“We have the best player in America. And the whole stat sheet says that she is. And everybody that watched knows it, and we’re fortunate,” said UConn coach Geno Auriemma about Paige Bueckers last year. Not Caitlin Clark, not A’ja Wilson, but Paige Bueckers! Heading into this year’s WNBA draft, the expectations were always going to be high about the rookie class, which was being headed by the then-soon-to-be Dallas guard.

The anticipation for the 2025 WNBA draft class was high. And the numbers say it all!  According to StubHub’s 2025 WNBA Season Preview, ticket sales have skyrocketed by 145% compared to last year. Now, a lot of it can be attributed to Caitlin Clark as well. Her arrival alone boosted Fever ticket sales by nearly six times. That’s an insane 497% jump from the previous season!

But when you compare the numbers, you soon realize that it’s not Clark alone. The rookie class had a massive role to play as well! While Clark’s debut season saw a solid 28% rise in ticket sales, according to Essence, the jump to a 145% increase this year shows that the upcoming rookie class also had a role to play in it.

Dominique Malonga, Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron, Aneesah Morrow– tall these name have played a huge part in this progress. But this rookie class wouldn’t have been rated among the best in history if not for Paige Bueckers!

Future face of the W? The rise of Paige Bueckers

“And the one thing I know about Paige is she’s so grounded, so patient, and she’s so prepared. She’s learned that in the last four or five years, and all those things that she learned at Connecticut are going to change the way you look at that team. One day, she’s going to end up being the best player in the league for sure,” said the legendary Diana Taurasi about Paige.

There was never any question about Paige Bueckers’ talent. She entered college as the number 1 prospect in the country. Yes, even ahead of Caitlin Clark! And she lived up to every bit of that hype, becoming the first freshman ever to win National Player of the Year. But just when it looked like nothing could slow her down, injuries struck. From ankle injuries to a devastating ACL tear, Bueckers faced a series of hurdles that would’ve broken most. Yet, she never stopped fighting.

After being forced to redshirt her junior year due to injury, Paige Bueckers came back like she had never been away. She would eventually go on to write the perfect ending to her UConn career as the Lady Huskies would win their 12th championship this year. Despite having alumni like Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, and Maya Moore, it was Paige who would record the highest career average in UConn history!

Surprising, isn’t it? But not to those who have seen her hoop every day! She finished her career with an average of 19.8 points on 50/40/85 shooting splits according to ESPN. This made her the only player in the last 25 seasons to average such numbers. So, heading the 2025 rookie class was a no-brainer.

Since being drafted as the number 1 pick of the draft, the Wings guard has had a similar impact to what CC had last year. Dallas Wings have seen their ticket sales jump 4.5 times over the last season. Welcome to the Paige Bueckers effect! While we are all familiar with the number of records she has been breaking every time she breathes, her ability to rise from adversity is beyond remarkable.

Since coming back from concussion protocol-induced absence, Paige Bueckers has been nothing short of sensational. She has scored 162 points in just 8 games! But that’s not all! Through her first 15 WNBA appearances, she’s averaging 18.2 points and 5.5 assists per game– that makes her the only rookie alongside Caitlin Clark to reach those numbers! She is on a rampage! Jeez!

But Bueckers isn’t the only rookie who is leaving her mark on the league!

Rookie class of 2025 raising the bar of the W

The Washington Mystics were undoubtedly the winners of the draft. With their 3rd and 4th pick of the draft, they chose Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen; both have been revelation this season. The star duo has started all 18 games this season and led the Mystics to an acceptable 8-10 record while averaging 26.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.

Their performances have earned them a spot in the All-Star team as well. Interestingly, this is the first time since 2011 that the W will have 3 rookies playing in the All-Star game. And that’s not all! Paige will also be the only rookie to start in this year’s All-Star game!

Then there is Doninique Malong. Despite averaging just 9.2 minutes per game with the Seattle Storm, WNBA General Managers are clearly sold on her long-term potential. In fact, most picked her as the rookie most likely to be the best player in the league five years from now, in the annual GM survey held in 2024.

Then there is Connecticut’s Aneesah Morrow, Chicago Sky’s Hailey Van Lith, who have also impressed in the limited opportunities they have gotten so far. Another player who has impressed a lot is Mercury’s Lexie Held. Now, technically, she is of the 2024 class, but she made her debut this year and is definitely worth mentioning! She is currently averaging 8.7 points while playing 20.7 minutes a game!

Each year, the WNBA rookie class seems to go up a level, and 2025 has been no different. With names like Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, and Sonia Citron already making noise, it’s safe to say this class is one of the most impactful in recent memory. And the scary part? The talent pool isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Next year, we’ll likely see stars like Olivia Miles and Flau’jae Johnson enter the draft. And come 2027, all eyes will be on JuJu Watkins. With so many top-tier prospects waiting in the pipeline, it makes you wonder if this is the reason the W is expanding at such a rapid pace, and not just Caitlin Clark, as most like to believe.

So what do you think? Is the 2025 class better than the 2023 or 2024 classes? Which rookie class has been your favorite so far? Drop your thoughts in the comments!