1999 WNBA expansion draft

Last updated
1999 WNBA expansion draft
General information
SportBasketball
Date(s)April 6, 1999
Overview
League WNBA
Expansion teams Minnesota Lynx
Orlando Miracle
  1998
2000  

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) held their second expansion draft on April 6, 1999 for the Minnesota Lynx and the Orlando Miracle. [1] [2] This draft allowed the two new expansion teams to select players from the existing WNBA teams to fill their debut rosters prior to the start of the 1999 WNBA season.

Contents

In December 1998, the American Basketball League (ABL) folded. [3] The 90 players from the ABL's eight teams (except Kristin Folkl and Nykesha Sales who were allocated to the new WNBA expansion teams by the WNBA) were eligible for the 1999 WNBA draft. [2]

Key

Pos.GFC
Position GuardForwardCenter
 !Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
^Denotes player who has been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
*Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-WNBA Team
+Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game

Initial player allocation

Prior to the expansion draft, the WNBA allocated two players to the Minnesota Lynx and the Orlando Miracle on September 15, 1998 in no particular order.

PickPlayerPositionNationalityTeamSchool / club teamWNBA years [a] Career with the franchise [b] Ref.
1 Kristin Folkl FFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Stanford Cardinal 0 19992000 [4]
2 Nykesha Sales *G/F Orlando Miracle UConn Huskies 19992007 [1]

Expansion draft

The following players were drafted for the rosters of the Lynx and Miracle from the league's existing teams on April 6, 1999:

PickPlayerPositionNationalityNew teamFormer teamWNBA years [a] Career with the franchise [b] Ref.
1 Brandy Reed +FFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Phoenix Mercury 1 1999 [5]
2 Andrea Congreaves Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Orlando Miracle Charlotte Sting 2 1999
3 Kim Williams GFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Utah Starzz 2
4 Kisha Ford Orlando Miracle New York Liberty 2 1999
5 Octavia Blue Minnesota Lynx Los Angeles Sparks 1
6 Yolanda Moore FOrlando Miracle Houston Comets 2 1999
7 Adia Barnes Minnesota Lynx Sacramento Monarchs 1 1999
8 Adrienne Johnson GOrlando Miracle Cleveland Rockers 2 19992000;
20022003
9No selection [c] Detroit Shock [6]
10 Washington Mystics

Post-expansion draft player allocation

After the expansion draft, the WNBA allocated an additional two players to the Minnesota Lynx and the Orlando Miracle on May 3, 1999.

PickPlayerPositionNationalityNew teamFormer teamWNBA years [a] Career with the franchise [b] Ref.
1 Katie Smith * ^ !G/FFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Columbus Quest (ABL)0 19992005 [4]
2 Shannon Johnson *G Orlando Miracle 19992003 [1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Number of years played in the WNBA prior to the draft
  2. 1 2 3 Number of years played for expansion franchise that drafted player
  3. Players from the rosters of the Detroit Shock and Washington Mystics were ineligible to be drafted.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Building The Miracle". WNBA. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Aces History: Feeling A Draft (1999)". WNBA. February 15, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  3. Williams, Lena (April 2, 1999). "Former Team Official Recounts the A.B.L.'s Dizzying Descent" . Retrieved June 19, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Nelson, Joe (April 22, 2018). "20 facts celebrating 20 years of the Minnesota Lynx". Bring Me the News. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  5. "1999 WNBA Expansion Draft". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  6. "Shock: EnShocklopedia D". WNBA. Retrieved June 18, 2025. The Detroit Shock did not lose any players in the 1999 Expansion Draft.