Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Lynx today announced that All-WNBA forward Napheesa Collier will represent the team in Bristol, Conn. for the WNBA Draft Lottery 2023 presented by State Farm. The Draft Lottery will be held on Friday, November 11 and will be televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 4:30 p.m. CT.
“I look forward to representing the Lynx and the state of Minnesota at this year’s draft lottery,” said Collier. “This is always such a fun and important part of the offseason. I remember the excitement I had during my draft process and am hopeful to bring some luck for the Lynx.”
In the drawing, 14 balls numbered 1-14 will be placed in a lottery machine and mixed. Four balls will be drawn to determine a four-digit combination. The team assigned that four-ball combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The four balls will then be placed back into the machine and the process will be repeated to determine the second pick. The team with the lowest cumulative two-year record whose numerical combinations that do not come up in the first two four-ball combinations will select third and the remaining team will select fourth. Lottery odds are based on the cumulative records of the two most recent regular seasons (2021 and 2022).
The Lynx enter the night with 104 chances out of 1,000 to land the top pick. Minnesota has a combined 36-32 record from the 2021 and 2022 seasons, giving them a 10.4% chance of securing the No. 1 pick for the fourth time in franchise history. Minnesota has a 14.5% chance of picking second, 0.0% chance of drawing the third pick and 75.2% chance of selecting fourth in the 2023 WNBA Draft.
Indiana has the best odds, 44.2%, to secure the top pick and are guaranteed at least the third pick in the draft, while Atlanta has the second-best odds with 276 chances out of 1,000. Washington has the third-best odds with 178 chances out of the possible 1,000.
Minnesota’s WNBA Draft Lottery History:
- 2006: Entered the lottery with third-most chances (167), won the lottery and got the No. 1 overall pick (Seimone Augustus).
- 2007: Entered the lottery with second-most chances (256), got the fourth pick in the draft.
- 2008: Entered the lottery with second-most chances (340), got the third pick in the draft.
- 2009: Entered the lottery with fourth-most chances (76), got the fourth pick in the draft.
- 2010: Entered the lottery technically with the most chances by virtue of the 261 chances it earned via trade with New York and its own chances of 167, won the lottery but traded the No. 1 pick to Connecticut.
- 2011: Entered the lottery with second-most chances (276) and the fourth-most from Connecticut (104), won the lottery and got the No. 1 overall pick (Maya Moore) and the fourth pick.
- 2012: Entered the lottery with second-most chances from Washington (276), got the third pick in the draft.
* On Apr. 6, 2022, Washington obtained the right to swap its own 2023 first-round pick for Los Angeles’ 2023 first-round pick acquired by Atlanta in the Erica Wheeler/Chennedy Carter/Li Yueru trade on Feb. 5, 2022.
# On Feb. 3, 2022, Chicago received Phoenix’s 2023 first-round pick from the Mercury and Julie Allemand from Indiana in a three-team trade that also saw Phoenix obtain Diamond DeShields from Chicago while Indiana received Bria Hartley and a 2023 second-round selection from Phoenix and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 from Chicago.
^ On Mar. 8, 2022, Indiana obtained Dallas’ own 2023 first-round pick and Dallas’ two 2022 first-round selections (No. 4 and No. 6) in exchange for Teaira McCowan, Indiana’s pick at No. 7 in the 2022 draft and Chicago’s 2023 first-round selection previously acquired by Indiana.