Paige Bueckers ready for fresh start with Dallas Wings

Paige Bueckers has spent most of her life dreaming of playing in the WNBA. But after the Dallas Wings selected her first overall in the 2025 draft and turned that dream into a reality, everything became a blur.

“[It went by] a lot faster than I thought, going up there, getting the jersey,” Bueckers said. “Super surreal.”

It’s been a whirlwind week for the now-former UConn star. After winning the national championship, she went on a media tour last week in New York City, highlighted by appearances on TODAY Show and The Tonight Show. Bueckers traveled back to Connecticut for the Huskies’ victory parade on Sunday, then made her way back to the Big Apple that same night ahead of the WNBA Draft.

“It's been fun,” she said. “I'm glad New York and Storrs are pretty close to each other because there's been a lot of back and forth.”

Bueckers has been pulled in a lot of directions beyond her physical location, too. With just eight days between the national title game and the WNBA Draft, she tried to exist in two different worlds — enjoying the fun from winning the championship while also preparing for the next stage of her career.

“Part of me wants to stay at school, celebrate with the team, be with them, enjoy the last moments of being in Storrs,” she said. “The other part of me has to get ready for the next chapter. So it's been a lot of back and forth but I'm running on great fumes, grateful fumes and wouldn't trade it for anything.”

Now that she’s officially been drafted, Bueckers is ready to turn her focus to what’s ahead.

“My journey at UConn is over but I’m excited for the next one to begin,” she said.

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