Paige Bueckers, Rookie Royalty: Dallas’ No. 1 pick runs away with WNBA ROY

The WNBA made it official: Paige Bueckers is your 2025 Kia Rookie of the Year—nearly unanimous, 70 of 72 first-place votes, and the first Dallas Wings player to win it since 2017.

She averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 boards, and 1.6 steals in 36 starts, shooting 47.4% from the field and 88.8% at the line—leading all rookies in scoring and assists and finishing as the only player in the entire league top-10 in points, assists, and steals per game.

Her mic-drop moment came Aug. 20 vs. the Sparks: a rookie-record 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting (81%), the first 40+ on 80% night in WNBA history. 

The coronation even got the daytime-TV treatment—Commissioner Cathy Engelbert surprised Bueckers with the trophy during The Jennifer Hudson Show tunnel walk, a tear-spark moment social feeds devoured.

Context matters: Dallas went 10-30, but voters loved the volume and efficiency. The league’s release spelled it out—Bueckers set franchise rookie records, became the fastest rookie to 500 points and 100 assists, and swept Rookie of the Month (June–August). 

ESPN added the historical footnote: she’s the seventh UConn alum to claim the award.

Socials gave overwhelming applause, one fan noted Sonia Citron had a “legitimate argument…all season,” while another quipped a voter picked Citron just “to be different.”  Earlier in the summer, the debate simmered—think “is it really that close?”—before Bueckers’ 44 erased doubt.

Bottom line: a star arrived exactly as advertised. Near-historic production, marquee moments, and the kind of spotlight that travels.

The ROY plaque now has a Dallas zip code—and the league has another must-watch guard headlining its next era!! Congrats to Paige!