The Dallas Wings will pick first in the 2025 WNBA Draft for the first time in franchise history. Dallas earned the right to presumably select UConn star guard Paige Bueckers as the top pick on April 14, winning the 24th annual WNBA Draft Lottery.
Western Conference Team Wins WNBA Draft Lottery For First Time, Are They Interested In Taking UConn Star Guard Or Someone Else?
It is the first time Dallas has won the WNBA Draft Lottery in 11 years of participating. However, the Wings will have the opportunity to select the top college player for the second time ever. The Wings had the No. 1 pick in 2021 via a trade with Seattle through New York and selected Texas Longhorns center Charli Collier.
“It’s such an energizing day already,” said new Wings general manager Curt Miller told the Associated Press. “What it does to your fan base, and it energizes your team. … It injects energy and enthusiasm into the 2025 season.”
The Wings also had the second pick that year, which was the last time Dallas was participated in the Draft Lottery, and chose Finish wing Awak Kuier. They finished second in the 2020 Draft Lottery, selecting Satou Sabally.
Dallas entered tonight’s WNBA Draft Lottery with a 22.7% chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick, per the league. Therefore, the Wings had the second-best opportunity to win the lottery, behind the Los Angeles Sparks (44.2%). The Wings’ lottery chance was based on their combined record of 31-48, which tied the Chicago Sky’s mark during this stretch. The WNBA’s Draft Lottery consists of the four teams that don’t make the playoffs.
By winning the Draft Lottery, Dallas becomes just the second team this decade not to have the best chance to do so. It also marks the third time that the team with the best chance to claim the top overall pick didn’t since 2015, with each occasion occurring in the past six years.
How The Rest of The 2025 Lottery Pans Out
Since Los Angeles didn’t win the Lottery, the Sparks will select second. The Sparks, who found their way into the lottery for the third straight season, finished with the worst record in the league last year at 8-32. Meanwhile, the Sky get the third pick as they had no chance of claiming the top choice as a result of a trade in 2023 with Dallas that included a pick swap. The Washington Mystics, which had the worst shot at winning the lottery, will pick the fourth.
For the 2025 expansion, the Golden State Valkyries will select fifth. The Mystics will also pick sixth, followed by the 2024 WNBA champions New York Liberty (via Phoenix), Indiana, Seattle, Chicago again at No. 10 (from Connecticut), Minnesota, and Phoenix (Liberty Pick Swap). The Las Vegas Aces forfeited their selection, so there will only be 12 selections in the 2025 first round.
What The Wings Need?
Dallas is conducting a full organizational reboot after posting a 9-31 record, the Wings’ worst full-season record since 2011, when they won just three contests. It marked the sixth time the Wings franchise failed to reach double-figure wins since entering the WNBA in 1998 as the Detroit Shock.
Miller, a first-time general manager, coached the Sparks for two seasons and Connecticut for seven years prior. Miller will be tasked with finding a new coach after the Wings dismissed Latricia Trammell after two seasons (31-49).
Dallas’ 2024 season didn’t start well, with Sabally sitting out the first 25 games while recovering from a shoulder injury. The Wings went 6-19 through the first 25 games, meaning they went 3-12 after Sabally returned. The Wings, who waived veterans Odyssey Sims and Monique Billings in August, finished the season on a nine-game losing streak.
Dallas played at the fastest pace in the WNBA last year, averaging 80.1 possessions a game. The Wings finished fourth in the league in scoring at 84.1 points a game and sixth in offensive efficiency, though they were also dead last in defensive rating. The Wings had a defensive rating of 114.0, 4.5 points more than the Indiana Fever, who were 13th in defensive efficiency.
Wings Issues in 2024
Dallas was a middle-of-the-pack shooting team. While the Wings were a little better in terms of 3-point percentage than a year ago, they continue to struggle from inside the arc. Granted, the Wings will likely never be a great shooting team with Arike Ogunbowale on the squad, as she is a high-volume scorer.
One of the Wings’ biggest issues was scoring. Nearly 50% of their points came in the paint (40 of 84.1). While paint points are good, the problem for the Wings is that they only made 49% of their two-point shots (6th) and attempted over 51 two-pointers a contest (2nd most).
Dallas was only average at getting to the foul line and had ball-handling issues. The Wings doled out an average of 20.4 assists and committed 14.6 turnovers a contest, which was the third most in the league. They were fantastic on the offensive glass but struggled on the defensive glass.
