UConn star Paige Bueckers is entering the 2025 WNBA Draft, she confirmed to ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo on Friday ahead of her team’s Sweet Sixteen matchup against Oklahoma.
UConn star confirms highly-anticipated WNBA Draft decision
Paige Bueckers confirmed to ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo that she’ll be entering the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
Bueckers is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick, which the Dallas Wings currently hold. The WNBA Draft will take place on April 14 in Brooklyn, New York, after the conclusion of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
There had been rumors and speculation that Bueckers could forego that draft in hopes of landing elsewhere other than Dallas. However, the former National Player of the Year never expressed such plans, though ESPN reported after the draft lottery that Bueckers’ preferred destination was the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks held the No. 2 pick at the time, which they’ve since traded in a move that landed them Kelsey Plum.
Bueckers is in the midst of another strong season with UConn; she’s averaging 19.2 points on 54.2% shooting, with 4.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds. In the Round of 32, she had one of her best games of the season, finishing with 34 points (14-21 FG), 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 rebounds. Buckers has helped lead a UConn team that is one of the frontrunners to win the national championship.
Azzi Fudd, who recently confirmed she would not be entering the 2025 WNBA Draft, has also been a standout, as has freshman Sarah Strong.
While other players have had standout seasons, like Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron and USC’s Kiki Iriafen, it appears highly unlikely that any other player would be selected No. 1.
Paige Bueckers will join an exciting young core in Dallas
If the Wings select Bueckers, as expected, she’ll join a roster headlined by franchise scoring leader Arike Ogunbowale, forward Maddy Siegrist, and offseason acquisitions Ty Harris, DiJonai Carrington, Myisha Hines-Allen, and NaLyssa Smith.
The offseason additions were formally introduced by general manager Curt Miller earlier this week. He pointed out that the Wings don’t have a 30-year-old on the roster.
Bueckers had never expressed any plans not to enter the draft this Spring, but some wondered if she might choose to forego this season, instead play in Unrivaled, or head overseas in order to have more autonomy on where she might land.
By clarifying that she’ll be entering the draft — which is just a few weeks away — these alternative options don’t appear as likely.
See More:
