The 1978 WBL draft was the 1st annual draft of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL). The draft was held on July 18, 1978, at the Essex House in New York City, New York, before the 1978–79 season.
The draft consisted of a five-round college phase of 1978 seniors and a five-round draft of free agents.
Draft selections and draftee career notes Several players decided against signing with the WBL to keep their Olympics eligibility ahead of the 1980 Olympics. Ann Meyers from UCLA was selected first overall by the Houston Angels but decided against signing with the Angels to keep her amateur status. However, in the fall of 1979, Meyers signed a no-cut $50,000 training camp contract with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. After being cut by the Pacers before the start of the regular season, she finally joined the WBL and signed with the New Jersey Gems. Carol Blazejowski also decided to keep her amateur status and did not join the league until the 1980–81 season, following the United States boycott of the 1980 Olympics.
Few of the selections where of the promotional aspect and never played a game in the WBL. The New York Stars selects CBS-Sports host Phyllis George with their last pick of the free agent draft. The Iowa Cornets selected 6'11" Gwen Bachman Hayes and the Chicago Hustle selected Sandy Allen, the world's tallest woman at 7'7".
The lone pick from outside the United States was Uljana Semjonova of the Soviet Union.
Key Pos.GFCPositionGuardForwardCenter
College draft Chicago Hustle Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 UNLV2 Boise State3 Trinity-Illinois5 Cal State-Sacramento
Houston Angels Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 G UCLA2 UNLV3 C Wayland Baptist4 Nicholls State5 Stephen F. Austin
Iowa Cornets Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 C Illinois State2 C East Stroudsburg3 Cal State-Long Beach4 Prairie View5 Miami-Dade South
Milwaukee Does Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 C Southeastern2 UCLA3 Colorado4 PG Delta State5 Eastern Kentucky
Minnesota Fillies Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 G Delta State2 Tampa3 Concordia College4 Milligan5 Eastern Montana
New Jersey Gems Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 F Mountclair State2 Immmaculata3 PG Maryland4 Stanford5 Montclair State
New York Stars Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 C Queens College2 C Southern Connecticut3 Cortland State4 St. Johns, New York5 Cortland State
Dayton Rockettes Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 Ohio State2 G/F University of Georgia3 Clemson4 Norfolk State5 Dubuaue
Free agent draft
Chicago Hustle Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 G Mississippi2 UNLV3 Middle Tennessee4 C N/A5 Mississippi College
Houston Angels Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 C Delta State2 C Stephen F. Austin3 Tennessee4 Savannah State5 Prairie View A&M
Iowa Cornets Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 C Oauchita Baptist2 Charleston, S.C. College3 Berry College4 Nebraska5 C TTT Riga
Milwaukee Does Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 Tennessee2 Mississippi University3 S.E. Louisiana State4 Michigan State5 S.W. Missouri State
Minnesota Fillies Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 Urbana2 Kentucky3 Millikin4 Western Washington5 St. Cloud State
New Jersey Gems Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 New Hampshire2 C.W. Post3 Immaculata4 Olivet-Michigan5 Drexel
New York Stars Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 F Queens College2 Arizona State (traded)3 CCNY4 Queens College5 Denton-Texas
Dayton Rockettes Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team1 University of the District of Columbia2 Shaw3 Michigan State4 Maryland5 Virginia
References