The road to the 2027 WNBA season officially kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 15, when the draft lottery takes place. If you're unfamiliar, the WNBA Draft Lottery determines the order of the first seven picks in the upcoming draft. The WNBA uses teams' combined win percentage over the last two years to determine who has the best odds at the No. 1 pick.
This season, we've even had a couple of earlier trades that could pay off big time. The Washington Mystics have a great shot at grabbing a top-four pick despite having a good season, due to a trade deal with the Chicago Sky.
WNBA Draft lottery odds
TEAM | TWO-YEAR WINNING PERCENTAGE | TWO-YEAR RECORD | NO. 1 OVERALL ODDS |
|---|---|---|---|
Houston Comets (Connecticut Sun) | .250 | 22-66 | 32.9% |
Toronto Tempo | .250 | 11-33 | 32.9% |
Washington Mystics (Trade from Chicago) | .295 | 26-62 | 16.1% |
Seattle Storm | .352 | 31-57 | 9.3% |
Portland Fire | .386 | 17-27 | 5.2% |
Los Angeles Sparks | .420 | 37-51 | 2.4% |
Los Angeles Sparks (Trade from Phoenix) | .489 | 43-45 | 1.2% |
Toronto and Houston same chances
The last time two teams had the same odds at the first overall pick was in 2015. In the last ten years, there have only been three times when the team with the highest odds did not claim the No. 1 pick. Let's be honest, a lot of people don't tune in to the lottery because it seems done before the word 'go.'
This year could be worth tuning in to, though. The list of who will go No. 1 is pretty short — the consensus is that it will most likely be USC's JuJu Watkins hearing her name called. She would be huge for either one of these teams — but in different ways, which makes this draft lottery that much more enticing. For the Comets, she'd join a young squad that doesn't necessarily have a guard, besides maybe Leila Lacan, who is reliable. Watkins would quickly be relied on. For Toronto, she would be falling under the wings of Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes — two dominant veteran guards. Her role could start small, but she'd be dynamic as the season went on.
Chicago Sky lose out
Back in April of 2026, the Chicago Sky traded their 2027 first-round draft pick to the Washington Mystics for Jacy Sheldon. After another tough year for the Sky, their lottery odds are within the top three — meaning they could've added some elite talent like Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo to next year's roster. Now, their first selection won't be until pick 11.
Instead, the Washington Mystics have the opportunity to add real star power to a young squad that had a successful 2026 season. Washington has made it clear that it's going all-in on its young, developing squad. From Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen to Cotie McMahon and Lauren Betts, all of these players were stars at their respective colleges and have seemingly found their place with the Mystics. We will likely see a player of the same type join their arsenal next season.
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