Dallas Wings Get First WNBA Draft Pick for Second Straight Year
The Dallas Wings secure the first pick in the WNBA draft for the second consecutive year. After obtaining the first pick in 2025, the team has won the 2026 draft lottery, which will allow them to select first on April 13th. This is the fourth time a franchise has achieved the first selection in two consecutive seasons, although in some cases, the selections have been traded. The lottery odds were based on the cumulative records of the last two regular seasons of the WNBA for the five teams that did not make the playoffs in 2025. The Minnesota Lynx and the Seattle Storm also participated in the lottery through trades. With a cumulative record of 19-65, the Wings had the best odds of obtaining the first pick (42%) and were guaranteed at least a top-three pick.Paige Bueckers, selected by the Wings in 2025, was named Rookie of the Year and was also included in the second All-WNBA team. However, the Wings failed to reach the postseason and finished the 2025 season with the worst record in the league (10-34). In the last five years, only the Indiana Fever have had more lottery picks than the Wings. Bueckers and Siegrist (number 3 in 2023) were the only lottery picks who played for Dallas last season. This year’s draft lottery was the first to feature five teams since 2010. The Lynx, with the second-best odds, will select second. The Storm will pick third, followed by the Washington Mystics at number 4 and the Chicago Sky at number 5.We want someone who wants to win. We have an exciting young group, and we really bond. I’m excited to bring someone else in.
Maddy Siegrist, team representative at the lottery.
In the latest mock draft, UConn’s Azzi Fudd is projected to be number 1, followed by Spain’s Awa Fam at number 2. TCU’s Olivia Miles, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson complete the rest of the projected lottery picks. While most of the league’s templates are currently made up of free agents, the Wings have five players under contract, including Bueckers, Siegrist, Diamond Miller, Aziaha James, and JJ Quinerly. Arike Ogunbowale, Li Yueru, Myisha Hines-Allen, and Tyasha Harris are free agents. The Wings will start the 2026 season with a new coach, Jose Fernandez, after dismissing Chris Koclanes after only one year.We are very excited. I think being in the top three, especially in this draft, will give us a great player. I’m happy to be there. I think there are a handful of great players who will be able to impact teams immediately, which isn’t always the case. I think there is good depth and high-level talent in this draft. At number 3, I think we’ll really get someone who will help us immediately.
Talisa Rhea, Storm general manager.
The 2026 season will also feature two expansion franchises: the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo. They will select in sixth and seventh place, although the order has not yet been determined. A date for the expansion draft has not yet been set, and its rules must be collectively bargained. CBA negotiations are ongoing after the players’ union and the league agreed to a one-month extension. The current CBA will expire on November 30. The rest of the order of the first round is: number 8 Golden State, number 9 Washington, number 10 Indiana, number 11 Washington, number 12 Connecticut, number 13 Atlanta, number 14 Seattle, number 15 Connecticut.There are a lot of exciting things happening in Dallas. We have a new coach… the training facilities… a couple of high picks in recent years. We are very excited to bring in another great prospect.
Maddy Siegrist
