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Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paige Bueckers Reaches Impressive Career Milestone in Return From Injury
Paige Bueckers Reaches Impressive Career Milestone in Return From Injury originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When the Dallas Wings secured the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft Lottery, it was clear they had their sights set on one player — former UConn star and national champion Paige Bueckers. Advertisement Bueckers has impressed early in her rookie campaign, showcasing the skills that made her one of the most highly anticipated prospects in years. However, her strong start was briefly interrupted after she entered concussion protocol, forcing her to miss the Wings' last four games. On Wednesday night, Bueckers made her much-anticipated return as the 1–9 Wings faced the Phoenix Mercury — and she didn't miss a beat. She came out firing, knocking down her first six shots from the field and finishing the first half with 22 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. Her first-half performance wasn't just impactful — it was historic. According to "Polymarket Hoops," Bueckers became the fourth-fastest rookie in WNBA history to record at least 100 points, 25 rebounds, and 25 assists. The only players to achieve the milestone faster were Caitlin Clark, Candace Parker, and Cynthia Cooper. Entering Wednesday night, through six regular season games, Bueckers was averaging an impressive 14.7 points, 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. She's also been efficient, shooting 43.7% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range, and 80.8% from the free-throw line. Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers is seen during the first half against the Chicago Sky at the Wintrust Gorski-Imagn Images Despite her strong individual performance, the Wings have struggled collectively. Their 1–9 record is currently the worst in the league. However, there's room for optimism — three of their next four opponents after Wednesday's matchup against the Mercury have sub-.500 records, giving Dallas a real opportunity to start turning things around. Advertisement Related: Chicago Sky Face Backlash Over Angel Reese Announcement After Loss to New York Liberty This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA Draft 2025: UConn star Paige Bueckers selected No. 1 overall by Dallas Wings
Paige Bueckers is off to the next stage of her basketball career. The UConn guard was selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday by the Dallas Wings, one week after winning a national championship in her final season with the Huskies. Bueckers, 23, was the consensus favorite to go No. 1 overall and revealed her decision to enter the draft during the NCAA tournament's third round. Advertisement In four seasons at UConn, Bueckers averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals, shooting 42% on 3-point attempts. During the Huskies' NCAA tournament run, she was even better, scoring 24.8 points per game and shooting 48% on 3s. In a Sweet 16 victory over Oklahoma, Bueckers scored a career-high 40 points (29 in the second half), nailing 6-of-8 shots from long range. In mid-January, she became the fastest Huskies player to score 2,000 points in her career. Bueckers reached the milestone in 102 games, beating out Hall of Famer Maya Moore, who got to 2,000 in 108 games. She was also the third UConn player to register 2,000 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals in her career, joining Moore and Breanna Stewart. A three-time All-American, Bueckers was with UConn for five years, but played four seasons — two full ones — due to injury. After winning the Naismith national player of the year as a freshman, she missed 19 games during her sophomore campaign due to a fractured tibia. Bueckers then missed the entire 2022-23 campaign because of a torn ACL. A knee sprain kept her out for two games earlier this past season. There was speculation that Bueckers could hold off on joining the WNBA this coming season while the league and players association negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement. (Players have said they're willing to go on strike if they don't receive a satisfactory deal amid the WNBA's growing popularity.) Advertisement In that scenario, Bueckers could have played strictly with the 3x3 women's basketball league Unrivaled to earn a professional salary while better terms were negotiated for her rookie WNBA contract. But why not