"Paige Bueckers would lose all her motion if she did this": Fans react to insider predicting UConn star's bold WNBA move, citing Dallas 'instability'

UConn star Paige Bueckers is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft this year. However, on “The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show” on Tuesday, The Athletic's Sabreena Merchant predicted that Bueckers would not declare for the WNBA draft this year.

Fans on X (formerly called Twitter) responded, with some calling out the idea.

One fan tweeted that the idea would be bad for Bueckers to stay back in college:

“Paige would lose all her motion if she did this lmfao. 24 years old (next season) and called a generational talent but you still playing against Holy Cross. Not feeling it. It’s time to move on.”

Other fans felt the same way.

“There is no legitimate buzz about Paige not wanting to go to Dallas. That is totally fan driven,” a fan tweeted.

“Paige Bueckers has to declare for the draft. Waiting an extra year for a higher rookie salary doesn’t matter as she makes so much from endorsements…,” another fan added.

“The only valid argument would've been the first argument but it's not really an argument because the salaries will adjust to the new CBA. So nobody is locking themselves into anything. The rest is just clutching straws at best. Even Paige knows she has to declare this year,” another commented.

Another set of fans instantly shut down the take made by the journalist.

“The amount of misinformation regarding paige not going to Dallas is absolutely and totally insane,” a fan tweeted.

“LOL we're still farting out this nonsense? She's not going to LA, get over it. She will be a Dallas Wing,” another fan added.

Paige Bueckers' arrival on the Dallas Wings has become a highly anticipated topic in the upcoming 2025 WNBA draft. She is the projected No. 1 pick and is expected to be a star for any team that selects her.

With Dallas holding the top pick in the draft, Bueckers might not be interested in playing for the Wings, according to speculation. Some NBA insiders, including Sabreena Merchant, believe that the UConn star could refuse to play for Dallas, citing the Collective Bargaining Agreement would give her a far more lucrative contract in 2026.

"Also, there's been a lot of buzz around whether Paige actually wants to go to Dallas, given the instability with that organization," Merchant said. "And the political climate in Texas, too. You know, that factors into things like women's health rights there."

If this happens, Bueckers might choose to return to collegiate basketball for another season and cash in on NIL deals and then re-enter the draft in 2026.

---

Paige Bueckers injury return for UConn revealed

Paige Bueckers could make her return to the UConn Huskies as soon as next week according to UConn coach Geno Auriemma. She suffered a left knee sprain on Sunday in an 83-52 win over Villanova.

USC vs. Connecticut - Source: Getty

Bueckers was hurt during the third quarter as she dove after a loose ball and collided with an opposing player. She wasn’t able to return to the game, with Auriemma confirming on Tuesday that she had suffered no significant damage and an MRI wasn’t required.

She has had a difficult time with injuries in the past. She suffered an ACL tear in the 2022-23 season and was absent for the 2021-22 season with a tibial fracture and meniscus tear.

The exact timeline of her injury return depends on how she responds to her treatment. She leads the No. 7 Huskies (13-2) in scoring with 19.9 points and is averaging 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.