The Dallas Wings hit the jackpot this offseason when they earned the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The lottery system was good to them, as they did not have the league's worst record last year, but they were given the coveted selection anyway.
This twist of fate awarded them not only one of the best, but also one of the most exciting and popular players in women's basketball, fifth-year UConn guard Paige Bueckers. She was the obvious choice all season, and this came to fruition when she was taken in last month's draft.
If you look at Bueckers' playing history, it stands to reason that she could be one of the best players in the WNBA already during her rookie season. When she transitioned to college, she immediately became the top player in the country, and she could replicate this success in her first professional season. That's why we have her ranked in the top 20 in our WNBA35, ranking the top players in the WNBA before the 2025 season.
READ MORE: FanSided's WNBA35, ranking the best players in the WNBA this season
Paige Bueckers is ready to shine as a rookie
Bueckers was the top recruit in the country coming out of high school, and she immediately made an impact for Coach Geno Auriemma and the Huskies. Despite four other WNBA talents on the team, she stepped in and won every individual award possible. She was the consensus best player in the country as a freshman, beating out players like Caitlin Clark, Rhyne Howard and Aliyah Boston.
She had the weight of the world on her shoulders given the high expectations placed on her personally, as well as the pressure of playing for a historic program with an elite tradition like UConn. However, Bueckers, even at a young age, proved to be unflappable, and now, she has been through even more.
After her elite freshman campaign, injuries plagued her next two college seasons. Once she was finally healthy again, she came out and averaged nearly 22 points per game, as well as 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists. She took her game to another level during her final season, averaging 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest, leading a loaded UConn squad to a National Championship victory.
The point is simple: Bueckers performs her best when the most is expected of her. As the first overall pick and one of the most popular players in the WNBA already, she has the perfect opportunity to exceed expectations as a young player once again.
Her 3-point shooting ability will always be one of her strongest assets, but Bueckers can truly do anything she wants on a basketball court. She is crafty with finding angles and space in the mid-range, and her height and length are an asset as she drives to the rim.
Bueckers has incredible vision and delivers great passes to her teammates when she gets collapsed on, and she takes great care of the ball despite her high usage. She is patient in setting up the offense and has both incredible experience and great coaching on her side.
She is also long and athletic, which allows her to be a great defender both on the ball and in help situations. Her instincts are top-notch, which allows her to get steals and both block and alter shots.
As a rookie, she will step into a great situation, as Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith are a great supporting cast. Ogunbowale can take the pressure off of her by scoring in isolation, and both Carrington and Smith are great at making themselves available, so they'll benefit from the attention that Bueckers gets.
Much will be expected of Bueckers during her rookie season, as was the case for Caitlin Clark on the Indiana Fever last year. With a long leash from her coach and a crew of strong teammates, Bueckers can be one of the best players in the league as a rookie, and she is absolutely worthy of a spot in the top 20 of our rankings.