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1999 WNBA expansion draft

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1999 WNBA expansion draft
General information
SportBasketball
Date(s)April 6, 1999
Overview
LeagueWNBA
Expansion teamsMinnesota 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.

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

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Pos. G F C
Position Guard Forward Center
! 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

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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.

Pick Player Position Nationality Team School / club team WNBA years[a] Career with the franchise[b] Ref.
1 Kristin Folkl F  United States Minnesota Lynx Stanford Cardinal 0 1999–2000 [4]
2 Nykesha Sales * G/F Orlando Miracle UConn Huskies 1999–2007 [1]

Expansion draft

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

Pick Player Position Nationality New team Former team WNBA years[a] Career with the franchise[b] Ref.
1 Brandy Reed + F  United States Minnesota Lynx Phoenix Mercury 1 1999 [5]
2 Andrea Congreaves  United Kingdom Orlando Miracle Charlotte Sting 2 1999
3 Kim Williams G  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 F Orlando Miracle Houston Comets 2 1999
7 Adia Barnes Minnesota Lynx Sacramento Monarchs 1 1999
8 Adrienne Johnson G Orlando Miracle Cleveland Rockers 2 1999–2000;
2002–2003
9 No selection[c] — — — Detroit Shock — — [6]
10 — — — Washington Mystics — —

Post-expansion draft player allocation

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

Pick Player Position Nationality New team Former team WNBA years[a] Career with the franchise[b] Ref.
1 Katie Smith * ^ ! G/F  United States Minnesota Lynx Columbus Quest (ABL) 0 1999–2005 [4]
2 Shannon Johnson * G Orlando Miracle 1999–2003 [1]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Number of years played in the WNBA prior to the draft
  2. ^ a b c 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

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  1. ^ a b c "Building The Miracle". WNBA. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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.
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