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 Ann Meyers Drysdale (born Ann Elizabeth Meyers; March 26, 1955) is an American former basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional level ...

from UCLA was selected first overall by the

Houston Angels The Houston Angels was a team that played for two seasons in the Women's Professional Basketball League. The team won the league championship in the inaugural season defeating the Iowa Cornets three games to two in the best-of-five tournament. The ...

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 The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...

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 Carol Ann Blazejowski (born September 29, 1956) is an American retired professional women's basketball player and the former president and General Manager of the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA ...

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 Phyllis Ann George (June 25, 1949 – May 14, 2020) was an American businesswoman, actress, and sportscaster. In 1975, George was hired as a reporter and co-host of the CBS Sports pre-show ''The NFL Today'', becoming one of the first women ...

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 Sandra Elaine Allen (June 18, 1955 – August 13, 2008) was an American woman recognized by the Guinness World Records as the tallest woman in the world. She was tall. Allen wrote a book, ''Cast a Giant Shadow''. Although over the years other ...

, the world's tallest woman at 7'7". The lone pick from outside the United States was Uljana Semjonova of the Soviet Union.

Key

College draft

Chicago Hustle

Houston Angels

Iowa Cornets

Milwaukee Does

Minnesota Fillies

New Jersey Gems

New York Stars

Dayton Rockettes

Free agent draft