The FIBA Women’s World Cup break is now underway and the games start on Friday, September 4th. It wraps up on Sunday, September 13th and then the WNBA regular season will resume on Thursday, September 17th. The WNBA playoff teams are known now and all is left of the regular season is determing the playoff seeding and the lottery standings.
This means that more and more rookies have now gotten the oppurtunity to play during the last two weeks before the break due to the lottery and some rookies have helped their team earn a playoff spot this season.
It is now time to rank the top 5 rookies who shined during the final two weeks of games that took place from August 18th, 2026 to August 31st, 2026. This is the eighth edition of WNBA Rookies Watch and the seventh edition of WNBA Rookies Watch can be found here.
*There were only 4 rookies for this week’s WNBA Rookies Watch as the fifth rookie spot could not be filled due to some rookies either not getting playing time on playoff teams or some not playing well*
WNBA Rookies Watch – Week 8 – Rookies getting more exposure and playing time before the FIBA Women’s World Cup
1) Flau’jae Johnson – SG – Seattle Storm
Flau’jae Johnson was the best rookie during the final two weeks before the FIBA Women’s World Cup break. The Seattle Storm were eliminated from playoff contention and she still averaged 20.6 points per game, 4 rebounds per game and 3 assists per game in the Storm’s last three games before the FIBA Women’s World Cup break. She also averaged 1.3 steals per game. However, she struggled in three point shooting as she shot less than 34% from three in two games. Despite everything that has gone wrong for the Seattle Storm this season, Flau’jae Johnson played really well and gave it her best.
2) Kiki Rice – PG – Toronto Tempo
Kiki Rice was excellent during the final two weeks before the FIBA Women’s World Cup break. The Toronto Tempo were eliminated from playoff contention and she remained consistent as the Tempo played 7 games. She averaged 15.7 points per game, 2.42 rebounds per game and 4.42 assists per game. She scored in double-figures in all 7 games. However, she did shoot the ball poorly from the field in two games and shot less than 34% from three in two games. It hasn’t been an easy season for the expansion team but Kiki Rice has really helped and has played well for the Tempo despite an injury early on and continues to get better.
3) Olivia Miles – PG – Minnesota Lynx
Olivia Miles drops down to the third spot because in the final two weeks before the FIBA Women’s World Cup, she slipped up from her normal performances. She still did play really well, but she scored in single-digits in one game, the Lynx lost two games and she shot less than 34% from three in three games. However, the Minnesota Lynx were the first team to claim a playoff spot, the Lynx are in control of the #1 spot and Olivia Miles played a major role in making that happen.
4) Laura Juskaite – PF – Toronto Tempo
Laura Juskaite drops down to the fourth spot in this week’s WNBA Rookies Watch because she only scored 2 points in a home loss to Indiana, shot less than 34% from three in four games and had 6 or 7 turnovers each in two games. However, she is worthy of a spot in this week’s WNBA Rookies Watch because she continues to improve and she averaged 11.1 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, and 2.2 assists per game in the 7 games the Toronto Tempo played in. She is also showing consistency now and remarkable improvement from where she started the season and despite the Tempo not earning a playoff spot, she also did her best.
Honourable mention: Lauren Betts, C, Washington Mystics
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