The results are in: the Dallas Wings will own the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. That means they’ll likely draw Paige Bueckers, the University of Connecticut star who was named National Player of the Year as a freshman, and has since solidified herself as an outstanding two-way point guard. This season, Bueckers is averaging 21.3 points per game on 65% shooting, alongside 4 assists and 3.5 rebounds.
Paige Bueckers’ fate may have just been decided at WNBA Draft Lottery
The Los Angeles Sparks drew the No. 2 pick, the Chicago Sky No. 3, and the Washington Mystics No. 4.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
Paige Bueckers is the current frontrunner for the No. 1 pick, but she’s not the only option. Kiki Iriafen, the high-scoring forward for the University of Southern California, could also be in the mix for the top spot.
The rest of the WNBA Draft Lottery results are as follows:
No. 2: Los Angeles Sparks
No. 3: Chicago Sky
No. 4: Washington Mystics
No. 5: Golden State Valkyries
No. 6: Washington Mystics (via Dream)
No. 7: New York Liberty (via Mercury)
No. 8: Indiana Fever
No. 9: Seattle Storm
No. 10: Chicago Sky (via Sun)
No. 11: Minnesota Lynx
No. 12: Phoenix Mercury (via Liberty)
The WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 14, after the conclusion of the 2024-25 NCAA basketball season.
Going into the lottery, the Sparks had the highest odds (44.2%) at No. 1 because they had the worst cumulative record over the past two seasons at 22-55. The Wings and Sky each had a 22.7% chance at the No. 1 pick, but because the Wings had a pick swap with the Sky, they actually had a 45.4% chance at the top spot. The Mystics had a slim chance at the top spot, finishing with a 10.4% chance. Ultimately, the results perfectly reflected lottery odds.
Each of the lottery teams were represented by young stars on their rosters; Rickea Jackson was there on behalf of the Sparks, Aaliyah Edwards represented the Mystics, Maddie Siegrist the Wings and Angel Reese the Sky.
The Indiana Fever had the previous two No. 1 picks; they drafted Aliyah Boston in 2023 and Caitlin Clark in 2024. The duo helped lead the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
WNBA Draft Lottery Projection
ESPN’s mock 2025 draft currently predicts the following players will be drafted in the Top 10:
- Paige Bueckers, University of Connecticut
- Kiki Iriafen, Dallas Wings
- Azzi Fudd, University of Connecticut
- Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
- Lauren Betts, UCLA
- Dominique Malonga, Washington Mystics
- Aneesah Morrow, LSU
- Janiah Barker, UCLA
- Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
- Rori Harmon, Texas
Fudd could chose to return to UConn next season, so depending on that decision, she might not be entering this year’s draft. Tankathon’s mock draft projects Sonia Citron (Notre Dame), Shyanne Sellers (Maryland), Ajsa Sivka (Schio), Rori Harmon (Texas), and Georgia Amoore (Kentucky) all going in the first round.
But, this season will prove telling about a number of things. Some players, like Fudd, have an additional year of availability due to COVID or injuries, and may or may not choose to enter this year’s draft. Other players, like Flau’jae Johnson of LSU, are not currently slated to enter the draft, but could choose to do so early if they continue dominating this season.
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