With the 2025 WNBA season set to begin on Friday, May 16, it’s time to predict the WNBA award winners. Here’s what the race for Rookie of the Year (ROY) looks like for 2025:
Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings)
Last year, Caitlin Clark led a star-studded rookie class and won ROY. This season, the race begins with Paige Bueckers as the clear favorite.
Bueckers isn’t just a top pick; she’s a generational talent. She advanced to the Final Four in each of the four NCAA Tournaments in which she played before winning the national title in her final season at UConn.
During her senior campaign, she averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. With Bueckers set to be paired in the Dallas Wings backcourt with superstar Arike Ogunbowale, expect her to have a monster season and be the frontrunner for ROY throughout the year.
Dominique Malonga (Seattle Storm)
While Bueckers is in the early lead, plenty of other candidates could make a run at the award. Dominique Malonga, selected with the No. 2 pick by the Seattle Storm, has the potential to be the best rookie in year one.
She is just 19 years old and has spent her time playing overseas for ASVEL Féminin and Tarbes GB in France. In EuroCup Women competition this season, she was a walking double-double, averaging…
