Rising star Nyadiew Puoch has been rewarded for her stellar season with the UC Capitals, gaining selection for Portland Fire in the WNBA's expansion draft.

Puoch was the breakout star for the Capitals last season, averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals as her team fell just short of the WNBL finals.

Her biggest moment came in the dying seconds of Canberra's 77-74 win against the Perth Lynx in January when she tossed the ball into the basket from the halfway line to seal victory.

Chosen to be the No.17 pick on Portland's 12-player roster is another achievement for the 21-year-old, following her 2024 draft selection by the Atlanta Dream although she did not take the court.

Puoch isn't the only Australian to make the Fire's roster with Opal Chloe Bibby acquiring the 11th pick, after spending last season with Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever and the Golden State Valkyries.

Opals coach Sandy Brondello is also spearheading the second expansion team, the Toronto Tempo, and selected her Olympic bronze medallist Kristy Wallace from the Fever as pick 21.

The trio will join several other Australian stars in the competition that begins on May 8 after the league and players' union completed talks for a new collective bargaining agreement on March 24.

The agreement will create a new revenue-sharing system, increase the salary cap to $7 million ($A10m) from $1.5m ($A2.1m), and grow one-year salaries to a maximum of $1.4m ($A2.3m).