WNBA mock draft 2025: Which team will pick Paige Bueckers?

[Steelerone]

I know it probably won't happen but it would be interesting to see her go to Chicago. Can you picture her on a team with some bigs like Angel Reese. Dynamite.

 

[hoophuskee]

Why would Azzi go unless the team is willing to have her sit for a year or most of it? Per the Link below, Paige's 1st comment is about her having her 1st off-season in a while to work on her game and strength etc. Azzi has been hurt the past 4-5 years. So, she is automatically going to jump into the WNBA rigors after this season?

IMO that's nuts. Expect a different mock draft eventually without Azzi's name until next year.

 

[Cuango]

The only advantage that Paige would have with Dallas is that Texas doesn't have an income tax. So all of the money that she would make is tax free compared to what she would pay in LA, Chicago or DC. Just like the $100,000 that each Aces player signed yesterday with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, that money is tax free.

State tax! The Feds are rubbing their hands!

 

[moosefan]

Why would Azzi go unless the team is willing to have her sit for a year or most of it? Per the Link below, Paige's 1st comment is about her having her 1st off-season in a while to work on her game and strength etc. Azzi has been hurt the past 4-5 years. So, she is automatically going to jump into the WNBA rigors after this season?

IMO that's nuts. Expect a different mock draft eventually without Azzi's name until next year.

Yea I honestly agree with this. Azzi should stay one more year

 

[MSGRET]

State tax! The Feds are rubbing their hands!

We were talking about States, LA and Chicago are in States that have a high income tax, while Texas and Nevada don't. The Feds are always rubbing their hands on EVERYONE.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

I would love seeing Paige in LA. Unless Azzi is able to play a full season and live up to the potential we believe she has, I don't see her drafted anywhere near the first two, maybe three, rounds. GM's rarely, if ever, take chances on a player who hasn't actually played in years?

 

[Just.A.Fan]

Why would Azzi go unless the team is willing to have her sit for a year or most of it? Per the Link below, Paige's 1st comment is about her having her 1st off-season in a while to work on her game and strength etc. Azzi has been hurt the past 4-5 years. So, she is automatically going to jump into the WNBA rigors after this season?

IMO that's nuts. Expect a different mock draft eventually without Azzi's name until next year.

Couldn't agree more!

 

[Bone Dog]

Expect a different mock draft eventually without Azzi's name until next year.

I think it entirely depends on what sort of year Azzi has. If she seems gimpy and tentative all year, I doubt she'd attract much attention in the W next spring. And this is a real possibility. On the other hand, if she and Paige engineer a dominant march to an NC that she is seen as integral to, I think she'll want out of college and there will be teams that will pick her. This is a real possibility, too.

And something I know from long experience: kids get tired of the burdens of academic life after awhile. Classes, homework, papers and exams -- it wears on you after awhile. Especially if you've already finished the degree you came for.

 

[hoophuskee]

I think it entirely depends on what sort of year Azzi has. If she seems gimpy and tentative all year, I doubt she'd attract much attention in the W next spring. And this is a real possibility. On the other hand, if she and Paige engineer a dominant march to an NC that she is seen as integral to, I think she'll want out of college and there will be teams that will pick her. This is a real possibility, too.

And something I know from long experience: kids get tired of the burdens of academic life after awhile. Classes, homework, papers and exams -- it wears on you after awhile. Especially if you've already finished the degree you came for.

I don't agree. I don't believe kids wanting out will be relevant. The kids that have wanted out have played at least one year a full season including working on their game during the summer. Azzi hasn't done this in at least 4 years maybe up to 6.

I believe chances are very slim she chooses pros unless as stated team offers her to sit out most of the year. Otherwise she is taking an enormous risk that she doesn’t need to take. As I have indicated per the video above from Paige. One of her 1st comments was that she had a whole summer to strengthen herself. Azzi hasn't had this for a very long time.

IMO it has nothing to do with tile or dominance or being so eager to play pro ball. I believe her health and getting stronger is much more of a deciding factor in which she'll choose to stay.

 

[Bone Dog]

I don't agree. I don't believe kids wanting out will be relevant. The kids that have wanted out have played at least one year a full season including working on their game during the summer. Azzi hasn't done this in at least 4 years maybe up to 6.

I believe chances are very slim she chooses pros unless as stated team offers her to sit out most of the year. Otherwise she is taking an enormous risk that she doesn’t need to take. As I have indicated per the video above from Paige. One of her 1st comments was that she had a whole summer to strengthen herself. Azzi hasn't had this for a very long time.

