Overview
- Dallas secured the top pick with the best odds at 42% as the lottery went chalk for only the fifth time, yielding a top five of Dallas, Minnesota (via Chicago), Seattle (via Los Angeles), Washington, and Chicago (via Connecticut).
- The 2026 class lacks a consensus leader, with Spanish center Awa Fam, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, UConn’s Azzi Fudd, TCU’s Olivia Miles, and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson commonly cited as No. 1 candidates.
- The Wings are assessing fit after a 10–34 season, with new coach José Fernandez in place and active scouting under way as outside projections debate a possible Bueckers–Fudd reunion.
- Expansion clubs Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will select sixth and seventh, with their order to be set by a coin flip.
- Offseason context remains unsettled with CBA talks up against a Nov. 30 expiration and widespread free agency, while the draft is scheduled for April 13.