The WNBA Draft is unique because it comes only eight days after the culmination of the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The WNBA Draft returns in person for the first time since 2019 and will take place at Spring Studios in the Tribeca section of New York. The draft will be held on Monday, April 11th and coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
There are 12 teams in the WNBA and there will be three rounds. The Atlanta Dream will be on the clock first as they acquired the No. 1 overall pick from the Washington Mystics. The Dream sent the No. 3 and No. 14 pick picks in 2022 and for a first-round pick swap with the Mystics next season for the No. 1 overall pick. All eyes will be on the Dram picking first, but get used to seeing the Indiana Fever at the podium. They have four first-round picks including No. 2.
Due to the WNBA draft eligibility rules, you won’t see standouts Paige Bueckers or Aliyah Boston in the draft field this year. There are two players that are considered locks to go with the first two picks in the draft. Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard and Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith are the consensus picks to have their names called first.
2022 WNBA Draft order
| Round 1 | Team | Player |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Team | Player |
| 1 | Atlanta Dream (from Washington) | Rhyne Howard, G, UK |
| 2 | Indiana Fever | NaLyssa Smith, PF, Baylor |
| 3 | Washington Mystics (from Atlanta) | Shakira Austin, C, Ole Miss |
| 4 | Indiana Fever (from Los Angeles via Dallas) | Emily Engstler, PF, Louisville |
| 5 | New York Liberty | Nyara Sabally, F/C, Oregon |
| 6 | Indiana Fever (from Dallas) | Lexie Hull, SG, Stanford |
| 7 | Dallas Wings (from Chicago via Dallas, Indiana) | Veronica Burton, PG, Northwestern |
| 8 | Las Vegas Aces (from Minnesota via Phoenix, New York, Seattle) | Mya Hollingshed, SF, Colorado |
| 9 | Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle) | Rae Burrell, SF, Tennessee |
| 10 | Indiana Fever (from Minnesota) | Queen Egbo, C, Baylor |
| 11 | Las Vegas Aces | Kierstan Bell, SG, Florida Gulf Coast |
| 12 | Connecticut Sun | Nia Clouden, SG, Michigan State |
| Round 2 | Team | |
| 13 | Minnesota Lynx (from Indiana) | Khayla Pointer, PG, LSU |
| 14 | Washington Mystics (from Atlanta) | Christyn Williams, SG, UConn |
| 15 | Atlanta Dream (from Los Angeles) | Naz Hillmon, PF, Michigan |
| 16 | Los Angeles Sparks (from Washington) | Kianna Smith, SG, Louisville |
| 17 | Seattle Storm (from New York) | Elissa Cunane, C, NC State |
| 18 | Seattle Storm (from Dallas) | Lorela Cubaj, PF, Georgia Tech |
| 19 | Los Angeles Sparks (from Chicago via Dallas) | Olivia Nelson-Ododa, PF, UConn |
| 20 | Indiana Fever (from Phoenix) | Destanni Henderson, PG, South Carolina |
| 21 | Seattle Storm | Evina Westbrook, PG, UConn |
| 22 | Minnesota Lynx | Kayla Jones, PF, NC State |
| 23 | Las Vegas Aces | Aisha Sheppard, SG, Va Tech |
| 24 | Connecticut Sun | Jordan Lewis, PG, Baylor |
| Round 3 | Team | |
| 25 | Indiana Fever | Amesha Williams-Holliday, C, Jackson State |
| 26 | Phoenix Mercury (from Atlanta) | Maya Dodson, PF, Notre Dame |
| 27 | Los Angeles Sparks | Amy Atwell, SF, Hawai'i |
| 28 | Minnesota Lynx (from Washington) | Hannah Sjerven, PF, South Dakota |
| 29 | New York Liberty | Sika Kone, PF, Mali |
| 30 | Dallas Wings | Jasmine Dickey, SF, Delaware |
| 31 | Dallas Wings (from Chicago) | Jazz Bond, PF, North Florida |
| 32 | Phoenix Mercury | Macee Williams, PF, IUPUI |
| 33 | Seattle Storm | Jade Melbourne, PG, Australia |
| 34 | Indiana Fever (from Minnesota) | Ali Patberg, SG, Indiana |
| 35 | Las Vegas Aces | Faustine Aifuwa, C, LSU |
| 36 | Connecticut Sun | Kiara Smith, PG, Florida |