With the WNBA Draft Lottery arising tomorrow — Sunday, Nov. 23 — groups will probably be discovering out the place they are going to be drafting within the 2026 WNBA Draft. Dallas has the most effective odds to safe the No. 1 decide for the second 12 months in a row, and if this occurs, it will be a repeat of Indiana selecting No. 1 again to again within the two years earlier than 2025, after they drafted Aliyah Boston in 2023 and Caitlin Clark in 2024.
Whereas everybody needs their crew to get the No. 1 decide, there have been vital gamers drafted within the prime 5 all through WNBA historical past. So, for followers who wish to know who the very best gamers they may have the ability to get are — relying on the place they land within the lottery — listed below are the most effective gamers ever chosen within the prime 5 spots:
A’ja Wilson — No. 1 decide in 2018
Honorable mentions: Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, Lauren Jackson, Sue Hen
Clearly, there have been a ton of unimaginable gamers to be picked first total within the draft. Hen has 4 WNBA championships, and Taurasi received 3 (to go together with 6 Olympic Gold Medals). Candace Parker set mainly each report in WNBA historical past, a few of that are solely being damaged by the No. 1 of No. 1’s — A’ja Wilson.
When the Las Vegas Aces chosen A’ja Wilson out of South Carolina in 2018, it was their first 12 months in Vegas after shifting the franchise from San Antonio. This decide not solely signified the beginning of a brand new period, it was additionally the start of top-of-the-line runs the WNBA will ever see.
Since being drafted, Wilson has received 3 WNBA championships, 4 WNBA MVP Awards, 2 WNBA Finals MVP Awards, 3 Defensive Participant of the 12 months awards, and been to 7 All-Star video games — all as a member of the Las Vegas Aces. She holds the report for many factors scored in a season, reaching that in 2024 when she scored 1021 factors. She additionally holds the report for the very best factors per recreation common in a season, averaging 26.87 factors per contest in 2024.
At simply 29 years outdated, Wilson continues to be within the prime of her profession and can proceed to dominate the league for years to come back. Even now, whereas nonetheless taking part in, she’s going to go down in historical past as probably the most extremely completed basketball gamers on the planet and is a assured future Corridor of Famer.
Sylvia Fowles — No. 2 decide in 2008
Honorable mentions: Elena Delle Donne, Kelsey Mitchell
The No. 2 spot has produced some unimaginable gamers through the years — extra just lately with somebody like Dominique Malonga, or traditionally like Elena Delle Donne. Sylvia Fowles was drafted No. 2 in 2008, going to the Chicago Sky. Why was she not drafted No. 1? Nicely, the LA Sparks drafted Candace Parker that 12 months.
Fowles went on to win 2 WNBA Championships, 2 Finals MVP awards, 1 WNBA MVP award, make 8 All-Star Recreation appearances, and win 4 Defensive Participant of the 12 months Awards earlier than she retired after the 2022 season.
Fowles was probably the most dominant put up gamers we’ve ever seen within the WNBA. At 6-feet 6-inches in top, few gamers may actually match up together with her defensively. She was inducted into the Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2025.
Skylar Diggins — No. 3 decide in 2013
Honorable point out: Courtney Vandersloot
Skylar Diggins was chosen third total by the Tulsa Shock (now Dallas Wings) in 2013, and continues to be a wonderful participant to this present day. Her velocity, power, agility, effectivity and beautiful rainbow-arching shot are all elements of a recreation that’s arduous to copy.
She is a 7x WNBA All-Star, Olympic Gold medalist, and has 4 All-WNBA First Crew nods. She’s performed for Tulsa, moved to Dallas with the franchise, Phoenix, and now Seattle. Nonetheless on the hunt for her first WNBA championship, the closest she received was in 2021 in Phoenix when she went to the Finals.
Allisha Grey — No. 4 decide in 2017
Honorable point out: Gabby Williams
One other participant drafted to the Dallas Wings, Allisha Grey has grown so much in her time within the WNBA. Now taking part in for the Atlanta Dream, her stats through the 2025 season had been the most effective of her profession. In a career-high 34.5 minutes per recreation, Grey scored a career-high 18.4 factors on 45.1% capturing and 38.4% capturing from three-point vary.
Grey is a 3x WNBA All-Star, made her first All-WNBA first crew in 2025, and received each the Abilities Problem and the Three-Level contest on the 2024 WNBA All-Star Recreation.
Arike Ogunbowale — No. 5 decide in 2019
Honorable mentions: Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner
One other decide to the Dallas Wings, who selected Arike Ogunbowale No. 5 total out of Notre Dame in 2019. Recognized for her skill to shoot in massive moments, profitable her a Nationwide Championship in faculty, Arike has translated that skill to the WNBA.
She has a profession common of 19.9 factors per recreation, capturing 34.6% from three-point vary in seven WNBA seasons. Arike has spent her whole profession with the Wings to this point, making 4 WNBA All-Star appearances and getting an All-WNBA First Crew nod.