both? Bueckers reportedly agreed to a three-year contract with Unrivaled under terms that will pay her more than her rookie WNBA deal will yield. Unrivaled was conceived as an option for women's basketball players who previously played overseas for more lucrative incomes while the WNBA was in its offseason. All players in the league draw an average $222,000 salary from an $8 million pool. Advertisement Comparatively, WNBA players average $125,000, with rookies earning $78,831 in their first year under the current CBA. Bueckers' salary would increase each year, equaling a total of $348,198 over four seasons. The Wings won the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft Lottery after finishing with the second-worst record in the league at 9-31. Leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale (22.9 points per game) returns this season, but Dallas lost Satou Sabally, who requested to play elsewhere and was traded to the Phoenix Mercury. DiJonai Carrington was acquired by the Wings as part of that four-team deal.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How to watch the 2025 WNBA Draft tonight
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability subject to change. The madness of the women's NCAA Tournament has come to an end, and now it's time for the 2025 WNBA Draft. This year, all eyes are on Paige Bueckers, the presumptive No. 1 draft pick and now-former UConn Husky, but Bueckers isn't the only NCAA basketball star about to enter the WNBA. Notre Dame's Sonia Citron and USC's Kiki Iriafen are also in the draft pool tonight. Are you ready to watch the 2025 WNBA Draft? Here's everything you need to know, including where Paige Bueckers will end up, the full draft order, where to stream the WNBA Draft tonight and more. How to watch the 2025 WNBA Draft: Date: Monday, Apr. 14 Advertisement Time: 7:30 p.m. ET Location: The Shed at Hudson Yards, NYC TV channel: ESPN Streaming: ESPN+, DirecTV, Fubo When is the WNBA Draft? The 2025 WNBA Draft will take place this Monday, Apr. 14, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET Coverage of the festivities will officially begin with the WNBA Countdown at 7 p.m. ET. What channel is the WNBA Draft on? The 2025 WNBA Draft will air live on ESPN and stream live on ESPN+. How to watch the WNBA Draft live without cable: Who has the first overall pick for the 2025 WNBA Draft? The Dallas Wings won the first overall pick at the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery, and will have their top pick at the 2025 WNBA Draft — who is anticipated to be Paige Bueckers. 2025 WNBA Draft top prospects: Here's what the Yahoo Sports mock draft predicts for the upcoming WNBA Draft. Advertisement Dallas Wings: Paige Bueckers, UConn Seattle Storm: Olivia Miles, Notre Dame Washington Mystics: Kiki Iriafen, USC Washington Mystics: Sonia Citron, Notre Dame Golden State Valkyries: Dominique Malonga, France Washington Mystics: Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina Connecticut Sun: Aneesah Morrow, LSU Connecticut Sun: Shyanne Sellers, Maryland Los Angeles Sparks: Georgia Amoore, Kentucky Chicago Sky: Hailey Van Lith, TCU Minnesota Lynx: Saniya Rivers, NC State Dallas Wings: Juste Jocyte, Lithuania 2025 WNBA Draft order: First Round Dallas Wings Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles) Washington Mystics (from Chicago) Washington Mystics Golden State Valkyries Washington Mystics (from Atlanta, via Dallas) New York Liberty (from Phoenix) Connecticut Sun (from Indiana) Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle) Chicago Sky (from Connecticut) Minnesota Lynx Dallas Wings (from New York, via Phoenix) Las Vegas has had its own first round pick rescinded. Second Round Las Vegas Aces (from Los Angeles) Dallas Wings Minnesota Lynx (from Chicago, via Phoenix) Chicago Sky (from Washington via Las Vegas) Golden State Valkyries Atlanta Dream Indiana Fever (from Phoenix) Indiana Fever Los Angeles Sparks (from Seattle) Chicago Sky (from Las Vegas) Washington Mystics (from Connecticut) Minnesota Lynx Connecticut Sun (from New York, via Chicago) Third Round Seattle Storm (from Los Angeles) Dallas Wings Los Angeles Sparks (from Chicago) Seattle Storm (from Washington) Golden State Valkyries Dallas Wings (from Atlanta) Washington Mystics (from Phoenix) Indiana Fever Seattle Storm Las Vegas Aces Atlanta Dream (from Connecticut) Minnesota Lynx New York Liberty 2025 WNBA Draft tickets: Limited tickets remain available for Monday's WNBA Draft. Tickets currently start at $280 before fees. Find tickets More ways to watch ESPN:
