Paige Bueckers: 2025 WNBA Draft Highlights: Paige Bueckers goes #1 overall, Juste Jocyte & Aneesah Morrow surprise with unexpected destinations

2025 WNBA Draft Highlights: Paige Bueckers goes #1 overall, Juste Jocyte & Aneesah Morrow surprise with unexpected destinations

By Orlando Silva

Modified Apr 15, 2025 00:59 GMT

The 2025 WNBA draft saw Paige Bueckers go to the Dallas Wings with the No. 1 overall selection to start an entertaining first round (Image credit: Imagn)

The 2025 WNBA draft started with no surprises, as the Dallas Wings picked Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall selection. Outside of the UConn Huskies legend, there wasn't a clear destination for the rest of the players, with guards, centers, and forwards having more than one potential landing spot in the league.

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Bueckers will join forces with Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, and more in Dallas as one of the most hyped prospects in WNBA history. Behind her, nine more players filled out the top selections of the first round, as the 2025 WNBA draft made several teams more competitive ahead of the 2025 campaign.

The Seattle Storm got the No. 2 overall pick in the blockbuster trade that sent Kelsey Plum to the LA Sparks and Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces. They went with French sensation Dominique Malonga from Asvel Féminin in the Ligue Féminine de Basketball (LFB).

The Washington Mystics used the first of their back-to-back picks (three in the first six selections) in Sonia Citron, a guard from Notre Dame. They followed with Kiki Iriafen of the USC Trojans with the No. 4 overall selection.

The brand-new WNBA franchise Golden State Valkyries picked at No. 5. They went with American-born Lithuanian shooting guard/small forward Juste Jocyte in one of the first surprising selections of the night. ESPN had the Valkyries picking Aneesah Morrow from LSU, but they went with another member of ASVEL Feminin.

The Mystics continued their night by picking Georgia Amoore out of the Kentucky Wildcats with the No. 6 overall selection.

At No. 7, the Connecticut Sun selected Aneesah Morrow out of the LSU Tigers, who was projected to be selected earlier. The Sun also had the No. 8 pick, which they used on Saniya Rivers from North Carolina State.

The LA Sparks chose guard Sarah Ashlee Barker from Alabama with the No. 9 pick of the 2025 WNBA draft.

To close out the top 10, the Chicago Sky went with another international player, Ajsa Sivka from Slovenia.

What's next for Paige Bueckers after the 2025 WNBA draft?

Once the 2025 WNBA draft finishes and she's introduced as a Dallas Wings player, Paige Bueckers will begin her preparations for the upcoming season.

They will play two preseason games, first on May 2 against the Las Vegas Aces and then on May 10 against the Toyota Antelopes of the Women's Japan Basketball League.

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The Wings are scheduled to start the 2025 WNBA season on May 16 against the 2024 WNBA Finals runners-up. Bueckers' fast-paced transition to the W will continue in a little over a month since being drafted. Many hope to see her bring her magic from the get-go.

About the author

Orlando Silva joined the Sportskeeda team in 2024 as a member of the NBA roster as an analyst. After completing his bachelor's in English studies in 2016, he decided to pursue a career in sports journalism. Being an avid fan of the NBA, Orlando has covered the league for five years now, with a big focus on trending stories, the latest rumors and reports.
He's expanded his area of expertise to the NFL, one of his biggest passion since discovering the competition in 2007.

Orlando is a huge fan of the San Antonio Spurs, and his favorite player of all time is Tim Duncan. Of course, Greg Popovich is his favorite coach of all time and Victor Wembanyama is already his favorite player in the league. In the NFL, he supports the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.

Besides being a writer, Orlando is also an entrepreneur while pursuing a music production career.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra