The next generation of WNBA stars was selected on Monday night at the 2025 draft in New York. After an orange carpet where the top prospects showed off incredible looks, to no one’s surprise, Paige Bueckers was picked first overall by the Dallas Wings. Connecticut and Washington added several intriguing players to their cores, and fresh off a national title, UConn saw three of its players selected.
Here’s what stuck out on a thrilling night:
Paige Bueckers’ UConn teammates gave her the same love she’s shown them
At the 2024 WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers went viral. She had her phone out like a proud parent, capturing every moment as teammates Nika Muhl and Aaliyah Edwards were drafted. On Monday night, all of UConn’s team was on hand — the day after a championship parade — filming and cheering for Bueckers as WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the pick. When ESPN’s Holly Rowe asked Bueckers during their on-air interview about her teammates, the No. 1 pick fought back tears as she tried to describe what her teammates meant to her.
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The best part of the team being there to support Bueckers is that it meant Kaitlyn Chen and Aubrey Griffin were both at the draft when their names got called, too. The Golden State Valkyries picked Chen fifth in the third round, and the Minnesota Lynx took Griffin 12th in the third round. All of the Huskies, including coach Geno Auriemma, were there for these special moments, just like Kate Martin was for Caitlin Clark last year when she got drafted.
Georgia Amoore with the best line of the night
During her college days playing for Kenny Brooks at Virginia Tech and Kentucky, Amoore was known for her ability to make space to get her 3-point shots off. The Australian guard was picked sixth overall by the Washington Mystics, and was wearing an outfit designed by NBA star Russell Westbrook, the first time an athlete has ever dressed another athlete for a draft. After she was chosen, Amoore was asked by Rowe how she made room for her shots despite her 5-foot-6 height.
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“These quads and coach Brooks,” Amoore said with a smile.
Kiki Iriafen’s whole family representing Nigeria
While USC’s Kiki Iriafen was born in the U.S., her parents are from Nigeria. When telling the ESPN pre-draft show about her outfit, Iriafen said her clothes and jewelry were a tribute to Nigeria. When she was picked fourth overall by the Washington Mystics, the cameras panned to Iriafen’s family members, who were dressed in an homage to Nigeria. In her biggest moment, Iriafen wanted to nod to a place so important to her and her family.
It was a lovely moment showing off the international nature of the league. Speaking of which …
International flavor was strong in the first round
Three of the 12 players picked in the first round come not from the NCAA ranks, but from Europe. Dominique Malonga was picked second overall by the Seattle Storm. She’s played professionally in France, and even won a silver medal at the 2025 Paris Olympics as the youngest player on the French team. Lithuanian Justė Jocytė has been playing professionally in France since she was 13, and now she has a chance to play for the Golden State Valkyries after they chose her with the fifth pick. And the Chicago Sky selected Slovenian forward Ajša Sivka, who’s played for her national team and professionally in EuroLeague, with the 10th overall pick.
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A big night for the Ivy League
Three Ivy League teams were selected for the NCAA tournament, and the conference’s big year in women’s basketball continued on Monday night as two of its players were chosen. Chen graduated from Princeton before winning an NCAA title with UConn. Then, the Las Vegas Aces used the 10th pick in the third round to take Harmoni Turner from Harvard. She is the first player to be drafted from Harvard since the Los Angeles Sparks took Allison Feaster in 1998. Feaster, who also happens to be the mother of UConn’s breakout freshman Sarah Strong, went on to play for 10 years in the WNBA, so perhaps that’s a good sign for Turner.
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