Bueckers joins the Wings’ lineup, aiming to revitalize the team after a tough season.
DALLAS β Welcome to Dallas, Paige!
Monday night, it came at noΒ surprise when the 6-foot guard from UConn, Paige Bueckers, was selected by the Dallas Wings with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA.
Given her historic career at UConn and her generational talent, the Wings taking Bueckers was the no-brainer of all no-brainers. No franchise needed the excitement Bueckers brings more than Dallas, which ended last season with the second-worst record in the league.
However, on the eve of the draft, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews reported that the UConn star is expected to commit to a deal with the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, which holds its season during the WNBA offseason.
Per the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, Bueckers would make $78,831 in her first year, given she goes first. According to ESPN, her starting salary for the 10-week Unrivaled season will exceed what she would make during her first four years in the WNBA.
Bueckers eclipsed her collegiate basketball career on April 6 by contributing 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists to UConn’s 82-59 win over South Carolina, which awarded the Huskies, and coach Geno Auriemma, their 12th national title in school history and first since 2016.
Bueckers is among 16 prospects who are attending the draft. The group includes TCU’s guard Hailey Van Lith, who helped lead the Horned Frogs to its first Elite Eight appearance in school history. Dominique Malonga of France and AjsΜa Sivka of Slovenia are the two international players who were invited to attend the draft.
In addition to the No. 1 pick, Dallas also has Nos. 12, 14, 27 and 31.Β
βWe are thrilled to welcome Paige to the Dallas Wings,β said Head Coach Chris Koclanes. βIt takes a special person to be able to navigate the daily pressures and expectations she faces and consistently deliver with the gratitude and grace that she has. I look forward to empowering her to be herself and to be a rookie as she begins this next chapter.
As the remainder of the picks are harder to project, look for the Wings to supplement their fresh roster with players who are able and willing to do more than their assigned roles.
Seattle Storm has the second pick, and the Washington Mystics will control the direction of the draft, having the third, fourth and sixth picks. The Golden State Valkyries are entering the league as an expansion franchise and have the fifth pick in the draft. Five teams donβt have picks in the opening round as New York, Indiana, Phoenix and Atlanta all traded away their picks.
The Wings have made several adjustments to their staff in the offseason, hiring Chris KoclanesΒ to replace Latricia Trammel and added Curt MillerΒ as their general manager. Then, in late March, the team introduced DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Tyasha Harris and Myisha Hines-Allen to the lineup.
“We will create a space where Paige and all our players can lead from where they are. Leaning on her experiences at UConn, I believe she can have an immediate impact in helping us cultivate and establish a strong foundation that will lead to success in Dallas for years to come,” Coach Koclanes said.
With the addition of Bueckers, the team will be led by Wings’ guard Arike Ogunbowale, who was named to the All-WNBA Second Team last season, during which she also became the organization’s all-time career scoring leader.
The Wings’ first preseason game is scheduled for May 2 against the Las Vegas Aces. The team’s regular-season opener is scheduled for May 16, when Dallas welcomes the Minnesota Lynx at the College Park Center.
Starting May 10, fans can watch Wings games for free over the air on KFAA this season.
Dallas Wings season tickets and single-game tickets can be purchasedΒ here.
