Second year in a row Dallas Wings will be selected first overall in the WNBA draft.
“Wings” that took University of California, Connecticut's Paige Bueckers 2025 won the 2026 WNBA Draft lottery on Sunday and will be selected first on April 13. They are the fourth franchise to have the first overall pick in back-to-back seasons, although others have won back-to-back draft lotteries but traded one of the picks.
The lottery odds were based on the combined results of the last two WNBA regular seasons for the five teams that did not make the playoffs in 2025. Minnesota Links And Seattle Storm in the lottery.
With a combined score of 19-65, the Wings had the best chance of getting the top pick (42%) and were guaranteed at least a top-three finish.
“[We want] someone who wants to win,” said the Dallas striker. Maddie Siegristlottery team representative. “We have a great young group and we have become really close. I’m really excited to invite someone else.”
Bueckers won the WNBA Rookie of the Year and was also named to the All-WNBA Second Team. But the Wings again failed to make the postseason and finished the 2025 season with the worst record in the league (10-34).
Over the past five years only Indiana fever received more lottery winnings than the Wings. Bueckers and Siegrist (No. 3 in 2023) were the only lottery picks for Dallas last season.
This year's draft lottery featured five teams for the first time since 2010. The Bobcats, who had the second-best odds going into Sunday, will pick second. The Storm will choose third place, followed by Washington Mystics at number 4 and Chicago Sky in No. 5.
“We're very excited,” Storm general manager Talisa Rhee told ESPN's Kevin Pelton. “I think the top three, especially in this draft, will be great players for us. I'm definitely glad I went there. I think there are definitely some really great players that will be able to make an impact on teams right away, which isn't always the case. I do think there is good depth and good top-tier talent in this draft.
UConn Azzi's Benefit projected to become No. 1 in ESPN's latest draft mockup released on Sunday night, with Spain's Awa Fam coming in second place. TCU's Olivia Miles, UCLA's Lauren Betts And LSU's Flow'J Johnson complete the rest of your projected lottery winnings.
While the majority of the league's roster is currently made up of free agents, the Wings have five players under contract, including Bueckers, Siegrist, Diamond Miller, Asiaha James And JJ Quinerly.
Arike Ogunbowale, Li Yueru, Misha Hines-Allen And Tyasha Harris are free agents.
The Wings enter the 2026 season with new coach Jose Fernandez after firing Chris Coclanes after just one year.
“There are so many interesting things going on in Dallas,” Siegrist said. “We have a new coach… training facility… a couple of the best players we've had in the last few years. We are very pleased to invite another promising player.”
The 2026 season will also feature two expansion franchises − Portland Fire And Weather in Toronto. They will choose the sixth and seventh, although in what order is still unknown. A date has not yet been set for the expansion project, the rules of which must be agreed upon collectively. Negotiations with the CBA continue after the players union and league agreed to a one-month extension. The current CBA expires on November 30th.
Rest of first round order: No. 8. Golden StateNo. 9 Washington, No. 10 Indiana, No. 11 Washington, No. 12 ConnecticutNo. 13 AtlantaNo. 14 Seattle, No. 15 Connecticut.
