Paige Bueckers Becomes WNBA’s Brightest Star as Dallas Wings Select UConn Phenom with Historic No. 1 Pick

WNBA Draft 2025: Paige Bueckers Goes First Overall to Dallas Wings

The highly anticipated WNBA draft took place on Monday night at the Shed in New York City, with several hundred spectators in attendance. The Dallas Wings selected Paige Bueckers, a 23-year-old guard from the University of Connecticut, with the first overall pick. This marks the sixth time a UConn player has been drafted number one, following in the footsteps of notable alumni such as Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Tina Charles, and Breanna Stewart.

According to The Guardian, Bueckers’ selection capped a dominant final season at Connecticut, where she led the Huskies to a 12th national championship just eight days prior. "You don’t ever want to assume anything in life," Bueckers said after being drafted. "It’s a fresh start and we’re all ready to do something special." Bueckers’ journey to the draft was marked by both early accolades and extended adversity, including a knee injury and a torn anterior cruciate ligament that forced her to sit out the entire 2022-23 season.

The Guardian reports that Bueckers’ brand presence has grown alongside her basketball career, becoming the first college basketball player to have a Nike sneaker named after her and holding a multi-year endorsement deal with Gatorade. She described her path to the draft as "a story of resilience, of gratitude, of adversity, of overcoming adversity," and called the moment the fulfillment of a dream first imagined at age five.

The Wings, who finished 9-31 last season, will look to build around Bueckers as a two-way playmaker known for her efficiency and court awareness. The team’s selection of Bueckers is seen as a significant move, with the potential to turn the franchise around. As reported by The Guardian, Seattle selected French teenager Dominique Malonga with the No 2 pick, while the Washington Mystics had three of the next four selections, choosing Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron, Southern California forward Kiki Iriafen, and Kentucky point guard Georgia Amoore.

The 2025 draft unfolded amid continued momentum for the WNBA, following a surge in attendance, viewership, and endorsement deals tied to college stars entering the league. Bueckers’ arrival signals another significant chapter in that growth. As noted by The Guardian, Bueckers had been earmarked as a future star long before she stepped onto a college court, drawing national attention through viral highlight reels showcasing her preternatural court vision, creative passing, and deep shooting range in AAU tournaments.

The full order of the WNBA draft can be seen below, as reported by The Guardian:

First round

1. Dallas, Paige Bueckers, G, Connecticut
2. Seattle, Dominique Malonga, C, France
3. Washington, Sonia Citron, G, Notre Dame
4. Washington, Kiki Iriafen, F, USC
5. Golden State, Juste Jocyte, G, Lithuania
6. Washington, Georgia Amoore, G, Kentucky
7. Connecticut, Aneesah Morrow, F, Louisiana State University
8. Connecticut, Saniya Rivers, F, North Carolina State
9. Los Angeles, Sarah Ashlee Barker, G, Alabama
10. Chicago, Ajsa Sivka, F, Slovenia
11. Chicago, Hailey Van Lith, G, Texas Christian University
12. Dallas, Aziaha James, G, North Carolina State

Second round

1. Las Vegas, Aaliyah Nye, G, Alabama
2. Dallas, Madison Scott, G, Mississippi
3. Minnesota, Anastasiia Olairi Kosu, F, Russia
4. Chicago, Maddy Westbeld, F, Notre Dame
5. Golden State, Shyanne Sellers, G, Maryland
6. Atlanta, Te-Hina Paopao, G, South Carolina
7. Indiana, Makayla Timpson, F, Florida State
8. Indiana, Bree Hall, G, South Carolina
9. Los Angeles, Sania Feagin, F, South Carolina
10. Chicago, Aicha Coulibaly, G, Texas A&M
11. Washington, Lucy Olsen, G, Iowa
12. Minnesota, Dalayah Daniels, F, Washington
13. Connecticut, Rayah Marshall, F, USC

Third round

1. Seattle, Serena Sundell, G, Kansas State
2. Dallas, JJ Quinerly, G, West Virginia
3. Los Angeles, Liatu King, F, Notre Dame
4. Seattle, Madison Conner, G, Texas Christian University
5. Golden State, Kaitlyn Chen, G, Connecticut
6. Dallas, Aaronette Vonleh, C, Baylor
7. Washington, Zaay Green, G, Alabama
8. Indiana, Yvonne Ejim, F, Gonzaga
9. Seattle, Jordan Hobbs, G, Michigan
10. Las Vegas, Harmoni Turner, G, Harvard
11. Atlanta, Taylor Thierry, F, Ohio State
12. Minnesota, Aubrey Griffin, F, Connecticut
13. New York, Adja Kane, F, France

Source: The Guardian

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