The name Paige Bueckers and qualifier “projected No. 1 pick” have been synonymous since she committed to Connecticut in 2019 as the top high school recruit in America. Though the full journey took unexpected turns, including an extra season in college, it has led to the same junction.
The Dallas Wings are expected to select Bueckers as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York. It will cap a whirlwind week for the national champion after lifting her elusive NCAA trophy on Sunday in Tampa and making both morning and nighttime TV rounds to celebrate it.
Bueckers was no stranger to pressure and expectations at 12-time national champion UConn, where the game’s legends collect titles like candy on Halloween. It will be much the same in the WNBA at a time when interest is peaking, and college fans are carrying over to their favorite collegiate player’s pro team in unprecedented numbers.
[WNBA Mock Draft 2.0: Where things stand with Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen]
“We’ve always believed that we’ve had an incredible product,” Wings general manager and vice president of basketball operations Curt Miller said on a pre-draft video call Thursday. “It was just, how do we continue to get more and more eyes on our game, and more and more people through the turnstiles to get into those games? It’s so popular right now, so it’s at a really good place. I’m excited about this draft class keeping the momentum going.”
Bueckers, 23, is one of the biggest draws, an eye-catcher since her high school days in Minnesota. Her name, image and likeness valuations are among the top for women’s basketball players since it began in 2021. The first freshman to win the Naismith Award in 2021 as college basketball's best player, she has deals with major powers Nike, Gatorade, Bose, Verizon and Dunkin’ Donuts. It’s a reach those previous national champions at UConn never had, and a foundation the WNBA never benefited from when they reached the pros.
Ally Financial joined those ranks this week, signing an endorsement deal with the star nicknamed “Paige Buckets.” Despite not yet being in the league, Bueckers already featured in the company's league-based ...
