The Phoenix Mercury will select fifth in the 2009 WNBA Draft, the club announced today. Phoenix was one of five non-playoff teams who participated in the WNBA Draft Lottery today in New York City, which established the first five picks in the draft.

“We certainly think we’re in a good position to select a player who can add another dynamic to the team next season,” said Mercury General Manager Ann Meyers Drysdale. “We’re excited to see how the college season and free agency situation unfold in the offseason. We’re confident that we’ll be able to make good use of our fifth pick.”

“There is a plethora of talented players who will be available in the 2009 Draft,” said Mercury Head Coach Corey Gaines. “I’m sure we’ll be able to add a great young talent to our roster.”

For the first time in WNBA history, the lottery assigned draft picks in order of the chances each team had of being drawn. The Atlanta Dream, which had the highest chance of being selected at 420 out of 1,000, was selected first, followed by the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky. The remaining two picks were automatically assigned based on 2008 finish, which gave the Minnesota Lynx the fourth pick after finishing behind Phoenix in last year’s standings. In yesterday’s dispersal draft of the Houston Comets’ roster, the Mercury selected guard/forward Sequoia Holmes with the fifth pick. Holmes averaged 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 17 games for the Comets during her rookie campaign in 2008.

Phoenix, which has had a top five selection in the first round of the WNBA Draft in six of the last seven seasons, will select fifth for the first time in franchise history. Two seasons ago, Phoenix received the first pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft despite owning just a 2.5 percent chance. The Mercury traded that pick for veteran Center Tangela Smith.