Wings EVP Curt Miller dismisses rumors of Paige Bueckers and other top picks not wanting to team up with Arike Ogunbowale

Dallas Wings executive vice president Curt Miller recently addressed rumors surrounding the hesitation of 2025 WNBA top draft picks to join the franchise and team up with Arike Ogunbowale. The Wings hold the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft and there is a strong consensus that Paige Bueckers will be selected as the top pick in a highly talented class.

There is little doubt that the Wings will choose the UConn superstar with the No. 1 pick. In fact, some believe that if the Wings decide to draft anyone other than Bueckers, it would be one of the biggest mistakes in recent memory.

As the draft approaches, there has been speculation within the basketball community about Bueckers and other top prospects not wanting to join the Dallas-based franchise. However, Curt Miller disagrees, stating that the opposite is true. He revealed that a few players have already reached out to Arike Ogunbowale, expressing their excitement about the possibility of playing together.

"We have not heard anything directly that any person eligible for this draft would not want to play in Dallas," Miller told The News. "In fact, Arike hears from most of the top possible draft picks in this class, and they’re all really, really excited about possibly pairing with Arike."

Meanwhile, the 2025 WNBA draft is set to take place on April 24 in New York City. It will be fascinating to see whether the Dallas Wings select Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 pick or make a move that surprises the basketball community.

WNBA journalist stirs debate with Paige Bueckers

About two months ago, WNBA journalist Howard Megdal made a notable comment about Paige Bueckers during an episode of the Hoffman Women's Sports show. Megdal suggested that there is a strong possibility Bueckers could pull an Eli Manning and make it clear she doesn't want to play for the Dallas Wings.

"I asked eight WNBA talent evaluators what chance they put on Bueckers’ representatives attempting the same maneuver as Eli Manning. Estimates ranged from 90% to 200%," Megdal said.

Despite all the speculation, rumors and reports, there has been no indication from Bueckers' camp that she would be unwilling to play for the Dallas-based franchise.