The WNBA Draft is held annually and allows teams to select from a pool of up-and-coming talented college basketball players, as well as others playing in other leagues across the world.
Who is eligible for WNBA Draft?
The league requires domestic draft entrants to be at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and to have no remaining college eligibility or to renounce any future college eligibility. These rules have been in place since 2014.
Since the WNBA draft is currently held in April, which arrives before most U.S. colleges and universities have ended their academic years, the league considers anyone scheduled to graduate in the three months after the draft to be a “graduate” for draft purposes.
The rules are slightly different for international draftees, who must be at least 20 years old during the year in which the draft takes place.
WNBA prospects must notify the league office no later than 10 days before the draft, and must renounce any remaining college eligibility to enter the draft.
How hard is it to get into the WNBA?
There are 144 roster spots available – 12 per team in a 12-team league – which means only the best players will make a team and some extremely talented players will find themselves on the outside looking in each season.
According to the WNBA, a total of 155 players played at least one game in the WNBA last season and 100 of those were first-round picks. The chances of being recruited beyond the second round are extremely unlikely, and offers some insight into why players transfered to another NCAA program instead of declaring for the draft.
While there are no restrictions on what part of the world the players come from, varying rules for international players means they are somewhat hamstrung by restrictions, which are generally tougher within the draft than for college players.
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