Exciting WNBA Draft Lottery Scheduled for Dec. 10

The Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and Seattle Storm did not qualify for the 2023 WNBA playoffs and therefore earned a place in the upcoming lottery.

Teams’ lottery odds are based on their cumulative records from the past two WNBA regular seasons (2022 and 2023). With a cumulative record of 18-58, the Fever have the most chances to secure the top pick with 442 out of 1,000 and are guaranteed at least the third pick. The 2023 draft’s No. 1 selection was made by the Fever, who picked South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, the Rookie of the Year.

Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Seattle also have their respective chances to win the top pick based on their records from the last two seasons. Phoenix has 276 chances, Los Angeles has 178, and Seattle has 104.

During the lottery drawing, balls numbered 1-14 are placed in a lottery machine and mixed. Four balls are drawn to determine a four-digit combination. The team assigned that four-ball combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The four balls will then be placed back into the machine, and the process will be repeated to determine the second pick.

If the team with the lowest cumulative two-year record (Indiana) does not have its numerical combinations selected in the first two four-ball combinations, they will select third, and the remaining team will select fourth.

The selection order for the remainder of the first round, as well as the second and third rounds, will be determined by the inverse order of the teams’ regular-season records from 2023 only.

The rest of the first round selections, in order, are: 5. Dallas Wings; 6. Washington Mystics; 7. Minnesota Lynx; 8. Atlanta Dream; 9. Dallas; 10. Connecticut Sun; 11. New York Liberty; 12. Los Angeles Sparks.

Caitlin Clark, the guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes, is expected to be the No. 1 pick in ESPN’s recent mock draft. However, Clark, along with several other potential draftees, is eligible to return for a fifth college season in 2024-2025 due to the COVID-19 waiver. Players can wait to declare for the draft until they have completed this college season.

On Dec. 10, the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase tripleheader in Uncasville, Connecticut, will feature the UCLA Bruins vs. the Florida State Seminoles at noon, followed by the Utah Utes vs. South Carolina at 2:30, and the North Carolina Tar Heels vs. the UConn Huskies at 5 p.m. All times are Eastern. The draft lottery will be shown between the second and third games.