PHOENIX – The WNBA Draft Lottery 2024 presented by State Farm® will take place on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2:30 p.m. MST, the WNBA announced today.
ESPN will air the 30-minute WNBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm special between the final two games of the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase tripleheader featuring Utah vs. South Carolina and North Carolina vs. UConn. WNBA Head of League Operations Bethany Donaphin will reveal the results of the Lottery during ESPN’s coverage. This marks the 12th consecutive year that ESPN networks will broadcast the WNBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm®.
The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury, who have the second-best odds to land the No. 1 pick, join the Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm as the four teams who have qualified for the 23rd annual WNBA Draft Lottery. The winner will secure the top pick in the WNBA Draft 2024 presented by State Farm® which is currently scheduled to take place on Monday, April 15.
HOW THE LOTTERY WORKS:
Lottery odds are based on the cumulative records of the two most recent regular seasons (2022 and 2023). With a cumulative record of 18-58, Indiana will have the most chances to land the top pick (442 out of 1,000). Phoenix, which posted a combined record of 24-52 over the past two seasons, will have 276 chances out of 1,000 to win the top pick. Los Angeles, 30-46 in that same span, has the third-most chances (178). Seattle (33-43) has 104 chances.
In the drawing, 14 balls numbered 1-14 will be placed in a lottery machine and mixed. Four balls will be drawn to determine a four-digit combination. The team assigned that four-ball combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The four balls will then be placed back into the machine and the process will be repeated to determine the second pick. The team with the lowest cumulative two-year record whose numerical combinations do not come up in the first two four-ball combinations will select third and the remaining team will select fourth.
The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third rounds is determined by inverse order of the teams’ respective regular season records solely from 2023. A representative from the league’s independent accounting firm Ernst & Young will be in attendance to oversee the Draft Lottery process. Below are the number of chances for teams to land the top pick in WNBA Draft Lottery 2024 presented by State Farm®.
WNBA DRAFT LOTTERY 2024 PRESENTED BY STATE FARM®
| Team | Combined 2022-2023 Record | Chances (out of 1,000) |
| 1. Indiana | 18-58 | 442 |
| 2. Phoenix | 24-52 | 276 |
| 3. Los Angeles | 30-46 | 178 |
| 4. Seattle | 33-43 | 104 |
MERCURY NO. 1 DRAFT PICK HISTORY:
The Phoenix Mercury have earned the No. 1 overall pick three times in franchise history (2004, 2007 and 2013). Of those three instances, Phoenix only had the best lottery odds once (2004).
- In 2004, the Mercury had the best odds to land the No. 1 pick. They drafted the G.O.A.T. and WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, Diana Taurasi.
- In 2007, the Mercury had the sixth-best odds to land the No. 1 pick. They drafted Lindsey Harding, trading her to Minnesota on draft day to acquire veteran forward/center Tangela Smith, a key contributor on Phoenix’s 2007 and 2009 championship teams.
- In 2013, the Mercury had the second-best odds to land the No. 1 pick. They drafted transformational center and nine-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner, who helped lead Phoenix to the 2014 championship.