INDIANAPOLIS – For the second straight season and third time in franchise history, the Indiana Fever own the No. 3 pick in the WNBA draft, as was determined in Tuesday night’s draw in the 2019 WNBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm.
Indiana owns a top-four draft pick for the third straight season, though just the fifth time in 21 years, hoping to celebrate a return to the WNBA Playoffs when the franchise begins its 21st season in 2020. New York and Dallas secured the top two selection, with Atlanta owning the No. 4 pick behind Indiana.
“We’re excited about the outcome of tonight’s draft lottery and are confident that we will continue to build a championship franchise,” said Fever Vice President of Basketball Operations, Tamika Catchings. “We look forward to adding a top talent to an already promising core group of players.”
Teaira McCowan, last year’s No. 3 overall selection in the WNBA Draft, was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team earlier this week, joining three teammates who have earned the honor over the past five seasons – Natalie Achonwa (2015), Tiffany Mitchell (2016) and Kelsey Mitchell (2018).
After an improved 13-21 season and its third straight year out of the playoffs, Indiana owns another lottery pick in 2020. The Fever chose McCowan in 2019 and Kelsey Mitchell at No. 2 in 2018. It is the first time in Fever history that Indiana has owned a top-four selection in three consecutive seasons.
Prior to 2018, the Fever had endured a withering stretch of nearly two decades without the benefit of top draft selections and was the only franchise in league history to last more than a decade without a top-four selection.
Top Indiana Draft Picks by Overall Selection
No. 1 – none
No. 2 – Tan White, 2005; Kelsey Mitchell, 2018
No. 3 – Teaira McCowan, 2019; Tamika Catchings, 2001
No. 4 – none
FEVER DRAFT FACTS: |
| ▶️ Indiana’s top two selections in franchise history: Kelsey Mitchell was chosen with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft and Tan White was taken with the No. 2 pick in 2005.
▶️ Tamika Catchings is the only No. 3 pick in WNBA history to garner MVP honors in the regular season or Finals, and she did both. ▶️ Catchings is the only No. 3 selection in league history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. She won it five times. ▶️ A 10th overall draft pick has earned All-WNBA honors four times, all by Indianapolis product and former Fever star Katie Douglas. |
WNBA DRAFT FACTS: |
| ▶️ Since 2009, the only WNBA champion without a No. 1 draft pick on its roster was the 2012 Indiana Fever. Every other championship roster since 2010 has had at least two No. 1 draft picks.
▶️ Since 2010, no player drafted outside of the top 10 has ever earned All-WNBA honors. ▶️ Top-three picks have earned 125 out of 166 All-WNBA selections, outside of early seasons dominated by allocations. ▶️ Through 2017, nearly* every No. 1 selection has won a WNBA title, earned Rookie of the Year, or earned at least one All-WNBA selection. |
WNBA Draft 2020
An official date for the 2020 WNBA Draft has not been announced. Download the official Indiana Fever App for up-to-date draft information and prospect reports.