Dallas Wings Select UConn’s Paige Bueckers No. 1 in 2025 WNBA Draft

NEW YORK — On April 14, 2025, the Dallas Wings made a transformative move by selecting UConn superstar Paige Bueckers as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, held at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Fresh off leading the UConn Huskies to their first NCAA championship in nine years, Bueckers enters the professional ranks as one of the most decorated and anticipated prospects in recent memory.

A Star in the Making

Bueckers, a 6-foot guard from Hopkins, Minnesota, has been a household name since her high school days, where she was the top recruit of the 2020 class. Her collegiate career at UConn was nothing short of legendary, despite challenges with injuries. Over four playing seasons, she averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, shooting an impressive 53% from the field and 42% from three-point range. Her efficiency and versatility earned her three First-Team All-American honors, the 2021 Naismith Player of the Year award as a freshman, and the 2025 Wade Trophy.

Her crowning achievement came just eight days before the draft, when she guided UConn to a dominant 82-59 victory over South Carolina in the NCAA championship game. Bueckers’ performance throughout the tournament, including a career-high 40 points in a Sweet 16 win over Oklahoma, solidified her status as the consensus top pick.

Dallas’ Long-Awaited Prize

The Wings secured the No. 1 pick in the November 2024 draft lottery, a moment that sparked excitement for a franchise coming off a challenging 9-31 season. General Manager Curt Miller described draft day as “Christmas morning,” emphasizing that Bueckers was the team’s sole focus from the moment they won the lottery. “Very early on, it was Paige and Paige only,” Miller said. “She’s such a special player.”

Bueckers joins a Dallas roster headlined by four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale and bolstered by offseason acquisitions like DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris, NaLyssa Smith, and Myisha Hines-Allen. With new head coach Chris Koclanes at the helm, the Wings are poised for a rebuild—or, as Bueckers put it, “a build from where we are.” The franchise, which has made the playoffs in five of its nine seasons since relocating to Dallas in 2016, hopes Bueckers will be the cornerstone of a new era, especially as they prepare to move to a larger arena in downtown Dallas for the 2026 season.

Emotional Farewell to UConn

Draft night was bittersweet for Bueckers, who was surrounded by UConn teammates and coach Geno Auriemma in New York. “They mean everything to me,” she said, choking up as she reflected on her time at UConn. “They helped me get through highs and lows.” Bueckers became the sixth UConn player to be drafted No. 1, joining the likes of Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011), and Breanna Stewart (2016). She also made history as the sixth player to win a national title and be selected first overall in the same year, five of whom are Huskies.

Despite her accolades, Bueckers remained humble, admitting to nerves about the draft. “You don’t ever want to assume anything in life. Nothing is guaranteed,” she said. “It’s a level of excitement, nervousness, bittersweet feeling knowing my journey at UConn is over but excited for the next one to begin.”

A Bright Future in Dallas

Bueckers’ arrival comes at a pivotal moment for the WNBA, which saw record ratings, attendance, and merchandise sales in 2024. Her star power, combined with her on-court prowess, positions her to make an immediate impact. Known for her elite scoring, playmaking, and ability to defend multiple positions, Bueckers is projected by many scouts to thrive as a point guard in the pros.

For the Wings, the focus is on building a sustainable contender. “I’m coming in and wanting to give everything I have to that organization,” Bueckers said, expressing enthusiasm for the team’s new practice facility and long-term vision. Fans in Dallas are equally optimistic, with season tickets for the 2025 season selling out shortly after the lottery win.

As the WNBA’s 29th season tips off on May 16, with Dallas hosting the Minnesota Lynx, all eyes will be on Bueckers to see if she can replicate the rookie success of 2024’s No. 1 pick, Caitlin Clark. If her college career is any indication, the Wings may have just found their next superstar.

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