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WNBA Draft - English
Paige Buckers left an indelible mark on college basketball, finishing her stellar run at UConn as a national champion and the consensus top prospect in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The 23-year-old guard’s final chapter with the Huskies was nothing short of spectacular, culminating in a title game win over South Carolina, where she scored 17 points in the championship game after setting a Husky record for points in an NCAA Tournament single game with 40 against Oklahoma. Those efforts pushed her NCAA Tournament scoring total to 477 points, placing her third all-time behind Caitlin Clark (491) and Chamique Holdsclaw (479). Over her four-year collegiate career, Bueckers averaged 20.0 points per game and shot 42.4% from three-point range, a stat line that underscores her efficiency and versatility.
She leaves UConn as a national champion, the only freshman to ever win the Naismith Women’s Player of the Year award and having led the team to four straight Final Four appearances, joining the likes of Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore, some Husky icons who also claimed the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft after championship seasons. Next Monday, April 14, Bueckers will follow in their footsteps when the Dallas Wings call her name with the first overall pick.
A New Chapter: Bueckers’ Shift to the Pros
As Bueckers prepares for the WNBA, her transformation is already underway, both on and off the court. She recently traded in her iconic double braids-a fixture of her UConn identity-for a sleek ponytail, a change she casually dismissed as a one-time thing due to her hairstylist’s absence. But in an interview Thursday, she hinted at something bigger: “I think it’s time for a change. The braids have had a good run.” That wasn’t the only update – her Instagram bio now links to a personal website, a clear sign that she’s embracing her professional future.
Bueckers has been laying the groundwork for years, racking up NIL deals with heavyweights like Nike, Gatorade, Bose, and Verizon, pushing her valuation to a cool $1.4 million. With UConn at the top of the NIL Store’s 2024 revenue list, her star power is undeniable. But time is of the essence: WNBA training camps open April 27, just weeks after her college finale, and the regular season begins May 16. This whirlwind transition will require a quick adjustment as she steps into the professional spotlight. After what happened with the NBA team in Dallas after Luka Doncic’s trade, the city is ready to welcome Paige with open arms. She has all the tools to make an immediate impact, the Dallas fans are ready, the league is watching, and Buckers seems ready to deliver. Her metamorphosis is just beginning, and if her college days are any indication, the pros won’t know what hit them.
The Draft Spotlight: High Hopes in Dallas
The 2025 WNBA Draft is shaping up to be a defining moment, with Bueckers poised to headline the night as the Dallas Wings‘ top pick. Fans in Dallas are buzzing, dreaming of a rookie season similar to Caitlin Clark’s stunning debut with the Indiana Fever last year. Clark’s Rookie of the Year campaign set the bar high, shattering records and turning heads around the league. I get it-folks may be tired of hearing Caitlin Clark’s name in the same breath, but after her unreal NCAA run and splash as a pro, comparing her to a talent like Bueckers feels inevitable.
They are on a collision course to meet again soon, this time as pros, with Bueckers expected to pair with Arike Ogunbowale in the Wings’ backcourt. Mark your calendars for Friday, June 27 – this matchup will be must-see TV. But for Bueckers to shine, she’ll have to carve her own path, stepping out of Clark’s towering shadow while living up to the lofty expectations that come with the No. 1 pick.
Beyond Buckers, the draft is filled with intrigue. The Washington Mystics, armed with new leadership and the third, fourth and sixth picks, hold serious sway over the class. After Dallas selects Bueckers, the Seattle Storm are expected to snag Dominique Malonga, a 6-foot-6 French center who’s dominating for Lyon with 15.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. The Mystics could target USC’s Kiki Iriafen, a former teammate of JuJu Watkins, with one of their early picks. Five teams – New York, Indiana, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Atlanta – traded away their first-round picks, narrowing the field. For Buckers, though, the focus remains on Dallas, where she’s expected to start a new era alongside Ogunbowale.
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