The 22-year-old Santa Cruz-born guard has agreed a development contract with Minnesota Lynx, putting her on the verge of making history
Tenerife basketball is on the verge of another major milestone.
Elena Buenavida, the 22-year-old guard from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, has agreed a development contract with Minnesota Lynx, taking her one step closer to the WNBA, the world’s leading women’s professional basketball league.
If she takes to the court in an official WNBA game, Buenavida will become the first player from Tenerife to make a WNBA appearance.
A route into the WNBA
Buenavida’s move to Minnesota comes through the WNBA’s development contract system.
The arrangement allows franchises to increase their roster from 12 to 14 players without those additional places counting towards the salary cap. Players on these contracts can feature in up to 12 regular-season games.
For Buenavida, the agreement also gives Minnesota the opportunity to secure her rights ahead of the 2027 season, while providing the Tenerife-born player with a route into the American league.
A change to her plans with Spain
The move to the United States comes at an interesting point in Buenavida’s international career.
She had been training with the Spanish national team ahead of the Women’s World Cup in Germany this September, meaning the agreement with Minnesota will require a change to those plans.
Buenavida has already made 18 appearances for Spain and was part of the team that finished runners-up at EuroBasket 2025.
A key player for Valencia Basket
The 1.75-metre guard has also enjoyed an important season with Valencia Basket.
She averaged 7.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, helping the club win both the Liga Femenina Endesa and the Copa de la Reina.
Now she has the opportunity to take the next step across the Atlantic.
For Buenavida, it could mean joining an increasingly select group of Spanish players to reach the WNBA.
For Tenerife, it could mean something rather more historic: seeing one of its own step onto a WNBA court for the first time.