For those who recall the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery, it was effectively the Paige Bueckers lottery. Whichever of the four teams won said lottery (Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics) would almost certainly draft the UConn great with the first overall selection.
The Wings won the lottery – and with it, we all knew Bueckers was Texas bound. The Minnesota native put together an impressive rookie season as a WNBA player which included an All-Star appearance and Rookie of the Year honors.
Dallas – in a lottery field that once again included Chicago and Washington as well as the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm – had the highest odds of winning this year’s Draft Lottery. The Wings, who had Maddy Siegrist as its draft representative, won it again.
This is very reminiscent of when the Indiana Fever recently also won back-to-back draft lotteries. The Fever hit paydirt on both of its recent first overall selections – Aliyah Boston in 2023 and Caitlin Clark in 2024. Both were Rookie of the Year recipients their respective seasons.
In the last three drafts, we knew who the first overall selection would be well before the draft took place. Even the teams themselves knew given their social media posts.
Remember when the Fever put out a tweet “22” days prior to the 2024 lottery? And when the Wings released their “turn the page” tweet “5” days prior to the 2025 lottery?
For the 2026 draft, it appears mock draft prognosticators have their work cut out for them. Recently, many a mock draft had UCLA’s Lauren Betts going first overall to Dallas.
Such a drafting would make sense. Look at what the Fever did with its draft selections. Indiana drafted a franchise big in Boston and a franchise two guard in Clark. Dallas has its franchise two guard in Bueckers. This is the perfect opportunity for the Wings to solidify who will be the nucleus of its frontcourt (ideally) for the next 15 years.
As of late, one name that has risen up the ranks is Awa Fam out of Spain. Mock drafts released recently from The Athletic, CBS Sports and Bleacher Report now have the 19-year-old phenom from Spain as their projected first overall selection.
Then – there is the Azzi Fudd factor. Of course, Fudd is the girlfriend of Bueckers and she also proudly sports UConn colors. The Wings drafting Fudd may have a lot to do with if Dallas or does not re-sign Arike Ogunbowale – even if it is only to a one-year deal.
The Lynx won the second overall selection. On one hand, a school of conventional wisdom may indicate that Minnesota could use that second selection as trade bait. After all, the Lynx are a contending team that nearly won a championship two years ago and was a semifinalist last season.
That is the state of the Lynx as they are currently constructed. The question that awaits Minnesota is if it could bring back its cast of characters that have powered its recent success given much of its current team are free agents. Minnesota is definitely strategizing on who it will draft based on the Dallas pick – whether it is Fudd, Fam, Betts or Olivia Miles.
One thing that can be counted on with the Seattle Storm – a team with a new coach in Sonia Raman – is that the team will almost certainly select a guard. The Storm appear to be set in its frontcourt between Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor.
Seattle needs a guard that can solidify its backcourt (ideally) for the next 15 years – someone that can carry the torch from a Sue Bird and Jewell Loyd. That is where one thinks either Fudd or Miles – depending on which one is available with the third pick because one can count on at least one being available.
The Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky are also in similar situations as the Storm with young forwards and bigs. Both teams are virtually guaranteed to select guards. Washington is set in its frontcourt between Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen who earned an All-Star selection this past season as a rookie. Georgia Amoore will also be healthy in 2026 for the Mystics to bolster its backcourt.
Whichever guard between Fudd and Miles is available with the fourth pick for Washington will likely be selected by the Mystics. Then there is the Sky which barring a trade of Angel Reese will look to run it back in 2026 with Reese and Kamilla Cardoso as the centerpieces of Chicago’s young frontcourt.
Flau’jae Johnson could be right there for the Sky with the final lottery selection. Johnson not only would reunite her with fellow LSU Tiger Reese but Johnson has a personality and an aura that fits Chicago – the city – like a glove.
Following the final lottery selection we will see the two lottery franchises – the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire – make their picks. A coin flip will take place to determine which team will select sixth.
