73 triples in 2025-26 to become the third Blue Devil to record at least 70 3’s in multiple seasons.

The China, Texas, native, Jackson finished her career as one of Duke’s 1,000-point scorers with 1,272 points and ranks second all-time in Blue Devil history with 235 3-pointers.

Duke finished the 2025-26 season 27-9 overall, making its second-straight trip to the Elite 8 where it lost to eventual national champion UCLA.

UNC star picked by the Atlanta Dream

North Carolina Tar Heels guard Indya Nivar (24) reacts during the second half against the UConn Huskies at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The best part of playing professional sports? Getting to live out your childhood dreams. Just ask Drake Powell, who starred for his hometown Tar Heels and is now a member of the Brooklyn Nets.

Another former UNC star is now also getting to live out her childhood dreams. Indya Nivar, a North Carolina native who played in Chapel Hill the past three seasons, went 28th overall in Monday’s WNBA Draft.

The Atlanta Dream made Nivar, who started each of the Tar Heels’ past 69 games, their lone second round selection.

Nivar began her career at Stanford during the 2022-23 college basketball season, but didn’t play much in California. After coming off the bench her first year at North Carolina, Nivar became a full-time starter during the 2024-25 Sweet 16 run.

Nivar saved her best collegiate season for last, averaging career highs of 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game for the Tar Heels. Part of a deep, guard-heavy attack, Nivar helped anchor UNC’s run to the 2026 Sweet 16.

In the ATL, Nivar joins an Atlanta roster that features the likes of Angel Reese and former NCAA Champion Te-Hina Paopao. There’s a chance Nivar remains on the Dream, but she could also pursue opportunities elsewhere if the Plath to playing time is minimal.

Even with Nivar now in the WNBA, North Carolina has plenty of guards on its 2026-27 roster, headlined by incoming top recruit Kate Harpring and senior Reniya Kelly.

Who will rise to fill Nivar’s role on the Tar Heels? We’ll discover that answer pretty early in non-conference play, but for now, let’s congratulate Nivar on achieving her childhood dream.

Reporting by Aidan Jensen, Tar Heels Wire / Tar Heels Wire

Reporting by Anna Snyder, Fayetteville Observer / The Fayetteville Observer

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect