2024 WNBA draft
| 2024 WNBA Draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Date(s) | April 15, 2024 |
| Location | Brooklyn Academy of Music Brooklyn, New York |
| Network(s) | United States: ESPN Canada: TSN1/3/4[a] |
| Overview | |
| League | WNBA |
| Teams | 12 |
| First selection | Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever |
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)'s draft for the 2024 season, following the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, was held on April 15, 2024, the 29th draft in WNBA history. The draft took place at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York, and allowed fans to be in attendance for the first time since the 2016 WNBA Draft. It was exclusively televised on ESPN in the United States and on TSN1/3/4[a] in Canada at 7:30 p.m. EDT.[1]
Draft lottery
[edit]The lottery selection to determine the order of the top four picks in the 2024 draft took place on December 10, 2023, and was televised on ESPN in the United States and on TSN5 in Canada. The four non-playoff teams in 2023 qualified for the lottery drawing: Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, Los Angeles Sparks, and the Seattle Storm. The Fever won the lottery for the second time in franchise history and were awarded the top pick in the draft. The rest of the order went as follows: Sparks, Mercury, Storm.[2]
Lottery chances
[edit]| Team | Combined 2022–2023 record | Lottery chances |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Fever | 18–58 | 44.2% |
| Phoenix Mercury | 24–52 | 27.6% |
| Los Angeles Sparks | 30–46 | 17.8% |
| Seattle Storm | 33–43 | 10.4% |
The lottery odds were based on combined records from the 2022 and 2023 WNBA seasons. In the drawing, 14 balls numbered 1–14 are placed in a lottery machine and mixed. Four balls are drawn to determine a four-digit combination (only 11–12–13–14 is ignored and redrawn). The team to which that four-ball combination is assigned receives the No. 1 pick. The four balls are then placed back into the machine and the process is repeated to determine the second pick. The two teams whose numerical combinations do not come up in the lottery will select in the inverse order of their two-year cumulative record. Ernst & Young knows the discreet results before they are announced.[3] The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third rounds was determined by inverse order of the teams' respective regular-season records solely from 2023.
Eligibility
[edit]Under the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the WNBA and its players' union, draft eligibility for players not defined as "international" requires the following to be true:[4]
- The player's 22nd birthday falls during the calendar year of the draft. For this draft, the cutoff birth date is December 31, 2002.
- She has either:
- completed her college eligibility;
- received a bachelor's degree, or is scheduled to receive such in the three months following the draft; or
- is at least four years removed from high school graduation.
A player who is scheduled to receive her bachelor's degree within three months of the draft date, and is younger than the cutoff age, is only eligible if the calendar year of the draft is no earlier than the fourth after her high school graduation.
Players with remaining college eligibility who meet the cutoff age must notify the WNBA headquarters of their intent to enter the draft no later than 10 days before the draft date, and must renounce any remaining college eligibility to do so. A separate notification timetable is provided for players involved in postseason tournaments (most notably the NCAA Division I tournament); those players (normally) must declare for the draft within 24 hours of their final game.
"International players" are defined as those for whom all of the following is true:
- Born and currently residing outside the U.S.
- Never "exercised intercollegiate basketball eligibility" in the U.S.
For "international players", the eligibility age is 20, also measured on December 31 of the year of the draft.
Draft invitees
[edit]On April 11, 2024, the WNBA released the names of the players who would be invited to be in attendance at the draft.[5]
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina- Caitlin Clark, Iowa
- Marquesha Davis, Ole Miss
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn- Dyaisha Fair, Syracuse
- Rickea Jackson, Tennessee
- Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Nika Mühl, UConn- Charisma Osborne, UCLA
- Alissa Pili, Utah
Nyadiew Puoch, Southside Flyers (Australia)- Angel Reese, LSU
- Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
- Celeste Taylor, Ohio State
Key
[edit]Draft
[edit]First round
[edit]| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caitlin Clark* |  United States | Indiana Fever | Iowa |
| 2 | Cameron Brink | United States | Los Angeles Sparks | Stanford |
| 3 | Kamilla Cardoso |  Brazil | Chicago Sky (from Phoenix)[b] | South Carolina |
| 4 | Rickea Jackson | United States | Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle)[c] | Tennessee |
| 5 | Jacy Sheldon | United States | Dallas Wings (from Chicago)[d] | Ohio State |
| 6 | Aaliyah Edwards |  Canada | Washington Mystics | UConn |
| 7 | Angel Reese+ | United States | Chicago Sky (from Minnesota)[e] | LSU |
| 8 | Alissa Pili | United States | Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago via Atlanta via Los Angeles)[f][g][e] | Utah |
| 9 | Carla Leite |  France | Dallas Wings | Tarbes (France) |
| 10 | Leïla Lacan | France | Connecticut Sun | Angers (France) |
| 11 | Marquesha Davis | United States | New York Liberty | Ole Miss |
| 12 | Nyadiew Puoch |  Australia | Atlanta Dream (from Las Vegas via Los Angeles)[g][h] | Southside Flyers (Australia) |
Second round
[edit]| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Brynna Maxwell | United States | Chicago Sky (from Phoenix)[d] | Gonzaga |
| 14 | Nika Mühl |  Croatia | Seattle Storm | UConn |
| 15 | Celeste Taylor | United States | Indiana Fever | Ohio State |
| 16 | Dyaisha Fair | United States | Las Vegas Aces (from Los Angeles)[h] | Syracuse |
| 17 | Esmery Martínez |  Dominican Republic | New York Liberty (from Chicago)[d] | Arizona |
| 18 | Kate Martin | United States | Las Vegas Aces (from Washington)[i] | Iowa |
| 19 | Taiyanna Jackson | United States | Connecticut Sun (from Minnesota)[j] | Kansas |
| 20 | Isobel Borlase | Australia | Atlanta Dream | Adelaide Lightning (Australia) |
| 21 | Kaylynne Truong | United States | Washington Mystics (from Dallas)[k] | Gonzaga |
| 22 | Helena Pueyo |  Spain | Connecticut Sun | Arizona |
| 23 | Jessika Carter | United States | New York Liberty | Mississippi State |
| 24 | Elizabeth Kitley | United States | Las Vegas Aces | Virginia Tech |
Third round
[edit]| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Charisma Osborne | United States | Phoenix Mercury | UCLA |
| 26 | Mackenzie Holmes | United States | Seattle Storm | Indiana |
| 27 | Leilani Correa | United States | Indiana Fever | Florida |
| 28 | McKenzie Forbes | United States | Los Angeles Sparks | USC |
| 29 | Jaz Shelley | Australia | Phoenix Mercury (from Chicago)[d] | Nebraska |
| 30 | Nastja Claessens |  Belgium | Washington Mystics | Castors Braine (Belgium) |
| 31 | Kiki Jefferson | United States | Minnesota Lynx | Louisville |
| 32 | Matilde Villa |  Italy | Atlanta Dream | Reyer Venezia (Italy) |
| 33 | Ashley Owusu | United States | Dallas Wings | Penn State |
| 34 | Abbey Hsu | United States | Connecticut Sun | Columbia |
| 35 | Kaitlyn Davis | United States | New York Liberty | USC |
| 36 | Angel Jackson | United States | Las Vegas Aces | Jackson State |
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ a b TSN3 joined in progress at 9:00 p.m. EDT.
- ^ February 6, 2024: Phoenix to Chicago[6]
- Phoenix acquired Kahleah Copper and Morgan Bertsch
- Chicago acquired Brianna Turner, Michaela Onyenwere, a 2024 first-round pick (3rd overall), Chicago's own 2025 second-round pick, a 2026 first-round pick, and the right to swap 2026 second-round picks with Phoenix
- ^ January 31, 2024: Seattle to Los Angeles[7]
- Los Angeles acquired Kia Nurse and a 2024 first-round pick (4th overall)
- Seattle acquired a 2026 first-round-pick
- ^ a b c d February 11, 2023: Four-team trade among Chicago, Dallas, New York, and Phoenix[8]
- Chicago acquired Marina Mabrey and a 2024 second-round pick (from Phoenix)
- New York acquired rights to Leonie Fiebich, a 2024 second-round pick (from Chicago), and the right to swap 2025 first-round picks (from Phoenix)
- Phoenix acquired Michaela Onyenwere, 2024 third-round pick (from Chicago), and 2025 second-round pick (from Chicago)
- Dallas acquired Diamond DeShields, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks (from Chicago), and the right to swap 2025 first-round picks (from Chicago)
- ^ a b April 14, 2024: Chicago to Minnesota[9]
- Chicago acquired a 2024 first round pick (7th overall), and Nikolina Milić
- Minnesota acquired a 2024 first round pick (8th overall), Sika Koné, a 2025 second-round pick, and right to swap 2026 first-round picks with Chicago.
- ^ February 19, 2024: Los Angeles to Chicago[10]
- Los Angeles acquired Julie Allemand, the rights to Li Yueru and a 2025 third-round pick
- Chicago acquired a 2024 first round pick (8th overall)
- ^ a b February 1, 2024: Atlanta to Los Angeles[11]
- Atlanta acquired Jordin Canada and Las Vegas' 2024 first-round pick (12th overall)
- Los Angeles acquired Aari McDonald and a 2024 first-round pick (8th overall)
- ^ a b January 21, 2023: Las Vegas to Los Angeles[12]
- Las Vegas acquired Amanda Zahui B and a 2024 second-round pick
- Los Angeles acquired Dearica Hamby and a 2024 first round pick
- ^ February 5, 2023: Las Vegas to Washington[13]
- Las Vegas acquired 2024 and 2025 second-round picks
- Washington acquired the rights to Amanda Zahui B
- ^ January 31, 2024: Connecticut to Minnesota[14]
- Connecticut acquired Tiffany Mitchell and a 2024 second-round pick (19th overall)
- Minnesota acquired Natisha Hiedeman
- ^ April 10, 2023: Washington to Dallas[15]
- Dallas acquired the rights to Stephanie Soares
- Washington acquired 2024 second-round and 2025 first-round picks (via Atlanta)
References
[edit]- ^ "WNBA Draft 2024 Presented by State Farm to be Held on April 15 at The Brooklyn Academy of Music". wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- ^ Negley, Cassandra (December 10, 2023). "2024 WNBA Draft: Fever land No. 1 selection in lottery with Caitlin Clark the presumptive top pick". Yahoo Sports.
- ^ Dozier, Emily (December 10, 2023). "WNBA Draft Lottery, explained: Updated odds for every team to win the No. 1 overall pick in 2024". The Sporting News.
- ^ "Article XIII, Section 1: Player Eligibility" (PDF). 2020 Women's National Basketball Association Collective Bargaining Agreement. Women's National Basketball Players Association. pp. 110–111. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ "Iowa's Caitlin Clark, Stanford's Cameron Brink, South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso, Tennessee's Rickea Jackson, and LSU's Angel Reese Headline Prospects to Attend WNBA Draft 2024 Presented by State Farm" (Press release). WNBA. April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ "PHOENIX MERCURY ACQUIRES ALL-STAR AND WNBA CHAMPION KAHLEAH COPPER AND FORWARD MORGAN BERTSCH IN TRADE WITH CHICAGO SKY". WNBA.com. February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
- ^ "Sparks Acquire WNBA All-Star Guard Kia Nurse". WNBA.com. January 31, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Sky Acquires Marina Mabrey in Four-Team Trade". WNBA.com. February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ "Sky swap 2024 WNBA draft picks, prospects with Lynx in trade". ESPN. Field Level Media. April 14, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
- ^ Michael Voepel (February 19, 2024). "Sky land No. 8 pick in 2024 WNBA draft in trade with Sparks". ESPN. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ "Atlanta Dream Trade For Guard Jordin Canada". WNBA.com. February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "Sparks Acquire WNBA Champion Dearica Hamby". WNBA.com. January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Aces Acquire Pair Of Second Round Picks From Washington". WNBA.com. February 5, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Connecticut Sun Acquires Tiffany Mitchell and the No. 19 Overall Pick". WNBA.com. January 31, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ DBragaSports (April 10, 2023). "Stephanie Soares selected 4th overall in WNBA Draft". SBNation. Retrieved 10 April 2023.