The Connecticut guard is the second No. 1 pick in franchise history
The Dallas Wings kicked off the 2025 WNBA draft by selecting Paige Bueckers first overall out of the University of Connecticut. This is the second time Dallas has picked at No. 1 and the first since they selected Charli Collier in 2021.
A 6’0 guard, Bueckers played parts of five seasons at UConn, where she collected numerous accolades. The 2021 National Player of the Year capped off her college career with a National Championship in the NCAA Tournament two weeks ago. She averaged 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game and shot 53.1% from the floor, 42.3% from three, and 85% from the free-throw line over 123 collegiate games.
After taking the basketball world by storm as a freshman during the 2020-2021 season, Bueckers suffered two major knee injuries that limited her to just 17 games played over her sophomore and junior years; she missed the entire 2022-2023 season. Bueckers returned for her senior year in 2023-2024 and played a career-high 39 games. She followed that up with 38 games last season in Connecticut’s run to the title.
Bueckers had been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in this draft since she decided to return to Connecticut a year ago. After the Wings won the 2025 draft lottery, there was speculation that Bueckers might use her final year of redshirt eligibility to return to school or pressure Dallas to trade the pick. But those theories lost steam over the previous few weeks, and general manager Curt Miller and president Greg Bibb selected Bueckers with the confidence she will sign in Dallas.
The Wings, who finished 9-31 in 2024, are adding Bueckers to a revamped roster. Former All-WNBA forward Satou Sabally was traded to the Phoenix Mercury in a massive four-team deal that brought DiJonai Carrington, Ty Harris, and NaLyssa Smith to Dallas. With Bueckers joining this group, the Wings will field a new supporting cast around star guard Arike Ogunbowale.