Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta plans to submit a bid on a WNBA expansion franchise in the coming weeks, a source with knowledge of the bidding process told Chron.
The timeline for the upcoming round of WNBA expansion—both in awarding the league's 16th franchise and in targeting an inaugural season—is unclear at the moment, though feedback from the league office on the initial round of bids will come this fall. The WNBA announced Wednesday it will return to Portland beginning in 2026, which will give the league 15 franchises. The 2026 season will also mark the debut for an expansion franchise in Toronto, the first WNBA franchise outside the United States.