For the first time since 2019, the WNBA draft is returning to an in-person format that will be held on April 11 at Spring Studios in New York.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert will announce the draft picks live on ESPN with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. The Sky traded their first-round pick in a three-team sign-and-trade deal that sent Diamond DeShields to the Phoenix Mercury, Julie Allemand to the Sky and the No. 7 pick in this year's draft along with the Sky’s first-round pick next year to Indiana.
“With the continued support of ESPN, our draft presenting partner State Farm and associate partners, Beats by Dre, SAP, and U.S. Bank, we look forward to what will be a truly memorable evening for WNBA teams and fans and, of course, for the elite athletes for whom this night will mark the realization of a dream come true and the launch of the next phase of their basketball journey,” Engelbert said in a statement.
Jackie Young was the No. 1 overall pick taken by Las Vegas in the WNBA’s last in-person draft in 2019. That was Sky coach/general manager James Wade’s first draft with the team and he selected Katie Lou Samuelson with the fourth pick and Chloe Jackson with the third pick in the second round. Wade selected Maria Conde with the third pick in the third round.
The WNBA’s 2019 rookie of the year, Napheesa Collier was taken by the Minnesota Lynx with the sixth overall pick. Arike Ogunbowale was selected by the Wings with the fifth pick. Less than a year after drafting her, Wade dealt Samuelson to the Dallas Wings in exchange for Azurá Stevens.
The 2020 virtual draft, which saw Sabrina Ionescu taken first overall by the New York Liberty, was the most-watched WNBA draft since Diana Taurasi was drafted first in 2004. It saw a 123% increase in viewership from the 2019 draft and averaged 387,000 viewers.
Wade selected Ruthy Hebard with the eighth pick in 2020 and Shyla Heal with the eighth pick in 2021 which was also held virtually. Heal was traded along with the Sky’s 2022 third-round pick to the Wings less than two months later for Dana Evans.
Ahead of last year’s draft, the Sky dealt their 2022 second round pick to the Wings in exchange for their 2021 second round pick. Wade used that pick to select Natasha Mack.
After sending their No. 7 pick to Indiana the Sky have no picks in this year’s draft.
