Paige Bueckers WNBA draft: Top 3 landing spots as UConn star reportedly declares for 2025 WNBA draft feat. Dallas Wings

On Friday, ESPN's Rebecca Lobo reported that the UConn star Paige Bueckers will enter the 2025 WNBA Draft after speculating that she could look for other options.

Bueckers has been linked to the three-on-three women's basketball league Unrivaled. She has an NIL deal with the league and owns equity. The guard is expected to play in Unrivaled in 2026, and some suggested that she may focus only on Unrivaled for a year and hold off on the WNBA draft.

NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-South Dakota State vs UConn - Source: Imagn

Now, it seems that Bueckers is prepared to be in the WNBA next season. The Huskies star is a three-time All-American and three-time Big East Player of the Year. In her final college season, Bueckers is averaging 19.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

The Huskies are a No. 2 seed in March Madness and are set to face No. 3 Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 on Saturday. Bueckers will look to pick up her first national title before beginning her WNBA career.

Many mock drafts have Bueckers as the top overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, but let's take a look at some possible landing spots for the star guard.

NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-South Dakota State vs UConn - Source: Imagn

Top 3 landing spots for Paige Bueckers

#1. Dallas Wings

The Wings have the first pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. As Bueckers is the favorite for the No. 1 pick, this seems like the most likely fit. There have been rumors that the guard doesn't want to play for the Wings, but she has not commented on this topic.

Dallas already has a solid guard in Arike Ogunbowale. The 2019 first-round pick led the team in points, assists and steals per game last season, with 22.2, 5.1 and 2.1, respectively. The Wings already have a star guard, and speculation that Bueckers doesn't want to play there could keep the team from drafting her, but it seems like Bueckers will likely find her new home in Dallas.

#2. Seattle Storm

If the Wings don't snatch up Bueckers with the first pick, Seattle might get the UConn star. The Storm has the second overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Jewell Loyd put up 19.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg for the Storm last season. Bueckers finds significantly more shooting success than Loyd and is a more dynamic defensive player.

Loyd is also a WNBA veteran with ten seasons under her belt. Bueckers could provide Seattle with a solid young guard who can be a game-changer on both sides of the ball.

#3. Washington Mystics

On the rare chance that Bueckers falls to the No. 3 spot, she would be drafted to Washington. The Mystics' top two scorers are guards, but neither has stats that compare to Bueckers.

Bueckers' current stats at UConn would make her the top scorer on the Mystics, as well as the leader in assists and steals. It seems very unlikely that Bueckers will still be available when it's Washington's turn to pick, but this would be a huge pick for the Mystics.