2027 WNBA Draft Lottery odds order: Who has the best chance at the No. 1 pick?

We're closer to learning which team will have the ability to potentially draft USC star JuJu Watkins at No. 1

Sep 25, 2026 at 12:21 pm ET • 7 min read

The 2026 WNBA regular season came to a close on Thursday, which means the playoff bracket is set. So, too, is the lottery odds order. After the Connecticut Sun beat the Toronto Tempo in the final game ever in Uncasville, the two teams will split the best odds for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. 

The WNBA uses two-season aggregate records to determine lottery odds, but for the two expansion teams, the Tempo and Portland Fire, only this season's record will be considered. After Thursday's result, the Sun's two-season record is 22-66, while the Tempo's record this season is 11-33. 

Because the two teams have identical .250 winning percentages, the league will combine each team's lottery combinations and divide them evenly. If there is an even number of combinations, the teams will have identical odds for the No. 1 overall pick. If there is an odd number of combinations, the league will use a tiebreaker to determine which team gets the extra combinations. 

The first tiebreaker is their record from the current season. Both teams finished 11-33, so it goes to the second tiebreaker, which is head-to-head record between the teams in the current season. The Tempo won the season series 2-1, so the Sun would actually "win" the tiebreaker and get the one extra combination if necessary.

The WNBA has not yet revealed the new lottery odds, now that there are seven teams involved (up from five last year), and it's unclear when an announcement will be made. While we don't know the exact lottery odds yet, we do know the order of the lottery odds and the teams involved. 

In addition to the Sun and Tempo, this year's lottery crew includes the Chicago Sky, Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks. However, those will not be the seven teams drafting in the lottery. The Sky owe the Mystics a first-round pick swap, while the Mercury traded their first-round pick to the Sparks, who will have two lottery selections as a result. It is important to note, however, that lottery odds are based on the team that originally owned the pick. 

2027 WNBA Draft Lottery odds order

Team	Combined 2025 and 2026 record	Odds of winning No. 1 pick
Sun	22-66 (.250)	TBD (will share best odds)
Tempo	11-33 (.250)*	TBD (will share best odds)
Sky (owe to Mystics)	26-62 (.295)	TBD
Storm	31-57 (.352)	TBD
Fire	17-27 (.386)*	TBD
Sparks	37-51 (.420)	TBD
Mercury (owe to Sparks)	43-45 (.489)	TBD

*Single-season 2026 records

Connecticut Sun

The Sun's rebuild continued with another difficult season, both on and off the court. In March, amid controversial circumstances, the franchise was sold to Tilman Fertitta, who will move it to Houston in 2027 and reignite the Comets. During their 24th and final season in Uncasville, the Sun went 11-33 and finished 14th, bringing their two-season aggregate record to 22-66. And yet, they will not have the best odds for the No. 1 pick. Ironically, they'll have to share those with the Tempo because they beat the Tempo in their final ever game in Uncasville. One way or another, they'll get a top pick to pair with the likes of Leïla Lacan, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Aaliyah Edwards, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Nell Angloma. 

Toronto Tempo

The Tempo took an aggressive approach in the expansion draft and free agency and got off to a 9-9 start, putting them in the playoff race near the midpoint of the season. But Brittney Sykes and Kiki Rice both went down with long-term injuries that precipitated a total collapse. The Tempo went 2-23 to close the season and finished 11-33. While this wasn't the season anyone in the organization envisioned, the good news is that they were so bad that they "caught" the Sun for an equal share of the best odds for the No. 1 pick. There's now a real chance that the Tempo could add JuJu Watkins to a core that was playing .500 ball when healthy. 

