How is the WNBA Draft Order determined?
By Scott Rogust
This past Sunday, the South Carolina Gamecocks were crowned 2024 national champions after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 87-75. With that, South Carolina completed their perfect, undefeated season.
Now, the focus quickly turns to the WNBA Draft, which takes place on Monday, Apr. 15, live from the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, NY. The event is sold out, as fans have purchased tickets to see Caitlin Clark get drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever. Not to mention, other top talents like LSU's Angel Reese, Stanford's Cameron Brink, and South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso will be selected high in the draft as well.
Viewers may be wondering how the Fever landed the first-overall pick? Well here is how the WNBA Draft order is determined.
How is the WNBA Draft order determined?
Let's start with the top of the WNBA Draft order. The first four picks are determined via a draft lottery between the four WNBA teams who missed out on the playoffs in the previous season. Each of the four teams will have a set share of 1,000 chances total.
Here are the chances of each of the four non-playoff teams, per the WNBA:
- Indiana Fever: 442 chances
- Phoenix Mercury: 276 chances
- Los Angeles Sparks: 179 chances
- Chicago Sky: 104 chances
Indiana's 442 chances paid off, as they landed the No. 1 pick and the right to select Clark. Even though the Phoenix Mercury had the second-best odds, they landed the No. 3 overall pick, which now goes to the Chicago Sky via a trade. The Los Angeles Sparks, who had the third-best odds, have the No. 2 overall pick. The Chicago Sky had the fourth-best odds and landed the No. 4 pick. However the Sky's original pick heads to the Sparks due to a trade.
As for the remaining eight picks, they are determined by the inverse order of the regular season standings. That then continues for the second and third rounds of the draft.
2024 WNBA Draft full order
Below is the full order for all three rounds of the 2024 WNBA Draft. Picks acquired via trade are noted in parentheses.
First Round
Draft Pick | Team |
|---|---|
1. | Indiana Fever (13-27) |
2. | Los Angeles Sparks (17-23) |
3. | Chicago Sky (via Phoenix Mercury) (9-31) |
4. | Los Angeles Sparks (via Seattle Storm) (11-29) |
5. | Dallas Wings (via Chicago Sky) (18-22) |
6. | Washington Mystics (19-21) |
7. | Minnesota Lynx (19-21) |
8. | Chicago Sky (via Atlanta Dream) (19-21) |
9. | Dallas Wings (22-18) |
10. | Connecticut Sun (27-13) |
11. | New York Liberty (33-8) |
12. | Atlanta Dream (via Las Vegas Aces) (34-7) |
Second Round
Draft Pick | Team |
|---|---|
13. | Chicago Sky (via Phoenix Mercury) |
14. | Seattle Storm |
15. | Indiana Fever |
16. | Las Vegas Aces (via Los Angeles Sparks) |
17. | New York Liberty (via Chicago Sky) |
18. | Las Vegas Aces (via Washington Mystics) |
19. | Connecticut Sun (via Minnesota Lynx) |
20. | Atlanta Dream |
21. | Washington Mystics (via Dallas Wings) |
22. | Connecticut Sun |
23. | New York Liberty |
24. | Las Vegas Aces |
Third Round
Draft Pick | Team |
|---|---|
25. | Phoenix Mercury |
26. | Seattle Storm |
27. | Indiana Fever |
28. | Los Angeles Sparks |
29. | Phoenix Mercury (via Chicago Sky) |
30. | Washington Mystics |
31. | Minnesota Lynx |
32. | Atlanta Dream |
33. | Dallas Wings |
34. | Connecticut Sun |
35. | New York Liberty |
36. | Las Vegas Aces |
So there you have it, the full WNBA Draft order and how it was determined. Be sure to tune into ESPN on Apr. 15 to see the top players in women's college basketball make the leap into the WNBA.
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