Last Thursday the WNBA rolled out a new format for the draft lottery that will probably become the norm for the NBA soon. The number of lottery balls is based on a team’s record over the past two seasons instead of just the most recent one. The end result, freakishly enough, was that the three worst teams ended up with the top three picks. Can’t predict ball?

The WNBA format is completely different than the NBA. As you may realize, the draft happens after the college season ends, which is in April. So the draft order is set before the season even begins. That means these predictions are a little more difficult than predicting the NBA draft even with the order already set.

1. Seattle: Breanna Stewart, C, UConn

This, of all picks, seems like a foregone conclusion. Storm head coach Jenny Boucek calls Stewart the future of the league, a versatile big with no natural position. She can play anywhere on the court (a la young Lamar Odom), a solid scorer, is an OK shooter, a great defender, and a good passer. She should team up with last year’s #1 pick, Jewel Lloyd, to give the Storm a strong foundation for the next decade plus.



2. San Antonio: Jonquel Jones, C, George Washington

The Clemson transfer is a defensive force and a rebounding machine. Most internet only scouts have her ranked as the 4th best player in the country but her upside and presence make me think she’ll end up as the second pick. She has a unique skill set that will serve the Stars well. Not an MVP-type performer unless she improves her scoring immensely but she provides excellent value as a defender and rebounder.



3. Connecticut: Moriah Jefferson, G, UConn

UConn’s super-speedy point guard might be the best player in the draft when all is said and done. A presence in the middle is always the most prized asset in basketball but Jefferson’s ability to read a defense and set up her teammates was already enough to make her a star before she went and added scoring to her game last year. A little bit of selfishness can be a good thing as defenders can’t sag off her trying to play passing lanes now. For Connecticut, bringing in a star from Storrs has to be considered additional value.



4. Atlanta: Adut Bulgak, C, Florida State



Another beast defender with a somewhat unrefined offensive game, Bulgak Horsewoman is in a similar position to Jonquel Jones. A huge senior season could push her up to #2 (this draft is basically seen as Breanna Stewart and then everybody else) but a disappointing season could send her sliding. This crop of prospects is very deep in the frontcourt so the margin for error isn’t really there. Bulgak isn’t as defensively dominant as Jones and she doesn’t have truly ideal height for C in the WNBA but she makes up for it with a willingness to bang down low.



5. Los Angeles: Courtney Williams, G, USF

Something of a tweener at the college level, Courtney Williams A is a natural scorer whose small stature means she’ll be asked to play full-time in the backcourt at the next level. It remains to be seen if she is asked to take on any major ballhandling duties but her somewhat one-dimensional game might ultimately limit her upside.



6. Tulsa: Courtney Williams, F, Texas A&M

Courtney Williams B is also something of a tweener but her better size and athleticism means she could actually fill that role in the pros as well. She’s not the natural scorer that the other Courtney Williams is (she’s actually a rather weak shooter) but her all-around game gives her a great chance to contribute right away. She has a lot to prove after a disappointing 2014-15 season that began with a suspension and ended with the Aggies losing 4 out of their final 5 games.



7. Washington: Tiffany Mitchell, G, South Carolina



She’s more scorer than distributor and, like the USF Courtney Williams, might struggle to translate her game to the pros. She does man the 1 for Texas A&M and her shot is probably the best in the country, though, so the difficulty might not be as great. Neither as athletic nor as good of a distributor as Moriah Jefferson but she’s in the mix to be the second guard taken in the draft.



8. Phoenix: Jillian Alleyne, F, Oregon

Yet another strong rebounder, Alleyne is a banger with a decent scoring touch. She’s a pure power forward, though, without the requisite height to really man the 5 spot. In Phoenix she obviously wouldn’t have to, as superstar spousal abuser Britney Griner is one of the league’s best players.



9. Indiana: Imani McGee-Stafford, C, Texas

Physically imposing but inconsistent, Stafford could rise up the board but it’s tough to see her really putting everything together this year. Could be a little bit of a project at the next level.



10. Chicago: Bria Holmes, G, West Virginia

Natural scorer who has improved her game significantly each year. Has the skills to handle the point and could be the steal of the draft in the right situation. Of course, this far out she might end up going much higher.



11. Atlanta (from Minnesota): Ruth Hamblin, C, Oregon State

Another great big, Hamblin is perhaps the biggest gamble in the class. She does a lot of things pretty well but not necessarily well enough to be a true star in the pro game. A lot of blocks she gets in college won’t be there for her in the WNBA and she needs a lot of work on technique to really shine against higher level competition.



12. New York: Morgan Tuck, F, UConn

Potential star is often overlooked in favor of her more celebrated teammates. A great presence in the locker room, Tuck has to stay healthy in 2015-16 to justify a big investment from a pro team. All of the skills are there but so are a lot of questions marks.

