UConn standout Paige Bueckers selected as top pick by Wings

The top pick in the WNBA Draft was the most expected decision of the evening.

Paige Bueckers was well aware that the Dallas Wings would call her name on Monday night, but the moment still hit her hard on the draft stage in New York.

\"I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude,\" Bueckers shared on ESPN. \"It's incredibly surreal to be here with other draft prospects. ... To be in this moment right now, I feel extremely blessed.\"

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Bueckers becomes the sixth UConn player to be selected first in the WNBA draft, joining the ranks of legends such as Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011), and Breanna Stewart (2016).

The talented 3-point shooter capped off her college career by leading UConn to the 2025 national title. She was a three-time All-American, the 2021 national player of the year, and one of the most popular players in women's basketball.

Bueckers boasts an impressive 42.3 percent success rate from beyond the arc, making 236 of 558 attempts in her four seasons with the Huskies. She also holds career averages of 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.1 steals.

\"Everyone has invested so much in me, and I wanted to give back to them and show that I can be better and how their hard work helped me reach this stage,\" Bueckers expressed. \"I didn't do it alone; it took a village.\"

The Seattle Storm had the second pick and chose 6-foot-6 Dominique Malonga from France.

The 20-year-old Malonga helped France win the silver medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and has been playing professionally in her home country.

\"I will work incredibly hard to fit into this league,\" said Malonga, who was born in Cameroon. \"I know it will be challenging, but I'm ready to put in the work.\"

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The Washington Mystics had three of the next four selections and chose Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron, Southern California forward Kiki Iriafen, and Kentucky point guard Georgia Amoore.

Citron, a 6-foot-1 guard, averaged 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this season. She is also known for her standout defense.

\"I'm going to continue to work hard and strive to get better,\" Cintron said. \"I have incredible women to learn from in this league. I will continue to play both ends of the court and stay true to myself.\"

The 6-foot-3 Iriafen was chosen fourth overall. She was named a third-team All-American this season while averaging 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds.

\"I've been incredibly resilient,\" an emotional Iriafen shared. \"There have been a lot of ups and downs in my last season, but I trusted the process.\"

Washington used the sixth pick on Amoore, who set a Kentucky single-season record with 213 assists. She began her college career with four seasons at Virginia Tech.

The 5-foot-6 Australian-born Amoore is used to hearing about her height.

\"As long as people have called me too short, I've been working on ways to counter that,\" Amoore said. \"It's not a surprise to me. I know I have to work in different ways and use my brain a little bit more.\"

In between the picks of Iriafen and Amoore, the expansion Golden State Valkyries made their first selection, choosing Lithuanian guard Juste Jocyte.

Jocyte, 19, was born in Washington, D.C., but raised in Lithuania. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 11.9 points this past season for Asvel Feminin in France.

The Connecticut Sun had the seventh and eighth picks and selected LSU forward Aneesah Morrow and North Carolina State guard Saniya Rivers. Morrow, a three-time All-American, split her career between DePaul and LSU and ranks third all-time in Division I history with 1,714 career rebounds and second with 104 double-doubles.

The Sun are in a rebuilding phase, so Morrow