The Dallas Wings landed the No. 1 pick after the WNBA Draft Lottery, which they are expected to use on coveted UConn guard Paige Bueckers. Minutes after the announcement, Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale reacted on X to the news with excitement.
“I just fell to my knees. THANK YOU LORD!” she wrote on the platform, earning over 1.6 reposts and more than 7.8 likes. Her excitement comes after the Wings weren’t expected to land the No. 1 pick, as the Los Angeles Sparks, who will have the second pick, have a worst record in the past two seasons.
However, Ogunbowale wasn’t the only Wings player to share their happiness over the news. Wings forward Maddy Siegrist, who was representing the franchise in the draft, said that they were “super excited” as “we’ve seen how impactful lottery picks have been, especially the past few seasons.”
The Indiana Fever landed the last two No. 1 picks in Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, and both won WNBA Rookie of the Year. The Fever also landed their first playoffs spot since 2016, and are now set to be coached by Stephanie White.
Paige Bueckers is expected to be the No. 1 pick (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The Wings will look to revitalize their franchise and return to the playoffs following a challenging 2024 season. This marks the first time the team has held the top pick since 2021.
Paige Bueckers, the upcoming WNBA star
Paige Bueckers, a standout guard from Minnesota, has been a dominant force at UConn since her freshman year. She made history by becoming the first freshman to win all major national player of the year awards. Unfortunately, her sophomore and junior seasons were plagued by knee injuries, limiting her playing time.
Despite these setbacks, Bueckers has led the Huskies to the Final Four in every season she’s been healthy, including a championship game appearance in 2022. Her remarkable scoring average of 19.9 points per game is poised to surpass Maya Moore’s program record.
2025 WNBA Draft order
- Dallas Wings
- LA Sparks
- Chicago Sky
- Wash. Mystics
- Golden State Valkyries
- Mystics (acquired via trade)
- NY Liberty (from Phoenix)
- Indiana Fever
- Seattle Storm
- Chicago Sky (via trade)
- Min. Lynx
- PHX Mercury (from New York)
