The WNBA Draft is scheduled to begin tonight at 6:30 p.m., with the Dallas Wings holding the top overall selection.
Consisting of three rounds with 12 selections per round, the Wings hold a total of five picks throughout the totality of the draft.
Dallas is widely expected to select UConn guard Paige Bueckers with the first overall selection following an incredible career. In her final season, she averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while leading the Huskies to an NCAA Championship.
Bueckers’ performances helped her become the first athlete in the Name, Image, and Likeness era of collegiate sports to design and release a signature shoe with Nike, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Bueckers and Nike announced the release of the Nike G.T. Hustle 3 Players Edition in December, a signature shoe featuring multiple design pieces from her life.
Now, the UConn guard will likely come to Dallas looking to make changes to a franchise that has struggled in recent memory.
The Wings are coming off a difficult season in which the team finished with a record of just 9-31 before securing the first draft selection.
Although the Wings struggled to pick up wins last season, Bueckers will join a roster that already has multiple pieces of the foundation set for the future.
The Wings will look to pair Bueckers with guard Arike Ogunbowale for the foreseeable future and create a team that can compete for championships.
Ogunbowale finished last season averaging 22.2 points per game, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while leading the WNBA with 2.1 steals per game.
Despite rumors leading into the draft that Bueckers would prefer to play for a different franchise, the guard said she was prepared to play “wherever” she is drafted.
“The reports are the reports. People write stories, and it’s whatever. Honestly, I’m not really worried about that at the moment. I’m just worried about being here, being present with the team, and trying to get better every single day. So whatever the future may hold, it’s only in God’s hands,” she added, as reported by DX.
Following the Wings’ selection with the top overall pick, the Los Angeles Sparks will make a selection with the second pick, and the Washington Mystics will make back-to-back selections with the third and fourth picks.