For most of its history the draft got little TV attention. In 2024, the year Caitlin Clark went first, it drew 2.45 million viewers on ESPN, then a record and 307% more than the year before. On April 13, 2026, Dallas took UConn's Azzi Fudd first overall.
| Year | No. 1 pick | Team | College | Career highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Azzi Fudd | Dallas Wings | Connecticut | 2025 NCAA champ; second straight UConn No. 1 pick for Dallas |
| 2025 | Paige Bueckers | Dallas Wings | Connecticut | 2025 NCAA champ; Wooden Award '21; 2025 WNBA ROY |
| 2024 | Caitlin Clark | Indiana Fever | Iowa | NCAA all-time scoring leader (M or W, D1); 2024 WNBA ROY |
| 2023 | Aliyah Boston | Indiana Fever | South Carolina | 2022 NCAA champ; 2023 WNBA ROY |
| 2022 | Rhyne Howard | Atlanta Dream | Kentucky | 2022 WNBA ROY |
| 2021 | Charli Collier | Dallas Wings | Texas | Rookie role player in Dallas |
| 2020 | Sabrina Ionescu | New York Liberty | Oregon | 2024 WNBA champ; 3-point contest record (37) |
| 2019 | Jackie Young | Las Vegas Aces | Notre Dame | 3× WNBA champ (22, 23, 25); 2018 NCAA champ |
| 2018 | A'ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces | South Carolina | 4× MVP (20, 22, 24, 25); 3× WNBA champ; 2025 Finals MVP; 2024 Olympic gold MVP |
| 2017 | Kelsey Plum | San Antonio Stars | Washington | 2× WNBA champ; NCAA women's career scoring leader until Clark |
| 2016 | Breanna Stewart | Seattle Storm | UConn | 2× MVP; 2× WNBA champ; 4× NCAA champ; 2× Olympic gold |
| 2015 | Jewell Loyd | Seattle Storm | Notre Dame | WNBA champ with Seattle (18, 20); 2023 scoring title |
| 2014 | Chiney Ogwumike | Connecticut Sun | Stanford | 2× All-Star; ESPN analyst |
| 2013 | Brittney Griner | Phoenix Mercury | Baylor | 2014 WNBA champ; 2× Olympic gold; career dunks record |
| 2012 | Nneka Ogwumike | Los Angeles Sparks | Stanford | 2016 MVP; 2016 WNBA champ; WNBPA president |
| 2011 | Maya Moore | Minnesota Lynx | UConn | 2014 MVP; 4× WNBA champ; activism-driven hiatus 2019+ |
| 2010 | Tina Charles | Connecticut Sun | UConn | 2012 MVP; career 6,000+ pts |
| 2009 | Angel McCoughtry | Atlanta Dream | Louisville | 5× All-Star; 2 Olympic golds |
| 2008 | Candace Parker | Los Angeles Sparks | Tennessee | 2× MVP; 3× WNBA champ (16, 21, 23); 2× NCAA champ; HOF |
| 2007 | Lindsey Harding | Phoenix Mercury | Duke | Played for several teams over a long career |
| 2006 | Seimone Augustus | Minnesota Lynx | LSU | 4× WNBA champ; 8× All-Star; HOF 2024 |
| 2005 | Janel McCarville | Charlotte Sting | Minnesota | 2011 WNBA champ (Lynx) |
| 2004 | Diana Taurasi | Phoenix Mercury | UConn | All-time WNBA scoring leader; 3× champ; 6× Olympic gold; retired 2025 |
| 2003 | LaToya Thomas | Cleveland Rockers | Mississippi State | Started career strong; traded across multiple teams |
| 2002 | Sue Bird | Seattle Storm | UConn | 4× WNBA champ; 13× All-Star; 5× Olympic gold |
| 2001 | Lauren Jackson | Seattle Storm | — | Australian; 3× MVP; 2× WNBA champ; Hall of Fame |
| 2000 | Ann Wauters | Cleveland Rockers | — | Belgian center; long career in the WNBA and Europe |
| 1999 | Chamique Holdsclaw | Washington Mystics | Tennessee | 1999 ROY; 6× All-Star; 3× NCAA champ at Tenn. |
| 1998 | Margo Dydek | Utah Starzz | — | 7'2" Polish center; dunked in WNBA; dec. 2011 |
| 1997 | Tina Thompson | Houston Comets | USC | First pick in WNBA history; 4× champ (Comets dynasty); HOF '18 |