Paige Bueckers, a standout player from UConn, is poised to transition from college basketball to the WNBA as the potential No. 1 draft pick by the Dallas Wings. The league's annual draft, taking place at The Shed in New York, will see Bueckers likely leading the selections on Monday night. The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA's first expansion team in 17 years, will also make their debut draft pick at No. 5 overall.
The draft will consist of 12 picks in the first round, followed by 13 picks each in the final two rounds. The Dallas Wings are slated to make the first overall selection, with the Seattle Storm holding the No. 2 pick. The Washington Mystics, under new leadership, will have significant influence over the draft, controlling picks three, four, and six. Several teams, including New York, Indiana, Minnesota, Phoenix, and Atlanta, have traded away their picks, while Las Vegas forfeited its pick due to a league rules violation in 2023.