IMO it has nothing to do with tile or dominance or being so eager to play pro ball. I believe her health and getting stronger is much more of a deciding factor in which she'll choose to stay.

You have a point. But there's an injury risk in playing another year of college ball too. And the risk of sitting seems to me to be a red herring. It won't deter any team from picking her. Will it discourage her from entering the draft? Maybe, but I doubt it.

 

[hoophuskee]

You have a point. But there's an injury risk in playing another year of college ball too. And the risk of sitting seems to me to be a red herring. It won't deter any team from picking her. Will it discourage her from entering the draft? Maybe, but I doubt it.

There is a risk for any player. There is a risk for driving a car too. One has to weigh their own risk. I would think the more you work to get stronger as a player, the less risk you have of future injury. Risk vs reward. IMO too great of a risk in year 1 for Azzi going through WNBA rigors vs getting one full year under her belt.

I'm not sure about your point of sitting out. A team that drafts 4th expects their star player to play is my guess. The teammates would at some pont have some expectations too. If the team is struggling how much pressure would the player put on herself to want to come back quickly (more than they should?)?

If she is making nil money and can get stronger -- why would she go through this WNBA rigor? The WNBA doens't pay that much. If she get shurt in College again why would we think she probbaly owuldn't have gotten hurt wiht evne less time off playing in the WNBA right after the collge season ended?

 

[Bone Dog]

vs getting one full year under her belt.

I have to admit. the premise of my posts is that Azzi has pretty much a full year this season. I could be mistaken about this.

A team that drafts 4th expects their star player to play is my guess.

They may well expect this, but a cursory review of past WNBA drafts does not support this being a realistic expectation. It is sadly too common for early picks not to play, or even to fall out of the league altogether all too quickly.

All-Time WNBA Draft Picks

2024 WNBA Draft First Round 1 Indiana Fever Caitlin Clark, Iowa 2 Los Angeles Sparks Cameron Brink, Stanford 3 Chicago Sky Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina 4 Los Angeles Sparks Rickea Jackson, Tennessee 5 Dallas Wings Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State 6 Washington Mystics Aaliyah Edwards, UConn 7 Chicago...

www.wnba.com

 

[hoophuskee]

I have to admit. the premise of my posts is that Azzi has pretty much a full year this season. I could be mistaken about this.


They may well expect this, but a cursory review of past WNBA drafts does not support this being a realistic expectation. It is sadly too common for early picks not to play, or even to fall out of the league altogether all too quickly.

All-Time WNBA Draft Picks

2024 WNBA Draft First Round 1 Indiana Fever Caitlin Clark, Iowa 2 Los Angeles Sparks Cameron Brink, Stanford 3 Chicago Sky Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina 4 Los Angeles Sparks Rickea Jackson, Tennessee 5 Dallas Wings Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State 6 Washington Mystics Aaliyah Edwards, UConn 7 Chicago...

www.wnba.com

I meant a full year. Just as Paige spoke that this year she got work herself strengthened up for the summer. I had mentioend Azzi hasn't had a full year summer/season to strengthen herself in at least 4 if not up to 6 years. Paige is talking about how beneficial it was for her on this 1 year in whch she specifically noted she hasn't had the ippoiortuniuty. So, I find it hard ot beleive that Azzi wouldn't be thinking along the same lines.

In regard to expectations - they do have the excpectations I would believe. I mean nyou draft 4th it is realistic expectation they play. You draft 8th it is a realistic expectation. Whether the player performs is another issue. But the expectation is there.

 

[boontonbomber]

If Azzi is in good shape, and can play freely,she will be very good. Besides being a great shooter and decent defender,she really understands the game. Maybe not in Paige's league, but close. One of those players that makes difficult stuff look easy. If healthy, any WNBA coach would love to have her.

 

[HopJim]

For the good of the WNBA, Paige needs to go to a big market team that knows how to manage publicity. The WNBA will need more big names to extend the Kaitlin Clark euphoria and Paige has the perfect blend of game and personality. Going to a Dallas, where women's basketball is about the 8th sport would be a waste. NY area or similar geographies are where the big names need to go.

 

[MSGRET]

For the good of the WNBA, Paige needs to go to a big market team that knows how to manage publicity. The WNBA will need more big names to extend the Kaitlin Clark euphoria and Paige has the perfect blend of game and personality. Going to a Dallas, where women's basketball is about the 8th sport would be a waste. NY area or similar geographies are where the big names need to go.

Who is Kaitlin Clark or do you mean Caitlin Clark?