The WNBA Draft is just over a month away but there is almost no consensus on who the Dallas Wings will select with the No. 1 overall pick. Several players are currently in the running, but the race is neck and neck.
Luckily, the NCAA Tournament is just around the corner. This will give professional teams the opportunity to scout and evaluate the top players in the draft when the lights are brightest and the stakes are highest.
Dallas truly cannot go wrong with the pick, as the three women at the top of the board all have the potential to be stars in the WNBA. But the Wings do not need this player just to be good; they need them to complement their current players perfectly.
Arika Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington figure to be the main catalysts for the team, at least in the short term, but this young player will eventually need to become the face of the franchise. With a good showing in March Madness, any of the three following players could make a strong case for themselves to be the No. 1 pick come April 14.
Which players could be the No. 1 pick with a good March Madness showing?
1. Olivia Miles, G, Notre Dame
Miles has been a key contributor for the Fighting Irish since she first stepped on the floor as a freshman in 2020. After missing all of last season due to injury, she picked up right where she left off in 2024, averaging 16.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The best part about Miles is that, despite suffering a setback, she has improved every season and has the upside that a team drafting No. 1 would want to see in a prospect.
She can play both guard spots at 5-foot-10, but her ability to be a primary ball handler and create for others would work incredibly well alongside Ogunbowale and Carrington. While Hannah Hidalgo has been Notre Dame's best player this season, the team may need to lean on their veterans during the postseason. That would present the perfect opportunity for Miles to step up and make a case for herself as the top pick in the draft.
2. Sonia Citron, G/F, Notre Dame
Citron has been a steady force for Notre Dame all season. Her numbers may not pop off the page at 13.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, but she is a do-it-all-player who excels on both ends of the floor. The lengthy, 6-foot-1 New York native averages 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game as well and is considered a pivotal piece of a stifling Fighting Irish defense. If she can have a string of great performances and lead her team on a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, she too could end up as the first overall pick.
The best aspect of Citron's game is her versatility. She can play both shooting guard and small forward, and she has a solid 3-point stroke that can be developed even more at the next level. She is the youngest player at the top of the draft board, which means she has more time to grow as a player. She may play a similar position to Ogunbowale and Carrington, but that just means that she has great players to model her game after and it could be an easier transition to the next level.
3. Paige Bueckers, G, UConn
Bueckers has been one of the most talked about players in college basketball for several seasons now. Despite an injury that caused her to miss a season and a half, she is still the betting favorite to be drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings next month. She was the AP National Player of the Year as a true freshman in 2021, beating out Caitlin Clark, Dana Evans and Rhyne Howard. Her unique skillset and ability will not always be demonstrated on the stat sheet; it can truly only be understood by watching her play.
The 6-foot combo guard from Hopkins, Minnesota, would be an excellent addition to the Wings' starting lineup. Oftentimes, Dallas felt rudderless last season, but Bueckers is the kind of player who can right the ship immediately. She is experienced, poised and confident, and she can do everything on the basketball court. Truly, the No. 1 selection is hers to lose, so if she can just play near the level that she has all year during March Madness, she should be a Dallas Wing on April 14.