Likewise, Dallas’ transition offense was good, but their transition defense left a lot to be desired, as they permitted a league-high 12.2 fastbreak points a game. The Wings allowed the most points in the paint (40.7) and the third most second-chance points (11.7). Overall, their defense ranked last in defensive field goal percentage, defensive 3-point percentage, and foul attempts allowed, as they committed 18.5 fouls a game, which was second most.
Dallas Salary Cap and Players Signed
Dallas has seven players under contract for next season. Ogunbowale, Teaira McCowan, Kalani Brown, Stephanie Soares, Maddy Siegrist, Jacy Sheldon, and Lou Lopez Senechal are the players with deals.
However, the Wings have decided to protect just Ogunbowale, McCowan, and Brown in the upcoming WNBA expansion draft. They also likely included Natasha Howard and Sabally as part of their core six in the expansion despite the duo being unrestricted free agents. Otherwise, Golden State could select them, as well as Soares, Siegrist, Sheldon, or Lopez Senechal.
The Valkyries are allowed to select any player that is left unprotected in the expansion draft. However, they are only permitted to take one player from each team.
Dallas has four picks in the 2025 draft. In addition to the No. 1 pick, the Wings have the No. 14, No. 27, and No. 31 selections. The last pick came from Atlanta in a trade for Crystal Dangerfield last May.
Options at No. 1
Ogunbowale and Sabally are stars. McCowan is a talented big who thrives on the glass and around the rim and can block shots. Meanwhile, Brown is similar to McCowan, though she hasn’t quite developed like her counterpart. She is probably a more talented scorer and rim-protector than McCowan, though not as strong as a rebounder or defender.
If Dallas can re-sign Howard and Sabally, the Wings will likely look to add a point guard and some depth at forward in the draft. Getting an elite point guard is their primary goal, though they could also use a forward who is an elite defender or rebounder.
Paige Bueckers, UConn
Bueckers is an ideal fit for Dallas and is currently considered the top 2025 draft prospect. The 23-year-old has suffered injuries throughout her collegiate career and could return to UConn for one more season, though that seems unlikely.
A two-time All-American, Bueckers is off to an outstanding start to the 2024 season. Bueckers averages 21.7 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 65/50/71.4 through three games. She has topped the 20-point mark twice and recorded nine steals while committing only one turnover.
“Dallas has been missing a point guard to organize its offense, and that’s where Bueckers will slot in,” wrote Sabreena Merchant of The Athletic. “She’s a disciplined ball handler who doesn’t commit turnovers and doesn’t hijack the offense for herself despite being a phenomenal scorer. Bueckers gives them some [defensive] structural integrity in the backcourt. She’s a big guard who won’t get overwhelmed by WNBA point guards.”
If Bueckets suffers another injury and decides to remain in college for another season, or Miller inexplicably falls in love with another player. Here is a look at who the Wings may select with the No. 1 pick.
Kiki Iriafen, USC
Kiki Iriafen would fill a need for the Wings and likely would be the best option if their best option if they don’t select Bueckers. The 6-3 power forward is an elite rebounder who can finish around the rim through contact. She is an efficient scorer and a solid physical defender.
Iriafen is coming off a career season in her final campaign at Stanford, where she posted a double-double. Through four games with USC, Iriafen averages 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals with shooting splits of 54/50/61.9. She was fantastic in the Trojans’ season-opening win over Ole Miss, totaling a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double. She has scored at least 12 points in all four games, topping the 20-point mark twice.
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Olivia Miles is another potential early entry candidate. The 5-10 point guard is a true lead guard who missed all of last season with a knee injury and struggles with turnovers. She is a solid defender, though three-point shooting is also not a strength.
Miles is also off to a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign. Miles averages 18.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.8 assists through Notre Dame’s first four contests. She has shown improvement from deep in the early going, making at least one three in all four games and averaging 2.2 treys a game at a 47.4% clip. Additionally, she has posted a triple-double and double-double.
Aneesh Morrow, LSU
Aneesh Morrow is an elite two-way forward who earned All-American honors in his first two collegiate seasons at DePaul. While Morrow didn’t put up as impressive numbers in her first season at LSU, she still had a solid 2023-24 campaign.
Morrow is not a great shooter, but perhaps the top defender among the top four prospects and has a high motor. The 6-1 forward is an elite rebounder and good low-post scorer.
Morrow, who has averaged a double-double in each of her first three campaigns, has averaged 15.5 points and 12.3 caroms through the first four games of the 2024-25 season. She has recorded two double-doubles while scoring in double figures in all four games, topping the 20-point mark twice.
