Overview
- The lottery set the top five as Dallas at No. 1, Minnesota at No. 2 (via Chicago), Seattle at No. 3 (via Los Angeles), Washington at No. 4, and Chicago at No. 5 (via Connecticut).
- Dallas entered with a 42% chance at the top pick, the draw matched the assigned odds for just the fifth time, and an Ernst & Young representative oversaw the process.
- The draft is slated for April 13, 2026 pending a new CBA, and expansion clubs Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will select sixth and seventh with the order to be determined by a coin flip.
- There is no clear No. 1 prospect, with projections highlighting Awa Fam, Lauren Betts, Olivia Miles, Azzi Fudd, and Flau'jae Johnson as leading candidates.
- Dallas frames the pick around a young core after Paige Bueckers’ Rookie of the Year season and a coaching change to Jose Fernandez, with evaluations ongoing and outside projections even suggesting a potential Bueckers–Fudd reunion.