Indiana Fever Leads with Top Odds for Dec. 10 WNBA Draft Lottery

Get Ready for the WNBA Draft Lottery

The much-anticipated WNBA Draft lottery is confirmed and is set to take place on Dec. 10, during the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase. This announcement was made by the WNBA league on Tuesday.

Which Teams Qualified for the WNBA Draft Lottery?

The Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and Seattle Storm have all qualified for the WNBA Draft lottery, having missed the playoffs last season. The lottery odds are calculated based on the combined records of these four teams over the previous two seasons. The Indiana Fever, having posted an 18-58 record, are in an advantageous position with about a 44% likelihood of securing the No. 1 pick. They’re guaranteed at least the No. 3 overall pick.

Other Teams and Their Lottery Odds

The Phoenix Mercury, with a 24-52 record, follows closely with the second-best odds of about 28% to win the No. 1 pick. The other two teams, Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm, have a relatively lower chance of about 18% and 10% respectively to secure the top pick.

Draft Order for the WNBA Teams

The draft order for the rest of the WNBA teams is already organized, done in reverse order of the regular season records from the last season. The first-round draft order is as follows:

5. Dallas Wings
6. Washington Mystics
7. Minnesota Lynx
8. Atlanta Dream
9. Dallas Wings
10. Connecticut Sun
11. New York Liberty
12. Los Angeles Sparks

Note, the Dallas Wings earned the No. 5 pick through a prior trade with the Chicago Sky, while the Los Angeles Sparks secured the No. 12 pick from a deal with the Las Vegas Aces, the champions for two consecutive years.

Projected Top Pick for the WNBA Draft

Aaliyah Edwards, Cameron Brink, Caitlin Clark, Hailey Van Lith, and Paige Bueckers are listed among the top five picks in the latest ESPN’s mock draft. However, it’s worth noting that Caitlin Clark could return to the Hawkeyes for a fifth season next year.

Details of the WNBA Draft Lottery Event

The lottery will take place at 4:30 p.m. ET on the day of the event, sandwiched between the No. 5 Utah vs. No. 6 South Carolina game and the No. 16 North Carolina vs. No. 2 UConn game — both to be played at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. The third game of the event is No. 18 Florida State vs. No. 4 UCLA.

When is the Actual WNBA Draft?

The 2024 WNBA draft lottery will take place Dec. 10 on ESPN, the league announced Tuesday.