The Dallas Wings emerged as the winners of the WNBA draft lottery for the second consecutive year on Sunday evening. Having selected Paige Bueckers as the No. 1 pick last season, the Wings had a 42% chance of securing the top spot once again. The Minnesota Lynx, who boasted the best league record last year, will have the second pick, courtesy of a prior trade acquiring the Chicago Sky’s first-round selection.
Seattle, Washington, and Chicago completed the lottery picks. The league is set to expand to 15 teams this season with the introduction of the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Details regarding the expansion draft for these new teams are yet to be disclosed. The Tempo and Fire are slated to pick sixth and seventh in the upcoming draft in April, with a coin toss determining who will secure the sixth pick.
Negotiations are ongoing between the WNBA and the players’ union for a new collective bargaining agreement, with a deadline extension from October 31 to November 30. If a new CBA is agreed upon, the draft is anticipated to take place in April as usual. While there is no standout top pick like Bueckers from the previous season, the upcoming draft features several draft-eligible 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.