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As the 2025 WNBA season gets underway, all eyes are on Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers—and with good reason. Bueckers, a former UConn powerhouse and first overall selection in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is already considered a “franchise foundational player” by executives.
She led the Huskies to their national championship, while exhibiting elite playmaking, scoring and leadership skills; there are expectations of greatness. The recently published 2025 WNBA General Manager Survey ranked Bueckers not only as the statistical favorite to be the league’s Rookie of the Year but had 40% managers who foresaw her as the best player in five years, trailing Seattle’s Dominique Malonga, who received 60% of the votes.
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Through survey responses, Bueckers was the clear winner of the most impactful rookie and was praised for her basketball IQ and competitiveness. Her rare combination of vision, efficiency and ability to remain calm under duress already draws comparisons to past great WNBA guards.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers poses for a photo during the 2025 Dallas Wings Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Playing alongside All-Star Arike Ogunbowale in Dallas, many believe Bueckers will help the Wings become contenders; the General Manager survey consensus implied that she will handle any expected pressure and could soon become the face of the franchise and even become the face of the WNBA.
Even with past injuries that interrupted her college career for short stretches, GMs believe Bueckers’ style of play is designed for long-term success and strength. Their most aggressive prediction? That Bueckers will be among the finest players in the WNBA by 2030.
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If the predictions hold true, Paige Bueckers is not just going to have an impact in her first season—she will likely change the trajectory of the league’s future.
Related: Paige Bueckers Debuts In Footsteps Of Luka Doncic and Caitlin Clark
