Minnesota Lynx Win Top Pick in 2011 WNBA Draft
NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2010 – The Minnesota Lynx won the tenth annual WNBA Draft Lottery and earned the top pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft, the league announced today.
Minnesota had 380 chances out of 1,000 to receive the first overall selection by virtue of owning Connecticut’s combinations (104) in addition to its own (276). The Lynx’ 276 combinations were the result of finishing 13-21 during the 2010 regular season in which Minnesota lost the series tie-breaker and the No. 4 playoff seed to Los Angeles. The additional 104 chances were the result of a Draft Day trade with the Connecticut Sun last April that saw Connecticut send its 2011 first round pick to Minnesota in exchange for the rights to Kelsey Griffin. Connecticut ultimately missed the playoffs with a 17-17 regular season record.
Minnesota won the lottery with a combination earned by its regular season record, not by virtue of the trade with Connecticut.
The Tulsa Shock, who had 442 chances out of 1,000, will have the second pick in the Draft followed by the Chicago Sky, who had 178 chances. Minnesota, by virtue of its trade with Connecticut, will also have the fourth pick.
WNBA officials and a representative from the accounting firm of Ernst & Young conducted the Draft Lottery in New York City to establish the order of selection for the first four picks of the 2011 WNBA Draft. The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third round is determined by inverse order of the teams’ respective regular-season records.
The following are results of the 2011 WNBA Draft Lottery:
*From trade with Connecticut Sun
Minnesota had 380 chances out of 1,000 to receive the first overall selection by virtue of owning Connecticut’s combinations (104) in addition to its own (276). The Lynx’ 276 combinations were the result of finishing 13-21 during the 2010 regular season in which Minnesota lost the series tie-breaker and the No. 4 playoff seed to Los Angeles. The additional 104 chances were the result of a Draft Day trade with the Connecticut Sun last April that saw Connecticut send its 2011 first round pick to Minnesota in exchange for the rights to Kelsey Griffin. Connecticut ultimately missed the playoffs with a 17-17 regular season record.
Minnesota won the lottery with a combination earned by its regular season record, not by virtue of the trade with Connecticut.
The Tulsa Shock, who had 442 chances out of 1,000, will have the second pick in the Draft followed by the Chicago Sky, who had 178 chances. Minnesota, by virtue of its trade with Connecticut, will also have the fourth pick.
WNBA officials and a representative from the accounting firm of Ernst & Young conducted the Draft Lottery in New York City to establish the order of selection for the first four picks of the 2011 WNBA Draft. The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third round is determined by inverse order of the teams’ respective regular-season records.
The following are results of the 2011 WNBA Draft Lottery:
| 2011 WNBA DRAFT LOTTERY ORDER | ||
| Team | Record | Chances (out of 1,000) |
| Minnesota | 13-21 | 276 |
| Tulsa | 6-28 | 442 |
| Chicago | 14-20 | 178 |
| Minnesota* | 17-17 | 104 |
*From trade with Connecticut Sun
| REMAINING ORDER FOR FIRST ROUND | |
| Team | Record |
| Los Angeles | 13-21 |
| San Antonio | 14-20 |
| Tulsa from Phoenix | 15-19 |
| Atlanta | 19-15 |
| Indiana | 21-13 |
| New York | 22-12 |
| Washington | 22-12 |
| Seattle | 28-6 |
