WNBA Draft 2025 guide: Minnesota native Paige Bueckers expected to go No. 1 to Dallas

The WNBA will finally be able to welcome Hopkins, Minnesota native Paige Bueckers to the league.

The versatile UConn Huskies standout is expected to be drafted as the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings. Bueckers helped lead the Huskies to their 12th national championship on Sunday. This past season, she averaged 20.0 points and shot 42.4% from behind the 3-point line. Bueckers spent five years at Connecticut after being sidelined by injuries. 

Before her college career, Bueckers collected multiple accolades in high school with the Hopkins Royals, including a state championship in 2019 and being named Gatorade’s national player of the year. 

She’ll have plenty of company at the April 14 event, especially with the WNBA having its first expansion team in 17 years in the Golden State Valkyries, making their debut draft selection at No. 5 overall.

This is the 29th draft in league history. There will be 13 franchises making a combined 38 draft selections over three rounds. The first round will feature 12 picks, with 13 in each of the final two rounds. After Dallas makes its pick, the Seattle Storm hold the No. 2 selection overall, with the Washington Mystics having both the third and fourth picks.

The Minnesota Lynx, coming off a painstakingly close WNBA Finals loss to the Liberty, have four picks in the 2025 draft — No. 11, 15, 24 and 37. The squad is likely to spend one of their picks on a player that adds scoring depth to help the likes of all-star players Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride.

Here’s what you need to know about the 2025 WNBA draft.

When and where is the draft?

The draft will be held Monday, April 14, in New York City.

The draft is being held at The Shed, a cultural center at Hudson Yards in Manhattan. This will be the second straight draft fans will be able to attend. Tickets went on sale March 21 along with exclusive experiences available.

How to watch the 2025 WNBA draft

ESPN is televising the draft starting at 7:30 p.m. ET through 9:30 p.m. A countdown show will be available starting at 7 p.m. on the ESPN app, and the WNBA has its own “Orange Carpet” for draft prospects showing off their own style and fashion before the big night. The league will also be providing updates on its social and digital sites, including the WNBA app and WNBA.com.

The orange carpet should be quite the fashion show if only based on the show draftees put on last year. That’s when Caitlin Clark became the first athlete — female or male — dressed by Prada for the WNBA or NBA draft and helped set the tone for draft night in style.

Who are the top players?

With a new collective bargaining agreement expected for the 2026 season, this draft has seen some would-be top picks choose to stay in college or hit the transfer portal to tap name, image and likeness deals rather than take the WNBA base salary with the very real risk of not making a roster.

That means Olivia Miles and Flau’Jae Johnson won’t have their names called. Instead, the WNBA will have a bit of an “NBA feel,” with a French player with Dominique Malonga being drafted early. The 6-foot, 6-inch center played for France last summer in the Paris Olympics and will be a top selection after averaging a double-double playing for Lyon this season. She also became the first French female player to dunk in a EuroCup game last October.

Miles may not be going to the WNBA draft or staying at Notre Dame. Her Fighting Irish teammate Sonia Citron could be joining Malonga with the Mystics, bringing her defense prowess and nearly automatic free throw shooting to Washington.

Hailey Van Lith is another likely Top 10 pick after becoming the first player to play on three different teams in the Elite Eight. She’s coming off her best college season helping the Horned Frogs make program history, and Van Lith won bronze with the U.S. in 3-on-3 at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Some mock drafts have Van Lith being drafted at No. 11 by the Lynx. 

Note: The above video first aired on Oct. 20, 2024.

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