The Dallas Wings emerged victorious in the WNBA draft lottery for the second year in a row on Sunday evening. Securing the top pick with a 42% chance, the Wings, who selected Paige Bueckers as the No. 1 draft pick last year, are set to make another significant choice. Following them, the Minnesota Lynx, with the league’s best record last season, will make the second pick, holding the Chicago Sky’s first-round selection due to a prior trade.
Completing the lottery selection order are Seattle, Washington, and Chicago. This season, the league is expanding to 15 teams with the inclusion of the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Information on the expansion draft for these new franchises is forthcoming. The Tempo and Fire will also have the sixth and seventh picks in the upcoming draft in April.
In a unique twist, the Tempo and Fire will use a coin flip to determine who will secure the sixth pick, as announced during the WNBA lottery broadcast. Negotiations are ongoing between the WNBA and the players’ union for a new collective bargaining agreement, with an extension granted until November 30 from the initial October 31 deadline. The draft typically takes place in April assuming the successful negotiation of a new CBA.
While there isn’t a standout top pick like Bueckers this year, the upcoming draft boasts a pool of talented college players, including Lauren Betts from UCLA, Azzi Fudd from UConn, Flau’jae Johnson from LSU, Olivia Miles from TCU, and Spanish player Awa Fam.