Wings' struggles could pay dividends.
Paige Bueckers’ Wings Emerge as Favorite for Top WNBA Draft Pick originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Selected first overall out of UConn in the 2025 WNBA Draft, 23-year-old Paige Bueckers has lived up to the hype, averaging 18.6 points, 5.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 45.7% from the field and 33.3% from distance.
This season, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 200 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists, and on June 30, she was selected to the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, becoming just the eighth rookie to be named a starter.
Yet individual milestones have yet to translate into wins, as the Wings have stumbled to an 8-22 mark under first-year coach Chris Koclanes.
Despite outpacing many rookie peers in advanced metrics, like leading all first-year players in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.60) and ranking second in Player Impact Estimate (13.7), Bueckers remains surrounded by a supporting cast mired by inconsistency.
On the bright side, if the WNBA season ended today, the Dallas Wings would hold the top lottery position, as noted by FanSided's Ian Levy, who highlights 40% lottery odds for Dallas to land the top pick as things stand right now.
This would be an invaluable asset that could be used either to land an already established star or by drafting a generational collegiate talent to pair with Bueckers.
2026 WNBA Draft Targets: Building Around Paige Bueckers
If Dallas was to win the lottery, it would face a deep 2026 pool of collegiate talent. Some of the premier prospects include:
- Lauren Betts, UCLA (C, 6-foot-7): Averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks on 64.8% shooting last season, anchoring UCLA in its first Final Four appearance in the NCAA era.
- Azzi Fudd, UConn (SG, 5-foot-11): Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2025 (and Bueckers' girlfriend), posting 13.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game with 43.6% 3-point accuracy.
- Olivia Miles, TCU (PG, 5-foot-10): Transferred from Notre Dame after averaging 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists on 40.6% from deep last year, with "pro level" passing and shooting ability.
- Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina (SG, 5-foot-8): Led Division I with 25.2 points per game in 2024-25, adding 4.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists before transferring from Florida State to the Gamecocks.
- Flau’jae Johnson, LSU (SG, 5-foot-10): Averaged 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 38.3% from three, emerging as both a primary scorer and cultural icon in Baton Rouge.
Each of these players addresses a clear Wings need.
Betts would supply a true post presence beside an undersized Dallas frontcourt. Fudd, who shares a Connecticut connection with Bueckers, could slot seamlessly as a secondary playmaker and long-range threat. Miles brings proven distribution and veteran stability, while Latson and Johnson offer scoring punch to relieve the burden on Bueckers.
Only time will tell how Dallas uses its draft capital, but it goes without saying that an electrifying duo of Bueckers plus a marquee 2026 draftee could further boost ticket sales and fan engagement.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
