Monday night’s WNBA draft captured the attention of 1.5 million viewers nationwide, making it the second-most watched draft in league history, according to ESPN data.
The broadcast saw a 20% jump in viewership compared to the previous year’s draft, with audience numbers peaking at 1.79 million just before 8 p.m. Eastern Time. The increased interest stemmed from questions surrounding who would be selected first overall and UCLA’s remarkable showing following their recent NCAA championship.
The all-time viewership record remains at 2.45 million from 2024, when college basketball stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were drafted first and seventh respectively.
The Dallas Wings made UConn’s Azzi Fudd their number one selection this year. Dallas also held the top pick in the previous draft, using it to choose Fudd’s former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers, who earned WNBA Rookie of the Year honors.
UCLA’s Bruins made draft history after capturing their first NCAA championship this month, setting new records with five first-round selections and six total players drafted. The first-round picks included Lauren Betts going fourth to Washington Mystics, Gabriela Jaquez fifth to Chicago Sky, Kiki Rice sixth to expansion team Toronto Tempo, Angela Dugalic ninth to Washington Mystics, and Gianna Kneepkens 15th to Connecticut Sun. Charlisse Leger-Walker was selected 18th overall by Connecticut in the second round’s third pick.
