With the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, the Portland Fire selected Iyana Martin Carrion, a 5-foot-9 guard out of Spain.
Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report provided insight on how the pick was received inside the Moda Center. It sounded eerily similar to how Trail Blazers fans reacted to the shocking Yang Hansen selection last summer -- an international player that the majority of fans haven't heard of, with several intriguing collegiate prospects still on the board.
Absolutely hilarious scene at Moda for the Fire draft watch party. Air completely came out of the room when they selected a European player most of the fans have never heard of with several big college stars still on the board.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) April 13, 2026
Pick is certainly in line with Vanja's vision.
Fire general manager Vanja Cernivec says Martin will remain in Spain this year and won't come over to the WNBA for the team's inaugural expansion season. The conventional pick would've been LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson, who went just one pick later to their Pacific Northwest rival, the Seattle Storm (via Golden State).
Portland basketball continues its international and unconventional trend
Johnson was the No. 5 overall prospect on ESPN, while Martin was No. 8. That's not quite the same level of reach as the Hansen selection, considering Portland took a flyer on a projected second-round pick at No. 16 overall. Still, there are several parallels between these two unconventional selections, which could be a sign of things to come as the Fire continue to upgrade their roster in the coming seasons.
For instance, Cernivec called Martin a "generational talent" that she's been watching for years. The Blazers are optimistic they struck gold with the Hansen pick, whom they had been scouting for two years before the selection. They were recently penalized for premature contact with him before he was draft-eligible, facing a $100,000 fine and having assistant general managers suspended for two weeks.
Hansen essentially had his own version of a gap year in Portland as well, averaging just seven minutes per game while playing roughly half the season. The Blazers would've ideally kept him in the G League, but they had no choice given the injuries they've had to overcome this season.
Overall, these are two unconventional selections that shocked the Portland fanbase, given how relatively unknown both international prospects were, with several college stars still available. They both align with the general manager's respective visions, and could potentially reward the gamble down the road due to their elite court vision and basketball IQ.
One player is 7-foot-1, while the other is 5-foot-9, but aside from the size discrepancy, these picks are eerily similar. While fans may be quick to judge or eager to see immediate results, it's important to remain patient with these young players, especially the ones who are more projects.
In the short term, though, Fire fans are left to wonder whether their GM made the right selection while picks after them inevitably have encouraging rookie seasons. Blazers fans just went through that with Hansen, as several prospects after him would've looked great in Portland.