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The 2025 WNBA Draft will take place next April, and the draft order is now set. The league held its lottery on Sunday to determine that selection order with one team landing a huge win in the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes.
The UCONN guard is expected to be the first player taken off the board. That likely means she’s headed to Dallas with the Wings winning the rights to the first pick.
Bueckers is the biggest star in the college game. Last year, she posted a career-high 21.9 points per game while dishing out 150 assists and swiping 86 steals. This year’s seen more of the same as she’s scored 64 points in just three outings (21.3 ppg).
The WNBA Draft will start with her! That is, unless she decides to stick around for one final season in Storrs. Bueckers does have a year of eligibility remaining, though she’s previously said she has no intentions of returning to college after this 2024-25 campaign.
Knowing that she should be the top player taken, losers of that lottery process were upset with the final result. The sting was felt greatly by the Los Angeles Sparks, who will have the No. 2 pick.
The Sparks entered the weekend with the highest odds of securing the top selection. Their 44.2% chances nearly doubled those of the Wings. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t matter!
The Sparks learn that they will get the SECOND pick of the WNBA Draft. pic.twitter.com/Q4hYfsy4cm
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) November 17, 2024
The Sparks will have the second pick. The Wings will go first. Paige Bueckers will likely be off the board by the time Los Angeles gets on the clock. Star player Cameron Brink looked sick seeing the lottery play out.
The result offers an undesirable scenario for the Sparks when that 2025 WNBA Draft Day does come around. ESPN projects that the organization will pick Kiki Iriafen, a senior power forward from USC.
Los Angeles drafted forwards with each of their first two opening round picks last year, with Brink being one of them. They could’ve used some help at guard!
Our last No. 2 pick. 👑 pic.twitter.com/znMIgZlJyW
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) November 17, 2024
Instead, it’s Dallas that gets the first stab at selecting Paige Bueckers, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, they’ll do so next spring. Wings players celebrated the moment while the Sparks appeared dejected.
I just fell to my knees. THANK YOU LORD! 😭😭😭😭
— Arike Ogunbowale (@Arike_O) November 17, 2024
It will be interesting to see where Los Angeles decides to go with their No. 2 pick. The draft is set to take place April 14, 2025, following the close of the women’s college basketball season.