How Paige Bueckers could pull the strings to avoid imminent Dallas Wings selection

Dallas Wings fans celebrated when their team got the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, likely resulting in generational talent Paige Bueckers coming to the franchise.

UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers reacts after her basket against South Florida. Photo: Imagn

The UConn standout is widely considered to be the top prospect in the draft, but a scenario may alter Dallas’ draft plans next year.

The Wings struggled in the 2024 season, finishing with a 9-31 record. Given their issues, Bueckers may opt not to join Dallas in next year's draft and delay her move to the pro circuit for one more season.

Paige Bueckers can return to UConn for the 2025-26 NCAA season

Fans on social media pointed out Bueckers has an additional season of eligibility after the 2024-25 campaign.

She was afforded that extra year after joining UConn in 2020 during the COVID pandemic and missing the entire 2022-23 season because of a knee injury.

Bueckers choosing to come back to school is a possibility with her reported WNBA preference being the Los Angeles Sparks instead of the Wings. The Sparks missed out on the No. 1 overall pick despite finishing with the worst record in the 2024 season.

Another thing that may sway Bueckers' decision to return to Storrs for another year is if her quest to win an NCAA title remains unfulfilled. She had a spectacular freshman season with UConn but the Huskies were upset by Arizona in the Final Four in 2021.

Bueckers and UConn reached the national championship game a year later but the Huskies once again fell short, losing to South Carolina.

The star showed no signs of the knee injury that sidelined her for UConn's 2022-23 campaign, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game in her junior season.

Bueckers led UConn to the Final Four once again in the 2023-24 season, but her title dreams ended against No. 1 seed Iowa.

Bueckers off to great start in 2024-25 NCAA season

Bueckers' bid to lead the Huskies to their 12th NCAA Tournament championship this 2024-25 season is off to a great start with UConn remaining undefeated after three games.

UConn guard Paige Bueckers drives the ball against South Florida's Mama Dembele. Photo: Imagn

The Huskies crushed Boston University and South Florida by an average of 45.5 points before beating No. 14 North Carolina 69-58.

Bueckers has been on fire to start the season, averaging 21.3 ppg. She helped coach Geno Auriemma achieve a record-tying 1,216th career victory in women's basketball on Friday, scoring 29 points in the win against the Tar Heels.