Indiana Fever guard Kristy Wallace (3), Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink (22) and Indiana Fever forward Damiris Dantas (12) react as the ball fall out of bounds Tuesday, May 28, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Indiana Fever, 88-82. The Los Angeles Sparks, one of four teams in the 2025 WNBA draft lottery, have the best odds to win the top pick on Nov. 17.
The league announced details on Thursday for the 24th annual lottery, which will be broadcast on ESPN at 5 p.m. ET. The full league draft is April 14, 2025.
The Sparks, Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics didn’t qualify for the 2024 postseason. Their lottery odds are based on their combined records for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Los Angeles went 25-55 and will have the most assigned combinations (442 out of 1,000). The Sparks are guaranteed no worse than the third overall pick.
The Wings (31-49) and Sky (31-49) each have 227 chances out of 1,000, while the Mystics (33-47) have 104 chances out of 1,000.
Dallas made a February 2023 trade with Chicago that gives it the right to swap first-round picks with the Sky if the Wings end up with a lower first pick after the drawing.
The lottery machine will select four balls out of 14, which are numbered 1-14. The team with that four-ball combination of numbers wins the top pick. The four balls go back in the machine, and the process is repeated to determine the second pick.
The remaining team with the worst two-year record will select third, and the remaining team will go fourth.
The expansion Golden State Valkyries will pick fifth in each of the draft’s three rounds. The Valkyries also have an expansion draft on Dec. 6.
The remaining order for the 2025 WNBA Draft, picks 6-12 (based on 2024 record):
6. Washington (from Atlanta Dream, 15-25)
7. Phoenix Mercury (19-21)
8. Indiana Fever (20-20)
9. Seattle Storm (25-15)
10. Chicago (from Connecticut Sun, 28-12)
11. Minnesota Lynx (30-10)
12. New York Liberty (32-8)
The first-round pick of the Las Vegas Aces (27-13) was rescinded in May 2023 for violating league rules. New York has the right to swap its first-round pick for Phoenix’s selection after a Feb. 11, 2023 trade.
–Field Level Media