The 2026 WNBA Draft will once again begin with the Dallas Wings.
The Wings won the top pick in Sunday’s draft, and with it the chance to select another potential franchise cornerstone ahead of next season. Dallas also won the lottery last year and was selected for the 2025 Rookie of the Year award. Paige Bueckers with the best selection.
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“A moment of tremendous momentum for our franchise – exciting times with the arrival of our young core, new facilities and a new coach,” said Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Curt Miller.
Complete 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery Results
1. Dallas Wings
2. Minnesota Lynx
3. Seattle Storm
4. The mystics of Washington
5. Chicago Sky
The Wings had the most assigned combinations Sunday after having the worst two-year cumulative record among the five teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season. Not only will a new high-profile selection join the franchise, but also a new coach, as the Wings hired the longtime coach from the University of South Florida. Jose Fernandez end of October. Fernandez replaced Chris Koclanes, who coached the Wings to a 10-34 season last summer and was fired after one year.
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Unlike previous years, where Bueckers, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston were considered the consensus top picks in their respective drafts, this year’s top pick is less clear-cut. LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, TCU’s Olivia Miles, UConn’s Azzi Fudd and UCLA’s Lauren Betts are among the possible current college options considered top potential picks. Awa Fam, a 19-year-old Spanish striker, could also be the first selection in April as she is brimming with potential.
“I think what’s great about this draft is there are a lot of options that come out of other moments of great team momentum,” Miller said.
The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo’s expansion draft and a historic free agency period in which nearly all veteran players are unsigned will play a role in deciding Dallas’ selections, Miller said.
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Dallas sent forward Maddy Siegrist, the third selection in the 2023 draft, to the Los Angeles lottery for the second year in a row, hoping she would bring good luck to the franchise again. Miller also had some similarities in how his lottery draft weekend progressed.
A year ago, flight problems prevented Miller from being in Dallas when the results were revealed. This year, Miller was planning to fly to Connecticut for Friday night’s top-10 game between UConn and Michigan before weather issues in Dallas caused his flight to be canceled — but not before losing his checked bags for 48 hours. And watching the unveiling, Miller said he was more nervous this year than last year.
“Certainly this needs to be seen as an essential element moving forward, a central element to continue to build,” he said.
The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled for April 13, but the date could be moved depending on how league collective bargaining agreement negotiations progress.
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The Wings are now the third franchise since 2015 to win back-to-back lotteries.
The Storm won the 2015 and 2016 draft lotteries, selecting Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart. The Las Vegas Aces won the draft in 2017, 2018 and 2019, landing Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young. Most recently, the Indiana Fever won the WNBA draft lottery in 2023 and 2024, beating Boston and Clark.
“You see in recent draft classes what back-to-back No. 1s can do,” Miller said. “The WNBA teams in recent years have really been built through the draft.”
How were the odds and picks determined?
The odds are determined by the two-year cumulative records of the four teams that did not make the playoffs in 2025. With a cumulative record of 19-65, the Wings had the most assigned combinations (420 out of 1,000) and were assured of at least a top three finish. The Lynx held the second-most combinations (261 of 1,000) after acquiring their top pick in trades with the Chicago Sky, who were 23-61 over the past two seasons. The Lynx acquired the trade rights for Chicago’s 2026 pick ahead of the 2024 draft, allowing the Sky to move up to No. 7 to select Angel Reese.
The Storm had the third-most combinations (167 out of 1,000) after acquiring the Los Angeles Sparks’ 2026 first-round pick in a 2024 trade that sent Kia Nurse to Los Angeles. reacquiring a first-round pick from the Connecticut Sun.
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Full 2026 WNBA Draft Order
1. Wings
2. Lynx
3. Storm
4. Mystics
5. Sky
6. Either Portland Fire or Toronto Tempo
7. Either Portland Fire or Toronto Tempo
8. Golden State Valkyries
9. Mystics
10. Indiana Fever
11. Mystics
12. Sun
13. Dream of Atlanta
14. Storm
15. Sun
This article was originally published in Athletics.
Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries, Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo, WNBA
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