The WNBA Draft lottery will take place on November 23, and four teams — the Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, and Washington Mystics — have a lot to gain. Each of these teams finished in the bottom of the league's rankings at the end of the 2025 season and failed to make the playoffs, which will likely inspire their front offices to make bold choices this month. But if there's one team that has the most to gain, it's the Sky — and the team needs to maximize the opportunity that's in front of them.
Earlier this year the Sky traded their first-round pick to the Minnesota Lynx to bring TCU graduate Hailey Van Lith into the fold. But, luckily for Skytown, the team will still have a lottery pick due to a second 2025 preseason trade with the Sun. The trade saw Ajsa Sivka selected as the team's No. 10 overall pick, and the Sky also picked up Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, the 2026 first-round swap with the Sun.
So what will the Sky do with this all-important pick, you ask? Plenty of people have a lot of ideas.
The 2026 WNBA Draft is intriguing because, for the first time in two years, there isn't a clear top pick. Unlike 2024, when the season began with Caitlin Clark already predicted as the clear frontrunner, and 2025, when Paige Bueckers was the same, the 2026 Draft is anyone's to claim. There are a few key frontrunners (more on that below), but next year's draft is shaping up to be compeititive and fun.
As it stands now — and note that it's entirely too early to really know — here are a few of the top prospects ahead of next year's draft:
Lauren Betts: A lot of people have Betts at the top of their draft list and it's not hard to understand why. The 6'7" senior out of UCLA is a traditional center who can bring a lot to any team that drafts her. Her one drawback is that she historically has not taken a lot of 3-pointers, something that most teams are prioritizing of late, but her height and power are hugely attractive qualities.
Awa Fam: Fam is a dynamic European currently playing for Spain who is being mentioned in draft chatter but she's not high enough on most people's lists. If she stays healthy and continues to build on her already impressive game, Fam could surprise everyone.
Olivia Miles: The former Notre Dame star surprised a lot of people when she transferred to TCU earlier this year following the Fighting Irish's exit from March Madness, and she's already tearing up the court and showing off her Chelsea Gray-esque skills. Miles would be a huge get for most teams.