WNBA Draft: Anthony Davis welcomes Paige Bueckers to Dallas: ‘Can’t wait to get you here’

Anthony Davis knows the pressure of being the first pick in the draft.

He also knows the pressure in Dallas of being a high-profile arrival as the new star in town.

The Dallas Mavericks center, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Luka Dončić trade, was one of the first to welcome Paige Bueckers on Monday night after the Wings made her the first selection in the WNBA draft.

“What’s up, Paige?” Davis said in a video shared by the Mavericks. “AD here. From one first-round overall pick to another, I just want to say congratulations, welcome to Dallas. Can’t wait to get you here, support you, come to some games and watch you do your thing.

“Congrats, again. Enjoy your night.”

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Davis’ path to the NBA wasn’t identical to Bueckers’ journey to the WNBA. But it shares some striking similarities.

Davis arrived in college to an iconic program in Kentucky in 2011 as one of the most lauded prospects in basketball history. Davis followed up the hype with an All-American campaign as a freshman that earned the Wooden, Naismith and Associated Press awards as the National Player of the Year. He capped his freshman season by leading Kentucky to a national championship.

Like Davis, Bueckers arrived to an iconic program in UConn in 2020 as one of the most lauded prospects in the history of the game. She also exceeded the hype by earning All-America honors and winning the Wooden, Naismith and Associated Press awards as a freshman.

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Her career got temporarily derailed by injury. And she didn’t immediately win a national title like Davis. But she just wrapped a tremendous college career with a third All-America campaign that ended with an emotional national championship victory at UConn.

And now, she joins Davis in Dallas as a No. 1 overall pick while carrying the expectations that come with it.