Paige Bueckers is widely expected to hear her name called as the first pick in the WNBA draft (by the Dallas Wings) on April 14. The league is coming off of a season in which multiple rookies were named All-Stars while turning in elite fantasy production. Should we expect a similar impact from Bueckers in 2025? The short answer is: yes.
In 2020, Bueckers was the espnW recruiting rankings’ No. 1 player coming out of high school. The four other players in the top 5 — Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Caitlin Clark and Kamilla Cardoso — were all part of a stacked 2024 WNBA draft class and produced well as rookies when healthy. Clark and Reese were All-Stars and finished top-12 in the league in fantasy points per game, with Clark landing second.
Bueckers’ collegiate career was extended a year by major injuries, but the flip side is that she will enter the WNBA more mature than the typical rookie at 23 years old. Bueckers…
