Mystics trade No. 1 overall pick in WNBA draft to Dream

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Dream acquired the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft from the Washington Mystics on Wednesday.

The Mystics obtained the No. 3 overall pick Monday and the No. 14 selection in the second round.

Washington also has the right to swap its 2023 first-round pick with Atlanta’s first-round pick acquired from Los Angeles on Feb. 5. The Dream traded Chennedy Carter and the rights to Li Yueru to the Sparks for Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles’ first-round draft choice next year and the No. 15 pick this season.

Atlanta still retains the No. 15 pick in the second round of the draft.

The trade gives Atlanta, which finished 8-24 last season, the first selection in the draft for only the second time in franchise history. In 2009, the Dream used the No. 1 overall pick to draft Angel McCoughtry, who led the team to the WNBA Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

McCoughtry, a five-time All-Star, and now plays for Minnesota.

Atlanta is rebuilding with new ownership and new management.

Owner Kelly Loeffler was pressured to sell her 49% stake in the team after she objected to the league’s social justice initiatives. The Dream’s new ownership group is led by real estate investor Larry Gottesdiener and includes former Dream guard Renee Montgomery.

Longtime WNBA player Tanisha Wright was hired as Atlanta’s new coach last year. Former coach Nicki Collen abruptly left the team less than two weeks before last season to become Baylor’s coach.

Washington won the WNBA draft lottery on Dec. 19 for the first time in franchise history. It also had the No. 1 overall selection in 1999, when there was no lottery.