2025 was the year Paige Bueckers rewrote the narrative after years that were bogged down by injuries. First, she led the UConn Huskies to their 12th NCAA national championship, snapping a nearly decade-long title drought that had haunted one of college basketball’s most storied programs.

Then, after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, she went on to put together one of the most impressive rookie seasons in league history, capped by much-deserved honors. However, that’s not all. Bueckers’ year was about a measurable impact that can’t be explained by one moment or one metric.

Paige Bueckers Powers UConn to 2024–25 National Championship

In her final season at UConn, Bueckers delivered on the expectations that had followed her for years. She led the Huskies to an undefeated Big East season (18–0), a Big East Tournament championship, and ultimately their 12th NCAA national title. Bueckers and Co. beat longtime nemesis South Carolina with Bueckers scoring 17 points,6 rebounds, and 3 assists in the title game.

It was a very emotional moment for Bueckers. “She might deny it, but she cried,” Geno Auriemma revealed.

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Bueckers was clearly the best player in the country for the entire campaign. She averaged 19.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game in the 38 games.

She won the 2025 Wade Trophy, Honda Sport Award, 2025 Nancy Lieberman National Point Guard of the Year Award, 2025 WBCA, AP, USBWA, and Wooden Award First Team All-America. Naturally, her performance earned Bueckers the No.1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. 

Bueckers Drafted At No.1 By The Dallas Wings

There were some rumours leading up to the draft. It seemed like Paige Bueckers did not want the Dallas Wings as her first WNBA destination after they won the lottery. ESPN reported in November 2024 that the Los Angeles Sparks were Bueckers’s preferred destination.

That tracked as well. After all, the Wings were a mess with some of their best players leaving, and the coaching situation was still in a state of limbo. However, Bueckers clarified the situation regarding her future. 

“The reports are the reports,” Bueckers told Front Office Sports. “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.”

Bueckers also said there is “nowhere specific” she wants to play. “Wherever I end up,” she said.

However, the rumours just didn’t go away. But come draft day, the Dallas Wings picked Bueckers at No.1 to lead them into a new era.

“There is a lot of new in this organization, so to be a part of something where we can build with each other and create a new sisterhood, we’re really excited,” Bueckers said during the Wings’ rookies’ introductory news conference. 

Bueckers Has The Best Game Any Rookie Has Ever Had

In that game against the Los Angeles Sparks, Paige Bueckers could not have missed even if she wanted to. Bueckers reached peak efficiency level and scored 44 points. The point guard shot 17-of-21, making her the first player in WNBA history to shoot at least 80% from the field while scoring 40 or more points. She tied the record for most points set by a WNBA rookie. 

Bueckers’ 44 points were also the most by any player in the WNBA this season and tied for the third-highest total in franchise history, dating back to the team’s days in Detroit and Tulsa.

Talking about her efficiency, Bueckers tried to bring back the focus to the forgotten mid-range game.

“I truly think basketball has gotten away from it — it’s mostly layups and 3s,” she said. “Teams don’t know how to guard it. So I think it’s an advantage when you can score in the midrange.”

However, even her best effort couldn’t prevent the loss. Sparks guard Kelsey Plum hit a shot just before the buzzer to give L.A. an 81-80 win at Crypto.com Arena.

All-WNBA Honors For Paige Bueckers

After a blockbuster season, plenty of honours rained down on Paige Bueckers. Over 36 games, Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 47.7% from the field. She was the only player in the league to finish in the top nine in scoring (5th), assists (9th), and steals (6th) among all players. Her 20.3 efficiency rating topped all guards in the WNBA and ranked seventh overall.

Here are some of her most notable achievements and awards she swept in her rookie season-

• 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year
• Dallas Wings’ franchise rookie scoring leader
• August 2025 Rookie of the Month
• Fastest rookie in WNBA history to secure 500 points and 100 assists
• Fastest player in WNBA history to reach 200 points, 50 rebounds, and 50 assists
• July 2025 Rookie of the Month
• 2025 WNBA All-Star
• June 2025 Rookie of the Month
• Made the All-WNBA Second Team
• Made the WNBA All-Rookie Team

Paige Bueckers Gets Called Up For Team USA Camp

Paige Bueckers was selected as one of 18 players invited to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team December training camp in Durham, North Carolina, as part of preparations for the 2026 FIBA World Cup cycle and beyond. This camp marked Bueckers’ senior national team debut, joining other young WNBA stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese alongside veteran Olympians and national team members.

Bueckers last appeared in the USA Basketball pipeline in 2019, and speaking about her return, she said:

“It’s pretty surreal…I haven’t done anything USA Basketball since like 2019, and that feels like ages ago now. But to be back here, representing my country in a way where this is every kid’s dream — to be able to do that at the highest level on the national team and to get that invite — it meant a whole lot. It’s truly an honor.”

These five moments are only the best ones. Beyond them, Bueckers signed on to star in a feature film this year, landed a major partnership with the LEGO Group, and agreed to play in the offseason league Unrivaled. Taken together, it underscored just how wide-ranging and impactful her year really was.