UConn Star Paige Bueckers Chosen No. 1 In WNBA Draft By Dallas Wings

UConn star Paige Bueckers was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City.

The 5-foot-11 Bueckers is the sixth No. 1 pick in UConn history, joining Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011) and Breanna Stewart (2016).

“Just an overwhelming sense of gratitude,” Bueckers told ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “It’s super surreal just being here with other other draft invitees, my teammates are here, my family’s here. Just super grateful. I’ve been focusing on staying present, staying where my feet are, and to be here right now, I’m just extremely blessed.”

She added: “Everybody has invested a lot in me and part of me wanting to give back to them is to show that I can be better, and that all their hard work helped me get to this stage. So I didn’t do it alone. It took a village. So I’m extremely grateful for them.”

Bueckers was followed in the Draft by French center Dominique Malonga at No. 2 to Seattle, Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron at No. 3 to Washington, USC forward Kiki Iriafen at No. 4 Washington, and Lithuanian shooting guard Juste Jocyte at No. 5 to Golden State.

Asked what advice he would give any coach who called him on Bueckers, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said on ESPN: “Be ready for her to challenge you, and you should challenge her. She’s going to be a risk-taker and you’re going to have to live with some of the risks because most times they actually pay off. And at the end of the day, just keep in mind that she wants to win just as much as you do, and she’ll spend more time in the gym than you do so it’s a home run for both of them.”

Dallas also added N.C. State guard Aziaha James with the No. 12 pick. The 5-foot-9 senior averaged 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Bueckers capped her collegiate career by leading the Huskies to the 2025 NCAA Championship. In her four seasons playing at UConn, Bueckers took the Huskies to four Final Fours, two National Championship game appearances and eight BIG EAST titles.

The Hopkins, Minn., native is UConn’s leader in career scoring average (19.8 points per game) and ranks No. 3 in career points (2,439).

In her final season in 2024-25, Bueckers led the Huskies with 19.9 points on a .534/.419/.889 shooting split. She also led UConn with 4.6 assists per game and posted a 3.52 assist-turnover ratio, the highest single-season total by a Husky.

Bueckers has been a record setter since arriving to Storrs in 2020. She became the first-ever freshman to earn the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, AP National Player of the Year and USBWA National Player of the Year in 2021.

As the 2025 Wade Trophy winner, Bueckers has won every major national player of the year award.

Bueckers was a three-time BIG EAST Player of the Year and the first-ever three-time BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player. She was also a three-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection.

Bueckers holds the UConn record for most points in NCAA Tournament games (477), which ranks third nationally.

Bueckers graduated in May 2024 with a degree in human development and family sciences.

Bueckers is UConn’s 48^th WNBA college draft selection and the 28^th first-round selection for the program.

WNBA training camps begin April 27. The 2025 regular season begins on May 16.

GATORADE CELEBRATES BUECKERS

Gatorade dropped a Paige Bueckers tribute, “Moving Day,” on social to celebrate her recent national championship, historic collegiate career and journey to come.

Earlier Monday, Gatorade unveiled an out-of-home advertisement with the copy “Sweat Lost. W Earned.” in Times Square, NYC, honoring the hard work she’s put in to reach this monumental milestone.

With Bueckers joining the Dallas Wings, Gatorade adds another game-changer to its elite WNBA roster, which also includes Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson and Kahleah Copper.

Gatorade has supported Bueckers throughout her athletic journey dating back to her being the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year in 2020 and officially joining the roster as the brand’s first college athlete in 2021. She’s also been featured in Gatorade’s college basketball campaigns the past two years, including “The Take” and “You Can Too.”