What to know
- The WNBA Draft Lottery takes place Nov. 15, featuring the six teams with the worst combined records from the 2025 and 2026 seasons, including the Toronto Tempo.
- Four numbered balls are drawn to determine the first and second overall picks. The remaining lottery picks (three to seven) are assigned based on teams’ cumulative win-loss records, from worst to best.
- Toronto tied the Houston Comets for the best odds of landing the first overall pick. Both teams have a 32.9 per cent chance, and Toronto is guaranteed a top-four selection.
- Sports analyst Savanna Hamilton expects Toronto to land somewhere in the top three.
In just a few days, WNBA teams that missed the playoffs will find out which pick they’ll receive in next spring’s college draft.
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft Lottery will be broadcast on Sunday, Nov. 15 by ESPN and will feature the six worst-performing teams combined between the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
The Toronto Tempo is among the teams vying for a top draft pick. The other five teams are: Houston Comets (formerly Connecticut Sun), Los Angeles Sparks, Portland Fire, Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics
According to the WNBA, here’s how the draft lottery works.
To determine which team is awarded the number one draft pick, 14 numbered balls are mixed into a lottery machine and four lottery balls are drawn to create a 4-digit combination. The team that holds that unique combination of four numbers will be awarded the 2027 number one draft pick.
The process of drawing lottery numbers is repeated to determine the team that gets the number two draft pick.
After that, the number three draft pick is given to the team with the worst cumulative win-loss record over the previous two seasons. For Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo — teams that only entered the WNBA in 2026 — their placement will be based just on this season. Picks four to seven will be awarded the same way, from next worst to best team.
The Tempo ended their season 13th out of 15 teams with a win-loss record of 11-33.
Savanna Hamilton, a sports broadcaster and women’s basketball analyst, says having the worst scoring percentage doesn’t automatically mean a team will receive the number one draft pick.
“Essentially, the worse a team’s winning percentage, the better its odds of landing the number one pick. But it’s important to remember that the lottery is still a game of chance. Having the best odds doesn’t guarantee the top selection.”
Will Toronto Tempo receive top draft pick?
Hamilton says the Toronto Tempo is in a great position heading into the draft lottery as they’re tied with the Houston Comets for the worst win-loss record, 11-33 versus 22-66. She says Toronto is guaranteed a spot in the top four.
“The Tempo are tied with the Houston Comets for the best odds of securing the number one overall pick,” she explains.
“My expectation is that Toronto will land somewhere in the top three, which would be a significant opportunity for a franchise entering just its second season.”
Both teams have a 32.9 per cent chance of receiving the number one draft pick.
As the Tempo is still in its infancy, Hamilton says this is an opportunity for the team to add a “high-impact young player” to their roster, giving them a leg up going into the 2027 season.
“This is a team that has already begun establishing its identity under Sandy Brondello, and adding a high-impact young player could dramatically accelerate its development,” she says.
“There’s a difference between building a roster to compete today and building a franchise that can compete for years to come. This draft gives Toronto an opportunity to do both.”
