Apr 16, 2025
·Kristen Morrell
Paige Bueckers joins the Dallas Wings as No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft
Paige Bueckers, the standout guard from UConn, was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings on April 14, 2025. Her selection follows a remarkable collegiate career, leading the Huskies to their 12th national championship alongside teammates Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong and two fellow 2025 draft picks Kaitlyn Chen (Golden State Valkyries) and Aubrey Griffin (Minnesota Lynx).
Off the court, Bueckers has also made strategic career moves. She signed a lucrative three-year contract with the 3-on-3 Unrivaled basketball league, co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty). This deal reportedly offers a first-year salary surpassing her entire four-year WNBA rookie contract, reflecting the evolving opportunities for women athletes.
Bueckers' entry into the WNBA signifies not only a new chapter for the Dallas Wings but also a pivotal moment for the league's growth and the increasing commercial viability of women's basketball, started by legends like Maya Moore, Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Sheryl Swoopes and Diana Taurasi, and continued by the next-gen favorites Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink and Bueckers.
Dallas Wings see record ticket sales after draft
Paige Bueckers’ draft selection significantly influenced the WNBA's business landscape. Notably, the Dallas Wings sold out their 2025 season tickets shortly after securing the top draft pick. This surge in ticket sales is part of a broader trend, with ESPN projecting women's sports to generate $2.35 billion globally in 2025—a 25% increase from the previous year—highlighting basketball's leading role in this growth. And SeatGeek can attest.
13x increase in sales, 31x surge in SeatGeek traffic
On April 15, the day after the draft, Dallas Wings ticket sales were up 13x compared to the 5-day pre-draft average. Traffic to SeatGeek’s Dallas Wings page was up 31x the hour Bueckers was drafted compared to the same hour the day before.
Top Wings matchups feature Clark’s Fever and Reese’s Sky
With a Uconn pedigree and over 7M+ followers on social media, it’s no surprise Bueckers is growing the WNBA audience already, following the efforts of last year’s incredible rookie class.
12 of the top 15 selling WNBA games on the day after the draft had the Wings playing in them, either home or away (the other three all had the Indiana Fever). The top 5 WNBA matchups as of today are:
Save on Dallas Wings tickets with SeatGeek promo code
SeatGeek is in full support of the growing, and long-time, well-deserved popularity of the WNBA. You can use our code BLOG20 to save $20 off any eligible purchase over $100 (valid on first purchase only).
So whether you want to see the Iowa vs. Uconn Final Four rematch of Bueckers and Clark or another regular season Wings game, grab your tickets below.