New Y--uh, Minnesota Wins #1 Pick in 2010 WNBA Draft

The WNBA Draft lottery for 2010 was held today and the Minnesota Lynx have won the #1 draft pick...however, in a strange turn of events, it wasn't Minnesota's #1 pick, but New York's.

Both Minnesota and New York had finished among the bottom five teams in the WNBA and each team was eligible for a #1 Draft Pick. However, neither of those teams had the worst record - that belonged to the Sacramento Monarchs, who should have had the best statistical chance of obtaining that pick. However, New York's first round pick had fallen into Minnesota's hands via the Los Angeles Sparks.

Last year, New York traded their first round draft pick in 2010 to Los Angeles for Sidney Spencer. The Liberty Front Office hoped that Sidney Spencer would be all that was needed to insure a playoff spot for the Liberty. Instead, the Liberty tumbled to last place in the Eastern Conference and the second-worst record in the WNBA, greatly increasing the value of New York's position in the first round - which now belonged to Minnesota. Even though Sacramento had the worst record, Minnesota actually had the greater probability of getting the #1 pick - and they did, through the pick that formerly belonged to New York.

Confusing? Well, don't worry. Below is the 2010 WNBA Draft Order.

FIRST ROUND

1. Minnesota (*)
2. Sacramento
3. Connecticut
4. Minnesota
5. Chicago
6. San Antonio
7. Washington
8. Tulsa
9. Los Angeles
10. Atlanta
11. Seattle
12. Indiana
13. Los Angeles (**)

SECOND ROUND

14. Sacramento
15. New York
16. Washington (***)
17. Connecticut
18. Chicago
19. San Antonio
20. Washington
21. Tulsa
22. Los Angeles
23. Atlanta
24. Seattle
25. Indiana
26. Phoenix

THIRD ROUND

27. Sacramento
28. New York
29. Minnesota
30. Connecticut
31. Chicago
32. San Antonio
33. Washington
34. Tulsa
35. Los Angeles
36. Atlanta
37. Seattle
38. Indiana
39. Phoenix

(*) - Minnesota obtained Rafaella Masciardi and one of Los Angeles's two first round picks in exchange for Noelle Quinn. Los Angeles had obtained New York's first round draft pick - which turned out to be a lottery pick due to New York finishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference - in exchange for Sidney Spencer.

(**) - Los Angeles obtained Phoenix's first round draft pick in exchange for Temeka Johnson.

(***) - Washington obtained from Minnesota Lindsey Harding, the Lynx's #23 pick in the 2009 draft and Minnesota's second round pick in the 2010 draft for Washington's #9 and #15 picks in the 2009 Draft.