Four of the WNBA's most snakebitten franchises looked to the 2025 Draft Lottery to prove a godsend. That proved to be true for the Dallas Wings, who moved up in the lottery to win the first overall pick in 2025.
The W's future looks bright as ever, with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Angel Reese spearheading a youth movement that has already left its mark in women's basketball's top flight.
Reinforcements are on the way, too: UConn guard Paige Bueckers, USC forward Kiki Iriafen and UCLA forward Janiah Barker are just a handful of draft-eligible prospects expected to make an impact at the next level as soon as next year.
Bueckers is the pick of the bunch, a playmaking maven as adept at creating baskets as she is at preventing them. The Next Hoops' Emily Adler called the Huskies standout "a complete savant in proprioception, incredible court-mapping and playmaking" in her latest mock draft. She also noted that Bueckers is one of college basketball's more impressive off-ball defenders, using her quickness, length, screen navigation skills and intelligence to wreak havoc on opposition attacks.
If Clark and the Fever proved anything during her historic maiden season in the W, it's that good point guard play can prove a strong indicator of success. Bueckers figures to slot into the role of lead guard seamlessly when she makes the leap to the WNBA. Which franchise will she be at when she does so? That's anyone's guess.
With that, here's what you need to know about the machinations behind the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery.
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WNBA Draft order 2025
Below is the complete order of the first round of the 2025 WNBA Draft, which takes place in April.
- Dallas Wings
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Chicago Sky
- Washington Mystics
- Golden State Valkyries
- Washington Mystics (via Atlanta Dream)
- New York Liberty (via Phoenix Mercury)
- Indiana Fever
- Seattle Storm
Las Vegas Aces (Forfeited) - Chicago Sky (via Connecticut Sun)
- Minnesota Lynx
- Phoenix Mercury (via New York Liberty)
WNBA Draft lottery, explained
The WNBA employs one of sport's more unique formats to decide its draft lottery order.
Typically, draft lotteries take the previous season's record into account when calculating odds. The WNBA uses a spin on that concept, combining teams' records over the prior two seasons to craft a cumulative record. The team with the worst cumulative record receives the best odds for the upcoming WNBA Draft.
WATCH: Stream the WNBA Draft on Sling TV
The W is still lacking in numbers, consisting of just 13 franchises. As such, the lottery contains just four teams, the four sides that did not make the playoffs in the most recent season: the Sparks, Wings, Sky and Mystics.
The Sparks posted a 25-55 record over the past two seasons. As such, they had the best odds to land the No. 1 pick.
Here's how the odds shook out ahead of Sunday's draw.
| Team | Odds for No. 1 pick | Combined 2023-24 record |
| Los Angeles Sparks | 44.2% | 25-55 |
| Dallas Wings | 22.7% | 31-49 |
| Chicago Sky | 22.7% | 31-49 |
| Washington Mystics | 10.4% | 33-47 |
The top four picks are decided based on a four-digit combination. Balls numbers 1-14 are selected at random to form a four-digit code. Whichever team has that combination earns the top pick and so on until the top four is finished.
Dallas made a jump in the lottery to win the No. 1 pick. It's a major opportunity for a franchise entering a transitional phase with a new head coach and a major free agency period where they will look to re-sign star forward Satou Sabally.
The Sparks were the likeliest candidate for the first overall selection. Despite their lowly record over the past two seasons, they're teeming with potential, having nabbed Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson in last year's draft. Los Angeles is in desperate need of a floor general to lead the franchise into the future.
The Sky, who landed the third pick, were destined to select after the Wings, who received a 2025 first-round pick swap in the deal that brought Marina Mabrey to the Windy City.
The Mystics round out the WNBA's Gang of Four and select according to their odds. Washington has undergone its fair share of upheaval in the weeks since the season came to an end, making major changes on the coaching bench and in the front office. Aliyah Edwards and Shakira Austin could make for a devastating combination in the post. But they haven't played together all that month; Austin is still on the mend after re-injuring her surgically-repaired hip.
