Paige Bueckers will be the first player to hear her name called at the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday. The Dallas Wings, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, haven't said outright that UCONN's superstar will be their selection, but... it would be the shock of all shocks if Bueckers falls past No. 1. For the sake of basketball fans in Dallas, I hope for no surprises tonight. If the basketball gods are benevolent, Buekcers will walk across the stage in a Wings hat.
After leading UCONN to its first National Championship since 2016 — which doesn't sound that long ago, but it's a lifetime in UCONN time — Bueckers is riding high in the college basketball world, and she'll keep that momentum going on Monday night as her WNBA dreams come to fruition.
Here's a quick primer for tonight's draft, which kicks off at 7:30 PM EST on ESPN.
Where is the 2025 WNBA Draft?
The draft will be at The Shed at Hudson Yards, and is open to the public for the second straight season, a great sign for the popularity of the league at large. Official tickets for the event sold out, so expect a rowdy crowd just like the NBA Draft provides.
Fans are going to show out, even though the hometown New York Liberty don't pick until the very last selection of the night — pick No. 38.
How many rounds are there in the WNBA Draft?
Three. There will be 38 picks total tonight, spread over three rounds. The Las Vegas Aces had to forfeit their first-round pick due to a WNBA investigation from 2023, which concluded the team violated league rules regarding player benefits and workplace policies. Whoops.
The Golden State Valkyries will make their first-ever selections in the WNBA Draft tonight, holding the No. 5, No. 13 and No. 30 overall picks. The Valkyries just conducted their expansion draft a few months back and have been participating in free agency like other teams, and will now make their first selections as the WNBA's 13th team.
Who will be drafted after Paige Bueckers?
After Bueckers is off the board, though, nothing seems set in stone.
The No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 picks belong to the Seattle Storm (2) and the Washington Mystics (3, 4). It's anybody's guess who those picks are. Right now, French center Dominique Malonga appears the favorite to head to Seattle, but it wouldn't be shocking if Seattle goes a different direction — maybe Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron, maybe USC forward Kiki Iriafen, or maybe a player that no one has on their radar. Let's get crazy!
Can WNBA teams trade draft picks during the draft?
No. Teams can trade picks until 5 PM the day prior to the draft, but not during the event, so the order that exists now will be the order throughout the night. Unlike the NBA, which allows teams to trade throughout its draft, the WNBA locks in its order. So there could be chaos tonight, but it won't come from trades.