1998 WNBA expansion draft
The Women's National Basketball Association held their first expansion draft on February 18, 1998 for the Detroit Shock and the Washington Mystics. This draft allowed the two new expansion teams to select players from the existing eight WNBA teams to fill their debut rosters prior to the start of the 1998 WNBA season.
Key
Initial player allocation
Prior to the expansion draft, the WNBA allocated four players to the Detroit Shock and the Washington Mystics on January 27, 1998 in no particular order.| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team | WNBA years | Career with the franchise | Ref. |
| 1 | Cindy Brown x | F | Detroit Shock | Seattle Reign | 0 | 1998–1999 | ||
| 2 | Razija Mujanović | C | Detroit Shock | Microcamp Campinas | 0 | 1998 | ||
| 3 | Nikki McCray + ^ | G | Washington Mystics | Columbus Quest | 0 | 1998–2001 | ||
| 4 | Alessandra Santos de Oliveira | C | Washington Mystics | Comense | 0 | 1998–1999 |
Expansion draft
The following players were drafted for the rosters of the Shock and Mystics from the league's existing teams:| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | New team | Former team | WNBA years | Career with the franchise | Ref. |
| 1 | Rhonda Blades | G | Detroit Shock | New York Liberty | 1 | 1998 | ||
| 2 | Heidi Burge | F | Washington Mystics | Los Angeles Sparks | 1 | 1998 | ||
| 3 | Tajama Abraham | C | Detroit Shock | Sacramento Monarchs | 1 | 1998 | ||
| 4 | Penny Moore | F | Washington Mystics | Charlotte Sting | 1 | 1998–1999 | ||
| 5 | Tara Williams | G | Detroit Shock | Phoenix Mercury | 1 | — | ||
| 6 | Deborah Carter | F | Washington Mystics | Utah Starzz | 1 | 1998 | ||
| 7 | Lynette Woodard ^ ! | G | Detroit Shock | Cleveland Rockers | 1 | 1998 | ||
| 8 | Tammy Jackson | F/C | Washington Mystics | Houston Comets | 1 | 1998 |