Luisa Geiselsöder: The Anchor
Six foot four. The only true center on the roster. Portland went to Dallas at pick five and came back with the biggest piece of the puzzle.
The Pick
Five picks in and Portland still didn't have a center. That's a problem when you're building a roster from scratch. Carleton at one, Leite at three, and a bunch of wings and guards. The frontcourt needed size, real size, and Luisa Geiselsöder was the answer. Selected 5th overall from the Dallas Wings in the expansion draft, she's the only true center Portland took. At 6'4", she is the tallest player on the roster and the only one who can anchor a paint presence over a 44-game season.
You can play small ball for stretches. You cannot play small ball for 44 games. Portland knew that, and they got their center.
Wasserburg to the WNBA
Geiselsoder's path to the WNBA didn't go through the NCAA. She played for TSV Wasserburg in the German Bundesliga, one of the top clubs in German women's basketball. From there, she went 21st overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft, second round. That's the international route: prove yourself in a professional league overseas, get drafted, then compete for minutes against the best players on the planet.
She landed with the Dallas Wings and played 28 games, putting up 192 points and 133 rebounds. Those rebounding numbers (4.8 per game) are the kind of production you build around when you're an expansion team. Boards are effort and positioning, and both travel. She brings that from day one.
What to Watch in 2026
Rim protection. Rebounding. Being the anchor that lets everyone else play free. That's the job description, and Geiselsoder is the only player on the roster built for it. When Emily Engstler is switching out on the perimeter and Haley Jones is crashing the glass from the wing, Geiselsoder needs to be the last line of defense at the rim.
On offense, 6.9 PPG and 1.6 APG from the center position suggest she can finish around the basket and make the right pass out of the post. In a system where Sutton is collapsing defenses off the dribble and Carleton is spacing the floor from the corners, Geiselsoder's job is to catch, finish, and clean up misses. Over 44 games, that kind of steady interior presence is what keeps an expansion team competitive. The May 9 home opener vs Chicago Sky will be the first real test of Portland's frontcourt.
The Person
Geiselsoder is German, adding another international voice to a Portland roster that includes French Carla Leite and Canadian Bridget Carleton. Three countries, three different basketball cultures, all converging at Moda Center. Portland has always been a city that attracts people from everywhere. Having a German center, a French guard, and a Canadian forward feels extremely on brand.
She came up through TSV Wasserburg, made the leap to the WNBA, and now finds herself as the only true center on an expansion team in the Pacific Northwest. The original Portland Fire had their own cast of characters back in 2000. This version is building its own, and the 6'4" German in the middle of the paint is a pretty good place to start.
Career Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Luisa Geiselsöder?
Luisa Geiselsöder is a 6'4" center for the Portland Fire. She was the fifth overall pick in the 2026 expansion draft, selected from the Dallas Wings. Geiselsoder is a German international who played for TSV Wasserburg in the Bundesliga before being drafted 21st overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft. She has 28 career WNBA games with averages of 6.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.6 APG. She'll debut at Moda Center for the May 9 home opener.
What are Luisa Geiselsöder's stats?
Over 28 WNBA games: 192 points, 133 rebounds, 44 assists. Career averages: 6.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.6 APG. At 6'4" she is the tallest player on the Portland Fire roster and their only true center. Check the Fire schedule to see her play.
Where did Luisa Geiselsöder play before Portland?
Before Portland, Geiselsoder played for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA (28 games). She was originally drafted 21st overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft, second round. Before the WNBA, she played professionally for TSV Wasserburg in the German Bundesliga. Portland selected her 5th overall in the 2026 expansion draft.
What position does Luisa Geiselsöder play?
Geiselsoder plays center. At 6'4" she is the tallest player on the Portland Fire roster and the only true center selected in the expansion draft. She provides rim protection, rebounding (4.8 RPG), and interior scoring (6.9 PPG) alongside wings Bridget Carleton, Emily Engstler, and Haley Jones.