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With half of the season already completed, the 2026 WNBA season is at its peak. However, several players are already making decisions for the winter later in the year, and it's Europe.
A few years ago, most of the WNBA players played in Europe during the offseason to make money. However, since the rise of smaller leagues like Unrivaled in America, overseas travel has seen a big decline.
However, not every player earns a big sum in the league, especially the rookies. For them, Europe is still a good market during the offseason, and FIBA’s EuroLeague Women remains a popular destination.
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According to SB Nation's Swish Appeal, four rookies are headed to Europe to play in EuroLeague Women in the winter.
1. Sydney Taylor (Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring)
Taylor has quickly become the most surprising name out of all the rookies this year. After going undrafted, she made it out of the Sky’s training camp. She is now a core part of the team, averaging 14.1 points per game, ranked second among all rookies.
She has scored 20 or more points six times in her rookie season, showing her scoring ability. It wasn’t surprising that Taylor caught the attention of the Turkish club. She can be a part of their backcourt.
2. Cassandre Prosper (ZVVZ USK Praha)
Prosper started her rookie season averaging 23.6 minutes per game. But she quickly fell out of the Mystics rotation after five games and has been limited to just under 10 minutes a game.
However, Praha is in the midst of a rebuilding, and she can be a crucial part of the team. For years, they were led by Brionna Jones and Ezi Magbegor.
Prosper can not only be a contributor on the new team, but she can also hone her game with the Czech club.
3. Frieda Bühner (ZVVZ USK Praha)
Buhner is another player joining Praha's rebuilding. In her rookie season, she is averaging 6.6 points in 15 minutes. But the Fire rookie will certainly look for more time on the court.
The German national has a lot of experience in European basketball, playing for her national team. She has played for the national team since 2019, and helped them qualify for the FIBA World Cup earlier this year.
Buhner was a crucial part of Movistar Estudiantes, a Spanish club. During the 2025-26 season, she averaged 19 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. She will be a huge part of the rebuilding for Praha.
4. Marta Suárez (Valencia Basket Club)
Suarez was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2026 draft. Since then, she has been bounced around, currently on a 7-day contract with the Phoenix Mercury.
Suarez has the most to gain by playing in the Euroleague Women. She can gain experience playing good minutes with Valencia.
She can be used as a go-to backup scorer. Suarez averaged 17.1 points in her final year with TCU and can excel alongside veteran guards like Alexis Peterson and Leticia Romero on Valencia.
Who do you think has the most to gain from FIBA's Euroleague Women? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Nandjee Ranjan
Edited by
Kaamna Dwivedi