Paige Bueckers’ rookie season in the WNBA is just getting started, but she already has her first signature moment.
Bueckers received 70 of 72 first-place votes en route to winning the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year, becoming the 16th No. 1 overall draft pick to earn the award.
She later took to social media with a heartfelt post to thank her supporters and look back on her rookie season.
Bueckers joins Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011), Breanna Stewart (2016), Napheesa Collier (2019) and Crystal Dangerfield (2020) as former UConn players to win the honor.
A starter in all 36 games for the Wings, the 23-year-old averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals.
She led all WNBA rookies in total points (692), points per game, total assists (194) and assists per game, and was the only player this season to finish in the top 10 in points, assists and steals per game.
Bueckers’ most notable performance came when she set a WNBA single-game rookie record with 44 points, making 17 of 21 shots from the field, though the Wings dropped an 81-80 decision to the Los Angeles Sparks.
[ALSO READ: Paige Bueckers explodes for 44, but Wings lose to Sparks via Kelsey Plum game-winner]
Despite the loss, she became the first player in league history to score 40 or more points while shooting at least 80% from the field in a game.
The Wings ended the 2025 season at 10-34, matching the Chicago Sky for the worst record and failing to reach the postseason once again.
