How does the WNBA draft lottery work? Teams and odds for 2025 – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

One of the first big events of the WNBA offseason is nearing.

A year after the Indiana Fever won the Caitlin Clark sweepstakes, a handful of teams will cross their fingers and hope for some lottery luck for the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Before we find out who gets the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, here’s a breakdown of how the WNBA draft lottery works.

When is the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery?

The 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery will be held at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 17, and air on ESPN.

How many teams are in the WNBA draft lottery?

The WNBA draft lottery features four teams.

The 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery will have the Los Angeles Sparks, Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, and Washington Mystics.

Does the WNBA team with the worst record get the No. 1 pick?

Instead of the worst team each season getting the top pick in the ensuing draft, the WNBA draft lottery uses teams’ record across two seasons to dole out lottery odds.

The Sparks (8-32) finished last in the WNBA standings in 2024 and are the only team to miss the playoffs in both 2023 and 2024. The Wings (9-31), Sky (13-27), and Mystics (14-26) all had down seasons in 2024 after reaching the 2023 playoffs.

Here’s a look at the odds for the Sparks, Wings, Sky, and Mystics based on their combined record for 2023 and 2024.

How does the WNBA draft lottery work?

Fourteen balls numbered 1-14 will be placed into a lottery machine and mixed. Four balls will then be drawn to determine a four-digit combination, and the team assigned that four-digit combination will receive the No. 1 pick.

The process will repeat for the No. 2 pick. After that, Nos. 3 and 4 are based on the cumulative 2023 and 2024 record for the two remaining lottery teams with the lower team getting the third selection.

Where will the Golden State Valkyries draft in 2025?

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA’s newest expansion team, will select fifth overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft ahead of their first season.

Before that, the Valkyries will begin filling out their roster with an expansion draft on Dec. 6. The other 12 WNBA teams can protect up to six players that will be ineligible for the expansion draft.

How does the rest of the WNBA draft work?

After the fifth pick, the rest of the first round will go based on the inverse order of the teams’ regular season records from the 2024 season.

When is the 2025 WNBA Draft?

The 2025 WNBA Draft is currently scheduled to take place on Monday, April 14, 2025.

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