The 29th WNBA Draft is set to take place on April 14, the league announced Wednesday.
For the second consecutive year, fans will be able to attend the draft when it takes place at The Shed in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards.
“At a time when the passion and excitement surrounding the WNBA has never been higher, we continue to focus on creating elevated events that WNBA fans won’t want to miss,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.
In 2024, about 1,000 fans were on-site at the Brooklyn Academy of Music — steps away from Barclays Center — to witness the Indiana Fever select Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 overall pick.
This year, the Dallas Wings own the top pick in the draft with UConn star Paige Bueckers being the consensus No. 1 overall pick. Bueckers, who is averaging 19.0 points, 4.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game on 53.6%/40.6%/89.9% splits, has yet to declare for April’s draft, however. The star has another year of college eligibility and could return to UConn for another season if she chooses.
The Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics (picks three and four) and Golden State Valkyries — the league’s first expansion team in 17 years — round out the top five, respectively. The hometown Liberty are slated to select seventh overall.
While Bueckers is the clear-cut favorite to be selected first if she declares, Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles could hear her name called right after. Miles’ teammate, Sonia Cintron, is expected to be a top lottery selection, too.
International prospects Justė Jocytė (Lithuania) and Dominique Malonga (France) are expected to be selected and lead a rebuild in the states.
Hours before hearing their names called, prospects will visit the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony to celebrate the draft.
The WNBA’s 29th regular season will tip off on Friday, May 16.