The WNBA introduced Friday that the 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery will air Sunday, Nov. 23, at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The 30-minute WNBA Draft Lottery Particular will characteristic Bethany Donaphin, the league’s head of operations, revealing the outcomes throughout ESPN’s protection. It marks the 14th consecutive yr that ESPN networks will current the occasion.
The twenty fifth annual WNBA Draft Lottery will decide the order for the highest picks within the 2026 WNBA Draft, which is scheduled for Monday, April 13, 2026. The lottery consists of 5 groups — the Dallas Wings, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, and Chicago Sky — whose odds are based mostly on their mixed information from the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
2026 WNBA Draft Lottery Odds
Dallas Wings — 19-65 mixed document | 420 probabilities out of 1,000
Minnesota Lynx (through Chicago Sky) — 23-61 mixed document | 261 probabilities
Seattle Storm (through Los Angeles Sparks) — 29-55 mixed document | 167 probabilities
Washington Mystics — 30-54 mixed document | 97 probabilities
Chicago Sky (through Connecticut Solar) — 39-45 mixed document | 55 probabilities
With a 19-65 cumulative document, the Wings maintain the very best odds of touchdown the No. 1 general decide and are assured at the very least the third choice, holding 420 of 1,000 attainable combos.
How Minnesota and Seattle Acquired Their Lottery Picks
The Minnesota Lynx, who holds the Chicago Sky’s first-round decide, have 261 probabilities to win the highest choice after a multi-stage commerce course of finalized throughout the 2024 and 2025 WNBA Drafts.
In 2024, the groups accomplished a draft-day commerce that allowed the Sky to maneuver up and choose Angel Reese at No. 7 general, whereas the Lynx drafted Alissa Pili at No. 8 and acquired future belongings, together with the precise to swap 2026 first-round picks. That proper was later extinguished when Minnesota obtained full possession of Chicago’s 2026 first-round decide in an April 2025 commerce, sending the No. 11 general decide within the 2025 Draft to the Sky.
The Seattle Storm maintain the Los Angeles Sparks’ 2026 first-round decide following a January 2024 commerce during which Seattle despatched Kia Nurse and the No. 4 general decide within the 2024 WNBA Draft to Los Angeles. The commerce supplied Seattle with long-term belongings and wage cap flexibility totally free company pursuits. The Storm later added to their roster by way of a three-team commerce in January 2025 with the Sparks and Las Vegas Aces, buying the No. 2 general decide within the 2025 Draft and middle Li Yueru.
The Chicago Sky acquired the Connecticut Solar’s 2026 first-round decide as a part of a July 17, 2024 commerce. In that deal, Chicago despatched Marina Mabrey and their 2025 second-round decide to Connecticut in trade for Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, the Solar’s 2025 first-round decide, and a 2026 first-round swap choice. The settlement provides Chicago the precise to trade its 2026 first-round decide with Connecticut’s if the latter’s choice finally ends up increased within the draft order.
INBOX: Information from the WNBA
The 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery will happen on Sunday, Nov. 23, on ESPN.
Under are the variety of probabilities for groups to land the highest decide within the WNBA Draft Lottery 2026.
Extra data will observe on https://t.co/EZRxCMoUKI pic.twitter.com/lU7WUnNhDF
— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) November 7, 2025
Lottery Course of and 2026 Draft Outlook
Fourteen balls numbered 1–14 will probably be positioned in a lottery machine and blended. 4 balls will probably be drawn to find out a four-digit mixture, with the group assigned that mixture receiving the No. 1 decide. The method will then be repeated to find out the No. 2 decide.
Of the three remaining groups, the one with the worst cumulative document will decide third, adopted by the fourth and fifth alternatives based mostly on document. An Ernst & Younger consultant will oversee the method to make sure equity.
The Washington Mystics have 97 probabilities, whereas the Sky, who now maintain the Connecticut Solar’s first-round decide following a collection of trades, spherical out the lottery with 55 probabilities.
The 2026 WNBA Draft might form the subsequent period for a number of rebuilding franchises — together with the Dallas Wings, led by 2025 Rookie of the 12 months Paige Bueckers.
