INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever will pick No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft for the second straight year.
Indiana is the third team in WNBA history to land the No. 1 overall draft pick in back-to-back years. Seattle and Las Vegas are the other two franchises that have won back-to-back lotteries.
Indiana had the best odds for the No. 1 selection. Lottery odds are determined by the combined records from the previous two seasons. The Fever have gone 18-58 the last two years.
The Fever choose South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston with last year’s top pick. The center went on to average 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award.
Boston represented the franchise on ESPN’s lottery broadcast on Sunday. Indiana is aiming to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
This year’s WNBA Draft class could be loaded with talent. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, who is the reigning player of the year in women’s college basketball, is widely expected to be the top player available. The point guard can, however, return to Iowa for the 2024-25 season if she chooses not to go pro.
UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Stanford’s Cameron Brink may also be available in this year’s draft. Like Clark, both players can return to college in 2024-25 if they so choose.
ESPN projects Clark, Bueckers and Brink to be the top three picks in this year’s WNBA Draft.
The WNBA Draft is scheduled for April 15. Los Angeles, Phoenix and Seattle will follow the Fever in the draft order.