The 2025 WNBA Draft is in the books, and the Dallas Wings hope it will be another transformative event in the league’s history, much like the 2024 draft was for the Indiana Fever. As expected, Paige Bueckers was the top selection — though, perhaps unexpectedly, walking the stage in her second outfit of the evening — and there weren’t many surprises until the third round.
With the obvious caveat that the legacy of this draft will require much longer than 12 hours to determine, here are some early winners and losers from Monday.
Winners:Dallas Wings
The Wings have been a winner since they won the draft lottery on Nov. 17. Bueckers is a superstar who will elevate basketball and business in Dallas immediately.
Even if she doesn’t have the same immediate impact as Caitlin Clark, she is still more than capable of helping the Wings get back into the playoff picture and competing for an All-Star berth as a rookie. The Wings said they never entertained the possibility of trading the top pick, and Bueckers has seemingly rewarded their faith by committing to join Dallas this season.
Championships are won with great players, and the Wings have one in Bueckers, who will be part of their next great team. With only seven players guaranteed to make Dallas’ roster before the draft, the other players the Wings selected are also big winners.
Aziaha James (NC State) and Madison Scott (Ole Miss) have a good chance of seeing the floor on opening night, and JJ Quinerly (West Virginia) and Aaronette Vonleh (Baylor) could have strong showings in training camp. Dallas lost significant talent during the offseason, but the Wings have done well to recoup some of those losses with all-conference players.
UConn players
Bueckers stumped for her Huskies teammates in her interview with Holly Rowe right after being drafted, and WNBA general managers were listening. The Golden State Valkyries selected Kaitlyn Chen with the 30th pick, uniting her with Natalie Nakase, the first Asian-American coach in league history.
Then, the Minnesota Lynx drafted Aubrey Griffin at No. 37, sending the UConn players — and the crowd in New York — into a tizzy.
Griffin was No. 22 on my first big board for the 2025 draft, and though she has struggled with an injury, she has the athleticism to stick in the WNBA if given a chance.
The Lynx have a crowded roster, compounded by the acquisition of Karlie Samuelson, but they know better than anyone how productive Huskies can be, from stars like Maya Moore and Napheesa Collier to role players like Dorka Juhász.