Chicago Sky

This was another disastrous season in Chicago, as the Sky missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season -- their longest drought since they missed the playoffs in the first seven seasons of their existence. Key trade acquisition Rickea Jackson tore her ACL in the fourth game, marquee free agent signings Skylar Diggins and DiJonai Carrington played just 19 and 11 games, respectively, and No. 5 overall pick Gabriela Jaquez fell out of the rotation in the middle of the season. And Jacy Sheldon, acquired from Washington for the Sky's 2028 first-round pick, averaged 6.5 points and 1.7 assists on 42.6% shooting. It was fitting that the Sky's final defeat came against the Mystics, as they'll also owe Washington a first-round pick swap and a second-round pick to complete the disastrous deal that also sent Sonia Citron to Washington. Jeff Pagliocca, the team's general manager, will have a lot to answer for, especially if the Sky end up surrendering their No. 1 pick. 

Seattle Storm

The Storm pivoted to a full rebuild this offseason, which was reflected in their record. They went 8-36 to finish in last place, set the league's single-season losses record and recorded the worst winning percentage (.182) in franchise history. However, as frustrating as this season was at times -- they went 2-16 in "clutch" games -- the Storm have an extremely bright future. They selected Awa Fam No. 3 overall in this year's draft and swindled the Valkyries for Flau'jae Johnson (No. 8 overall pick) in a draft night trade. Both rookies impressed, and together with 2025 No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga, form one of the most exciting young cores. Due to the league's two-year aggregate records rule, the Storm, who went 23-21 last season, have only the fourth-best odds for the No. 1 pick. 

Portland Fire

No one expected the Fire to be this competitive this season, but inventive coach Alex Sarama led his bunch to 17 wins -- the second-most in an expansion season in WNBA history, behind only the Valkyries' 23 wins last season. The Fire did not match the Valkyries' feat of making the playoffs as an expansion team, but that's for the best. Now, the Fire, who have the fifth-best odds at the No. 1 pick, will be able to make their first-ever lottery selection. Whomever they select will join an interesting young core highlighted by Most Improved Player candidate Carla Leite and Iyana Martín, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. While Martin, a highly regarded Spanish prospect, did not play in the WNBA this season, she had a breakout performance at the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup. 

Los Angeles Sparks

The Sparks were yet another extremely disappointing team this season. They re-signed Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby, brought franchise icon Nneka Ogwumike back to town in free agency and traded Rickea Jackson for Ariel Atkins in a series of win-now moves that everyone thought would at least get them to the playoffs. But Plum struggled with injuries early, and their defense was a complete disaster. After a 10-11 start, general manager Raegan Pebley was fired. The new regime pivoted at the trade deadline with Plum and Ogwumike set to be unrestricted free agents in the winter. Plum was traded to the Mercury for Akoa Makani, a 2027 first and a 2028 second. Ogwumike later announced she will retire at the end of the season. Now, it's full rebuild time in Los Angeles.

Phoenix Mercury

Even though the Mercury never replaced Satou Sabally, who left in free agency this offseason, no one expected them to be this bad. But they got off to a 2-8 start and never recovered, despite getting healthy seasons from Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper. They finished 16-28, becoming the first team since 2008 (also the Mercury) to miss the playoffs in the season immediately following a Finals appearance. To make matters worse, they won't have a lottery selection because they traded their 2027 first, along with Monique Akoa Makani and a 2028 second-round pick, for Kelsey Plum. The veteran guard played five games with the team after the trade before being shut down for the season with a leg injury, and is an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. 

Top WNBA prospects to watch

USC star JuJu Watkins is the player to know in the upcoming NCAA season. The 6-foot-2, do-it-all wing will make her return after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. And despite her injury, she is the clear favorite to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2027 WNBA Draft. Of course, that assumes that she declares. Because she took a medical redshirt last season, she's eligible to return to school for a fifth year in 2027-28. 

Watkins is not the only talented prospect in next year's class. Texas forward Madison Booker and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo also stand out and are likely top picks. Kansas guard S'Mya Nichols, LSU guards Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley and Kentucky center Clara Strack are other lottery candidates to keep an eye on. 

On the international scene, French teenagers Sarah Cissé, the 2026 U20 EuroBasket Women MVP, and Aïnhoa Risacher, the younger sister of former NBA No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, are potential first-round picks.