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2023 WNBA Draft: Schedule, order, top picks and how to watch

Aliyah Boston is projected to be selected first in the WNBA Draft at New York's City Spring Studios. Find out when WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert will announce this year’s selections with Indiana Fever having first pick.

4 minBy Chloe Merrell
disciplineBasketball
Aliyah Boston
(2022 Getty Images)

The 28th 2023 WNBA Draft will take place on Monday (10 April) at 19:00 ET (UTC -5) at New York City’s Spring Studios.

The draft has three rounds with 12 picks in each round meaning a total of 36 basketball players will be drafted.

The Indiana Fever have the No.1 overall pick after winning the draft lottery for the first time in the franchise’s history. They finished the 2022 regular season with a 5-21 record.

Who will be in the 2023 WNBA Draft?

The 2023 WNBA draft class is burgeoning with young talent and top prospects including South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, Maryland’s Diamond Miller, Jordan Horston of Tennessee and Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist.

Mock drafts currently project 1.95m (6'5") Boston to be the No.1 overall pick.

The Gamecocks’ centre, coached by Dawn Staley, helped lead South Carolina to three Final Four appearances as well as lifting the team to its second national championship in 2022.

On an individual level, Boston has earned a handful of collegiate basketball’s top honours including being named a three-time First-Team All-American by the Associated Press ,and taking home the 2022 John R. Wooden Award following a standout 2022 season.

She is also the first collegiate athlete ever to win both the Naismith Trophy and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

In the international arena, Boston has also won several gold medals with Team USA including a 3x3 basketball gold medal at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

(2023 Getty Images)

What is the 2023 WNBA Draft order?

First Round

  1. Indiana Fever
  2. Minnesota Lynx
  3. Dallas Wings (from Atlanta)
  4. Washington Mystics (from Los Angeles)
  5. Dallas Wings (from Phoenix)
  6. Atlanta Dream (from New York)
  7. Indiana Fever (from Dallas)
  8. Atlanta Dream (from Washington)
  9. Seattle Storm
  10. Los Angeles Sparks (from Connecticut)
  11. Dallas Wings (from Chicago)
  12. Minnesota Lynx (from Las Vegas)

Second Round

  1. Indiana Fever
  2. Los Angeles Sparks
  3. Atlanta Dream
  4. Minnesota Lynx
  5. Indiana Fever (from Phoenix)
  6. Seattle Storm (from New York)
  7. Dallas Wings
  8. Washington Mystics
  9. Seattle Storm
  10. Connecticut Sun
  11. Chicago Sky
  12. Minnesota Lynx (from Las Vegas)

Third Round

  1. Indiana Fever
  2. Los Angeles Sparks
  3. Phoenix Mercury (from Atlanta)
  4. Minnesota Lynx
  5. Phoenix Mercury
  6. New York Liberty
  7. Dallas Wings
  8. Washington Mystics
  9. Seattle Storm
  10. Connecticut Sun
  11. Chicago Sky
  12. Las Vegas Aces
(2023 Getty Images)

Is Caitlin Clark eligible for the WNBA?

One name that will not feature in this 2023 WNBA list of draftees is Iowa Hawkeyes' Caitlin Clark.

The 21-year-old produced multiple 40-point games during the 2023 NCAA Championships, averaging 31.8 points per game for the tournament. Her 191 total points set a new record for a player in a single NCAA tournament - men or women’s.

Despite losing to the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers in the NCAA final, Clark led all scorers with 30 points.

However, the WNBA requires anyone entering the draft to turn 22 within the calendar year. Given the NCAA standout had her 21st birthday on 21 January, Clark will have to wait another year before declaring for the league.

The same applies to LSU's Championship final Most Outstanding Player Angel Reese who, like Clark, turns 22 next year. Both are sure to be sought after in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

When does the 2023 WNBA season start?

The 2023 WNBA season is penned to begin on Friday 19 May with the Las Vegas Aces defending their title.

The Aces are expected to be title contenders once again having recruited two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker from Chicago Sky in the offseason.

Other key dates for the 2023 WNBA season to watch out for are:

  • 30 April - training camps begin
  • 5 May - pre-season games begin
  • 15 May - last date for pre-season games
  • 18 May - final 12 roster cut-down deadline
(2022 Getty Images)

The last 10 No. 1 overall WNBA draft picks

How to watch the 2023 WNBA Draft

The 2023 WNBA Draft will be broadcast on ESPN from 19:00 EST.

Fans will also be available to stream the draft watch on the ESPN mobile app and WatchESPN.

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