WNBA (Bueckers)

Eight days after Paige Bueckers led the UConn Huskies to a National Championship over South Carolina, she was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA draft Monday.

The draft took place in Manhattan New York and featured 16 players that waited to hear their name be called, including Paige Bueckers.

People sitting at her table included her parents Bob Bueckers and Amy Fuller as well as teammate Azzi Fudd and legendary college coach Geno Auriemma.            

“You don't ever want to assume anything in life. Nothing is guaranteed, so for this moment to be here and it to actually happen, it's nerve-racking. You just have a level of excitement, nervousness, bittersweet feeling knowing that my journey at UConn is over but excited for the next one to begin. To be able to share that moment with the people sitting at my table and also the people not sitting at my table, they played a huge role in it,” Bueckers said after being selected.

The Wings went a league worst 9-31 last season, and Bueckers will be expected to step in and start immediately for the franchise. She joins star Arike Ogunbowale, 2024 most improved player Dijonai Carrington, and big Teaira McCowan as the Wings look to win their first championship in franchise history.

“I am very excited to see how Paige plays in the WNBA level. She was one of my favorite players to watch when she played at Uconn,” Newtown sophomore Elias Kolb said. 

The Seattle Storm selected 19 year old French phenom Dominique Malonga with the second overall pick. The 6’6 center that became the highest drafted player ever from France is the only player in the draft class that has dunked before in games. 

“We see Wemby or Zaccharie Risacher that show that French basketball is great, and now with the women, so me, it just shows that it's not only men French players, it's also women. It's just French basketball in general. I'm so proud just to show that today French basketball is at a level that we have never seen,” Malonga said. 

The Washington Mystics used their haul of draft picks to select Sonia Citron at third, Kiki Iriafen at fourth, and Georgia Amoore at six. Amoore suffered an ACL injury just a few days into practice with the Mystics. 

Golden State Valkyries made their first pick ever when they selected Lithuania forward Juste Jocyte. Jocyte becomes just the second player ever drafted from Lithuania and the first selected in the first round. The expansion team will make their debut Tuesday May 6th. 

The Connecticut Sun became the first team in WNBA history to lose all five of their starters this season. They lost star Dewanna Bonner in free agency and traded superstar Alyssa Thomas and stars Tyasha Harris and DiJonai Carrington. With back to back picks in the first round, they selected LSU center Aneesah Morrow and NC State guard Saniya Rivers. 

At picks nine and ten, the Los Angeles Sparks selected Alabama guard Sarah Ashlee Barker and the Chicago Sky selected Ajsa Sivka, the second player from France to go round one. 

The Chicago Sky then made some storylines as they selected Hailey Van Lith and college teammate of Sky star Angel Reese. 

“I think it’s cool that she (Angel) can play with her college teammate,” Newtown sophomore Ubay Dissa said.

“I'm just excited to get to be around her again. I think we have a lot of similarities on how we carry ourselves and our mindset on what's important to us. And she's a dog, man,” Van Lith said after being drafted. 

The Dallas Wings ended the first round by pairing guard Aziaha James from NC State with Paige and superstar forward Arike Ogunbowale.

The WNBA regular season officially will start Friday, May 16th.