Cotie McMahon Braces for WNBA Draft Night After Stellar Ole Miss Campaign

The wait is nearly over for Cotie McMahon.

Less than a month after her Ole Miss season came to an end in the NCAA Tournament, the standout forward will hear her name called Monday night at the 2026 WNBA Draft. McMahon is among 15 prospects invited to attend the event at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York, with ESPN broadcasting the proceedings starting at 6 p.m. CT.

The Ohio State transfer enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in Oxford, averaging 19.5 points per game — third most in the SEC — along with 5.1 rebounds and a team-leading 3.0 assists per contest. She shot 45.1% from the field and connected at a 28.6% rate from three-point range. Her all-around production earned her SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, a spot on the All-SEC first team, and All-America honorable mentions from USA TODAY, the Associated Press, and the USBWA.

McMahon's draft stock has climbed steadily since arriving at Ole Miss. ESPN projects her as the No. 9 overall selection, going to the Washington Mystics. The Athletic mocks her to the Seattle Storm at pick 14. Both USA TODAY and CBS Sports predict she lands with the Connecticut Sun at No. 15 — the final pick of the first round — and that represents her most common projected destination. The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated echo that projection.

Bleacher Report is the outlier, placing McMahon in the second round at No. 18, though still to the Sun.

If the projections hold, McMahon would become the fourth player drafted during Yolett McPhee-McCuin's tenure as Ole Miss head coach, and the program's ninth overall draftee. She would also extend Ole Miss' streak of having a player selected in three consecutive drafts.

McMahon will take the stage Monday as one of the most versatile forwards available. Her ability to score from multiple levels, create for teammates, and defend across positions has drawn praise from scouts. Whether she goes ninth, 14th, or 15th, her name will almost certainly be called in the first round — the culmination of a remarkable single season in a Rebels uniform.