WNBA Draft Lottery results: Washington Mystics win No. 1 overall pick for 2022 draft
The Mystics had the third-best odds to win the top pick
By
Jack Maloney
•
2 min read
After a few months of relative calm, the first big event of the WNBA offseason arrived Sunday afternoon in the form of the Draft Lottery. In a bit of an upset, the Washington Mystics were the lucky winners of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. They only had a 17.8 percent chance -- the third-best odds -- of getting the top pick.
The Indiana Fever had the best odds (44.2 percent), but their lottery woes continued as they wound up with the No. 2 overall pick. They have still never had the first pick. Rounding out the lottery is the Atlanta Dream and No. 3 overall and the Dallas Wings at No. 4.
This is a massive result for the Mystics, who just won a championship in 2019, and already have one of the most talented rosters in the league. They were only in the lottery due to an extreme amount of injuries last season, and the fact that they lost a tiebreaker to the New York Liberty for the eighth and final playoff spot. There's still some concern about Elene Delle Donne, who only played three games last season due to ongoing back issues that have required multiple surgeries, but if she returns the Mystics should jump right back into contention -- especially after Sunday's results.
"I think you said it best. We have our core, we have a really good squad back in D.C.," said Mystics guard Natasha Cloud, who was the team's representative at the lottery. "But we need some hustle pieces added to it. This No. 1 pick is gonna be all the difference in making another championship run for D.C."
Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard has long been the presumptive No. 1 overall pick due to her size, athleticism and ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. She's a three-level scorer and has the skills to step into the league and contribute right away. She would fit in perfectly on this Mystics roster, and if all goes well she has the potential to be a franchise-changing player.
Full 2022 WNBA Draft order
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Washington Mystics |
2 | Indiana Fever |
3 | Atlanta Dream |
4 | Dallas Wings (via Los Angeles) |
5 | New York Liberty |
6 | Chicago Sky (via Dallas) |
7 | Dallas Wings (via Chicago) |
8 | Minnesota Lynx (via Phoenix) |
9 | Seattle Storm |
10 | Indiana Fever (via Minnesota) |
11 | Las Vegas Aces |
12 | Connecticut Sunn |
The 2022 WNBA Draft is set to be held in April, but an exact date and time are still to be determined.
