The 1978 WBL draft was the 1st annual draft of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL).^[1] The draft was held on July 18, 1978, at the Essex House in New York City, New York,^[2] 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.^[2][3]

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^[4] 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.^[5][6]

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".^[7]

The lone pick from outside the United States was Uljana Semjonova of the Soviet Union.^[8]