The 2024 WNBA Draft has finally arrived and fans are eagerly waiting for the historic night. Given Caitlin Clark’s impact on the hard court, she is the biggest name entering the draft and is widely expected to be selected as the No.1 pick.
However, before Clark, the league had seen the top selection of all-time great players who went on to dominate the league for years. While some left the big stage quite early in their careers, some remained and played for well over a decade, helping the WBNA reach its peak.
With that in mind, here are the top five No. 1 picks in the WNBA Draft history.
Top 5 No. 1 picks of all-time in WNBA History
#5 Maya Moore
It is hard to imagine the WBNA without the 34-year-old Maya Moore who has had a stellar career. One of UConn’s all-time greats declared for the 2011 Draft and was selected by the Minnesota Lynx at No.1 in the first round.
Moore played only eight seasons in the league and made it to the Finals six times, including one in her rookie season. She won four titles with the Lynx and was also declared Finals MVP in 2013. Next season, Moore won the league’s regular season MVP award, averaging 23.9 points per game.
After the 2018 season, she stepped away from basketball to help free her husband, Jonathan Irons, from prison after his wrongful conviction. She officially announced her retirement in 2023.
#4 Sue Bird
Sue Bird will always be remembered as one of the greatest players in the league and a Seattle Storm legend. Bird was one of the biggest names to come from UConn where she was also teammates with Diana Taurasi. Bird’s was selected No. 1 by the Seattle Storm in the 2002 Draft.
Bird won four tiles in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020 before her retirement. She was a thirteen-time All-Star and eight-time All-WNBA.
She is considered arguably the greatest point guard in league history and is the league’s all-time assist leader (3,234) and also the leader in total games played, regular season and playoffs.
Sue Bird played 19 seasons in the league and retired in 2022.
#3 Candace Parker
Candice Parker was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008 as the No. 1 pick. She played with the Sparks until 2020, before joining the Chicago Sky.
Parker is the only player in the league to win the Rookie of The Year and MVP award in the same season. She is a three-time champion, a Finals MVP and a two-time league MVP.
Parker has also been a Defensive Player of The Year, an assist leader and a three-time rebounding leader.
#2 Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson is one of the only few players to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. A key member in establishing the Houston Comets dynasty in the WBNA, Thompson made history as the first overall pick in the league’s first draft in 1997, selected by the Houston Comets.
Thompson is a four-time champion, a nine-time All-Star and made All-WNBA Team eight times in her career. She was the highest scorer in the league before being surpassed by Diana Taurasi and is now the second-highest scorer in the WNBA. Tina Thompson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
#1 Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi is arguably the greatest player of all time. She is a three-time NBA champion and two-time Finals MVP. She was crowned the league MVP in 2009. Taurasi is also the league’s all-time leading scorer as she continues to play at a high level.
Selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, Diana Taurasi has spent all her 19 years in the league playing for the Mercury. The 10-time All-Star was one of the crucial players to bring the Mercury to the glory and continues to do so. Taurasi is also a five-time scoring champion, the most by any player in the WNBA.
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