The Indiana Fever won the 2023 WNBA Draft Lottery on Friday, securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft next spring. The Minnesota Lynx will pick second, followed by the Atlanta Dream in third and the Washington Mystics in fourth to round out the lottery. This is the first time in franchise history that the Fever will have the No. 1 overall pick.
South Carolina center Aliyah Boston is the presumptive No. 1 overall pick, and has been for some time now. She was one of the final cuts for Team USA's FIBA World Cup squad this summer, and has the size, athleticism and skill to make an immediate impact at the professional level. Last season she helped the Gamecocks win the NCAA championship and was named Naismith College Player of the Year, Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in the process.
This was the sixth consecutive lottery appearance for the Fever, who have been mired in their worst ever era. Over those six seasons the team is 45-147 and has finished in last place three times. Last season they won just five games, which was a franchise low, and ended on an 18-game losing streak, which was the second-longest in WNBA history.
Winning the lottery this year could be just the bit of luck the team needs to start its turnaround. Boston is one of the best prospects in years, and, assuming the draft her, she will form a dynamic young frontcourt with last year's No. 2 overall pick NaLyssa Smith. Those two, along with Kelsey Mitchell, would form an interesting young core for new head coach Christie Sides, who was hired earlier this month.
Full 2023 WNBA Draft first round order:
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Indiana Fever |
2 | Minnesota Lynx |
3 | Atlanta Dream |
4 | Washington Mystics (via Los Angeles) |
5 | Chicago Sky (via Phoenix) |
6 | New York Liberty |
7 | Indiana Fever (via Dallas) |
8 | Atlanta Dream (via Washington) |
9 | Seattle Storm |
10 | Connecticut Sun |
11 | Dallas Wings (via Chicago) |
12 | Minnesota Lynx (via Las Vegas) |
The 2023 WNBA Draft is set for April, but further details are yet to be released.
