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2025 WNBA Draft averages 1.25 million viewers, second-highest ratings ever

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•about 12 hours•

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Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers at the 2025 WNBA Draft
© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Last year, the WNBA Draft shattered TV ratings records as Caitlin Clark went No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever. The 2025 draft didn’t quite reach those heights, but still drew the second-highest viewership in history.

Monday’s draft averaged 1.25 million viewers, ESPN announced. That includes a peak of 1.46 million and, although it was about half the viewership from last year, the event sits as only the second draft to ever reach 1 million viewers.

The 2025 WNBA Draft also marked the second straight year one of college women’s basketball’s biggest stars went atop the board as a generational talent. UConn guard Paige Bueckers, fresh off a national championship, became the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Wings as expected.

The quick turnaround for the WNBA Draft, as well as regular-season games in mid-May, allows the league to continue the positive momentum from the college season. This year’s NCAA Tournament saw a viewership surge, culminating with 8.5 million people watching UConn’s victory over South Carolina in the title game.

While it was down from the Clark-fueled 2024 height, it was still a significant increase from the two teams’ previous matchup in 2022 when 4.85 million people tuned in as South Carolina defeated UConn in the championship. It also came on the heels of a strong showing in the Final Four as 3.9 million people tuned in on average.

WNBA capitalizing on NIL success

Plenty of household names who thrived in the NIL space in college went atop the 2025 WNBA Draft board, continuing last year’s trend. Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink and Angel Reese were among the notable stars to go in the first round of the 2024 class, and 2025 had some headliners, as well.

Paige Bueckers was the biggest name on the board, ending her college career with an On3 NIL Valuation of $1.5 million to sit No. 2 in the college women’s basketball NIL rankings and No. 58 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and de facto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.

Former TCU star Hailey Van Lith also went off the board as the No. 11 pick to the Chicago Sky. She ended her college career with a top-five On3 NIL Valuation in women’s basketball fueled by 1.7 million followers on social media.

But given the quick turnaround before the draft – UConn won the national championship eight days earlier – the WNBA is in position to capitalize on the college game’s success. In addition, those same stars also were able to build relationships with some of the league’s big partners, further enhancing their reach.

“To an extent, NIL really helped elevate and market players with these big brands,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said when asked by On3 about the impact NIL has on the league. “And then, they come into the W and you have Ally stepping up and endorsing these players because all NIL is in pros are endorsements. … Really proud of being able to continue to build these brands not just in local and domestic brands, but global brands.”