When is the WNBA Draft? These Iowa, Iowa State players may be chosen

The Indiana Fever turned the trajectory of their franchise around last year when they drafted Caitlin Clark first overall, and 12 other teams are looking to find their next star-caliber player in this year’s WNBA Draft.

The Dallas Wings hold the No. 1 pick after a 9-31 season and an offseason where they have fired their head coach and revamped most of their roster. The Wings are widely expected to select guard Paige Bueckers, who capped off a stellar collegiate career at UConn by guiding the Huskies to their 12th national championship.

While a player from an Iowa university isn’t projected to be drafted in the first round, there is a chance they might get picked up later in the draft or sign with a team after the fact.

Here is how to watch the 2025 WNBA draft, including time, date, location and draft order:

What date is the WNBA draft?

The 2025 WNBA draft will be held on Monday, April 14, at the Shed in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards neighborhood of New York City.

The draft will begin at 6:30 p.m. CT, continuing through three rounds and 38 total picks

Will Iowa’s Lucy Olsen get picked in the WNBA Draft?

Iowa guard Lucy Olsen is currently projected to be the next player from an Iowa university drafted into the WNBA.

Olsen is currently No. 18 on ESPN’s best available board, and most other sites have her as an early to mid-second-round pick.

Bleacher Report has the First-team All-Big Ten player as the 20th-best prospect in the draft, which brings to mind an interesting hypothetical, as the Indiana Fever currently holds the rights to the 20th pick. Could we see a backcourt duo featuring Clark and Olsen for the Fever this season?

Will Iowa’s Sydney Affolter get picked in the WNBA Draft?

Fellow Hawkeye Sydney Affolter is No. 49 on ESPN’s best available board. The Chicago native took on a larger role as a leader for this year’s Iowa women’s team after the departure of Clark and fellow guards Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall. Affolter averaged nearly a double-double in her first season as the full-time starter for the Hawkeyes.

Will any Iowa State or Drake players get picked in the WNBA Draft?

Seven spots down from Affolter on ESPN’s list is Iowa State women’s basketball star Emily Ryan. The program’s all-time leader for assists and free-throw percentage finished her final season as a Cyclone averaging 9.7 points and 6.2 assists per game.

Two-time Missouri Valley Conference player of the year Katie Dinnebier caught the attention of some WNBA scouts, but the former Waukee High School standout decided to opt out of the WNBA Draft and stay at Drake to continue pharmacy school

How to watch the 2025 WNBA Draft?

Date: Monday, April 14Time: 6:30 p.m. CTTV channel: ESPNStreaming: ESPN+, Fubo (free trial for new subscribers)

WNBA draft 2025: Full order of picks by round

First round

1. Dallas Wings2. Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles Sparks)3. Washington Mystics (from Chicago Sky)4. Washington Mystics5. Golden State Valkyries6. Washington Mystics (from Atlanta Dream)7. Connecticut Sun (from New York Liberty)8. Connecticut Sun (from Indiana Fever)9. Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle Storm)10. Chicago Sky (from Connecticut Sun)11. Minnesota Lynx12. Dallas Wings (from New York Liberty)

Second round

13. Las Vegas Aces (from Los Angeles Sparks)14. Dallas Wings15. Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago Sky)16. Chicago Sky (from Washington Mystics)17. Golden State Valkyries18. Atlanta Dream19. Indiana Fever (from Phoenix Mercury)20. Indiana Fever21. Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle Storm)22. Chicago Sky (from Las Vegas Aces)23. Washington Mystics (from Connecticut Sun)24. Minnesota Lynx25. Connecticut Sun (from New York Liberty)

Third round

26. Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles Sparks)27. Dallas Wings28. Los Angeles Sparks (from Chicago Sky)29. Seattle Storm (from Washington Mystics)30. Golden State Valkyries31. Dallas Wings (from Atlanta Dream)32. Washington Mystics (from Phoenix Mercury)33. Indiana Fever34. Seattle Storm35. Las Vegas Aces36. Atlanta Dream (from Connecticut Sun)37. Minnesota Lynx38. New York Liberty

USA TODAY reporter Jason Anderson contributed to this report.

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.