Awa Fam grew up watching her Senegalese immigrant parents work as street vendors to support their family. On April 13, she was selected as the No. 3 overall pick by the Seattle Storm in the 2026 WNBA. Not only did she rise from humble beginnings to achieve a lifelong dream, but she also matched a unique record set by her compatriot.

Awa created history by becoming the highest-drafted Spanish player in WNBA history.  In a historic parallel, her No. 3 selection matches the one set by Pau Gasol, who remains the highest-drafted Spanish player in NBA history after being picked by the Atlanta Hawks in 2001. Fam’s selection also shatters the previous Spanish WNBA record, far surpassing Raquel Carrera’s No. 15 pick in 2021.

Born in Spain, Awa Fam made her professional debut for Valencia Basket at just 15 years of age. And since then, she has grown into a key young international prospect, representing Spain at both youth and senior national team levels. In fact, she entered the 2026 draft at just 19 years old, one of the youngest players in the draft.

But despite her age, Awa Fam is a 6’4″ center with great agility, mobility, and high-intensity defense. With Valencia Basket, she averaged 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 39 games in the EuroLeague and Liga Femenina Endesa during the 2025/26 season. So she’s definitely a quality addition to this Storm team. However, she may not be expected to start immediately, as the Seattle Storm also signed a veteran 6-foot-5 center, Stefanie Dolson, as a free agent from the Washington Mystics earlier.

Regardless, looking at their roster, the Seattle Storm appear to be adopting a youth-centric strategy. In the 2025 draft, the team also used its No. 2 pick on a 19-year-old international center, Dominique Malonga. The youth movement didn’t stop with Fam; the Storm also acquired rookie Flau’jae Johnson via trade and selected guard Taina Mair and forward Grace VanSlooten, signaling a clear investment in a new young core.

As expressed by the team’s general manager, Talisa Rhea, the 2026 draft was “a great time to just reset the foundation.” Retaining only four rotation players from last season’s squad and adding eight new faces clearly looks like a full reset.

Awa Fam Confident WNBA Transition Won’t Be Difficult

Having been selected by the Seattle Storm, Awa Fam will be making her entry into the U.S. basketball scene for the first time. She previously played in the EuroLeague and Liga Femenina Endesa with Valencia Basket. 

Speaking on that at her post-draft presser, she said: “I think it’s going to be easy. The big difference may be the physicality, but I think it’s not gonna be difficult because it’s the same players. A lot of players in the Euro also play in the WNBA.” And of course, for decades, it has been standard practice for WNBA players to compete in the EuroLeague and other international leagues during the winter. In fact, a significant number of players spend their offseason abroad.

Awa Fam herself will also have other commitments apart from her time with the Seattle Storm. Before the draft, she signed on to play in Project B, a new five-on-five basketball competition. And she isn’t worried about the non-stop schedule: “It’s all about preparation and taking care of my body,” she said. She’s been playing year-round for a while now, so she understands what it takes physically and mentally.

Regardless, the WNBA still has her complete focus. As she also said in the post-draft presser, “I need to lock in, learn more about the league, and my team and coaches.” Overall, that does not seem like a difficult task for her.