After Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving joins in welcoming fellow No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers to Dallas

Paige Bueckers finally heard her name announced as the top overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft after months of anticipation from fans the the Dallas Wings. Several prominent figures in the sports world sent their congratulations to the ex-UConn Huskies player for winning a national championship to mark the end of her college years and being picked first overall, including then-Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie Irving, the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2011 NBA Draft first pick, sent a congratulatory greeting in a video message from the Dallas Wings, wishing her well on her achievement. Irving was not the only Maverick, by the way, and the only highest-drafted NBA player to do so, wishing Bueckers good wishes. Anthony Davis also took the time to express his pride in her.

In Irving's message, which was posted on Tuesday following the WNBA draft, he was in admiration of Paige Bueckers' mental toughness as she navigated through her injuries and hardships to still put together one of the more impressive college basketball resumes in recent history. He also went on to express his excitement that she will be joining him in Dallas.

"I know the city is happy, I know the state is happy," said Irving about Bueckers' arrival in Dallas. "...and I know that the women's game is only going to get better with you in it. I feel like you're going to be one of the greats that we'll be talking about when you're done playing."

Irving's high expectations for Paige Bueckers are shared by many WNBA fans, who have been anticipating her arrival to their league since she broke onto the scene as a freshman at UConn. After multiple injuries hampered her career, Bueckers is coming off a title and looking to have success in her first professional season.

How will the Dallas Wings perform in Paige Bueckers' rookie season?

Paige Bueckers was far and away the best talent in this year's draft class, and she is expected to make an instant impact with the Dallas Wings this season. She, along with the Wings, got lucky in the draft lottery, with the UConn Huskies star being paired with a mentor in Arike Ogunbowale who should help her develop her game as a lead scorer and shooter on the professional level.

Irving hinted that Paige Bueckers will help the Dallas Wings "turn the page" as they move forward, something that the team is hoping will happen quickly. The Dallas Wings don't carry a great reputation in the WNBA, especially after Satou Sabally demanded a trade, citing a poorly run front office as the reason she wanted to leave.

Paige Bueckers highlights a deep group of rookies that the Wings brought in during the draft, in which they had five picks. While the team will be centered around Bueckers and Ogunbowale in the short term, Dallas has set itself up well to have a competitive, talented roster around Bueckers as she develops into what the team hopes is one of the best players in the WNBA.