WNBA teams will soon know how they will slot for next year’s draft.
Lottery odds are based on the cumulative records over the past two seasons by the five teams that did not make the playoffs this past season. Each team will be given a set number of random number combinations to determine the lottery winner using this formula.
The Wings, with a combined record of 19-65, hold the best odds to win the lottery and will have 420 out of a possible 1,000 winning number combinations. They won the lottery one year ago and selected rookie of the year Paige Bueckers with the top pick.
The Lynx are coming off a season in which they posted a league-best 34-10 record, but hold the second-best odds with 261 out of 1,000 winning number combinations after a trade with the Chicago Sky. The Storm have the third-most chances to win (167) after acquiring the Los Angeles Sparks’ pick in a prior trade. The Mystics (97) and the Sky (55, via a trade with the Sun) round out the teams eligible to win the lottery.
The league’s two expansion franchises — the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — are not included in the draft lottery.
The WNBA Draft will take place on April 13 after the conclusion of the NCAA season. Centre Lauren Betts of UCLA, point guard Olivia Miles of TCU and shooting guard Azzi Fudd of UConn are some of the players vying to be the first player selected, according to ESPN.