Paige Bueckers, the first player selected in the 2025 WNBA Draft, has shared her thoughts on the Dallas Mavericks landing the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft after both Dallas-based franchises secured the top selections in their respective drafts. The former UConn star expressed her amazement at the Mavs’ good fortune, stating, ‘That’s another thing that I didn’t think was real at first.’ Bueckers, who was the first player off the board last month, believes that the Mavericks’ success in the lottery was divinely orchestrated, as she remarked, ‘I believe God makes no mistakes, so that happened for a reason.’
Paige Bueckers, the first player selected in the 2025 WNBA Draft, has shared her thoughts on the Dallas Mavericks landing the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft after both Dallas-based franchises secured the top selections in their respective drafts. The former UConn star expressed her amazement at the Mavs’ good fortune, stating, ‘That’s another thing that I didn’t think was real at first.’ Bueckers, who was the first player off the board last month, believes that the Mavericks’ success in the lottery was divinely orchestrated, as she remarked, ‘I believe God makes no mistakes, so that happened for a reason.’
Dallas’ two professional basketball teams, the NBA’s Mavericks and the WNBA’s Wings, both landed the top selections in their respective drafts, an unprecedented feat. The Mavericks secured the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Monday night after winning the draft lottery, despite entering the draw with only 1.8% odds of landing the top selection. The Wings had already won the WNBA Draft lottery and secured the top pick in last month’s draft. Bueckers, the top pick in the WNBA Draft, was selected first by the Wings.
Bueckers, a standout player from UConn, admitted to being initially skeptical about the Mavericks’ success, but she now sees it as a sign of divine intervention. Her comments came as the NBA continued to expand its lottery system, making it increasingly likely that teams with poor records will end up with the top picks. The NBA lottery odds have flattened in recent years, reducing the likelihood that a team with a strong record will miss out on the top three selections. This system ensures that even teams with poor records have a fair chance of securing a high pick, which is intended to facilitate better team-building and competitiveness in the league.
Despite the Mavericks’ success in the draft, their performance on the court has been less than ideal. The team finished with a subpar record for the past season, and their coach has acknowledged the challenges of rebuilding the franchise. However, the addition of top prospects like Bueckers could provide a much-needed boost to the team’s future competitiveness. Meanwhile, the NBA’s draft system is designed to reward teams with poor records by giving them better chances to secure high picks, even if they have a better season, which is a key aspect of maintaining league balance and competitiveness.
As the Mavericks continue to build their roster, the success of their current draft pick is expected to have a significant impact on the franchise’s trajectory. The team’s management has expressed confidence in Bueckers’ potential and is likely to see her as a key piece in their long-term strategy. The combination of a strong draft pick and the potential of young talent could position the Mavericks for a competitive season in the upcoming years. The league’s draft system is designed to ensure that even teams that struggle in the regular season have a fair chance to secure high picks, which is intended to promote league balance and prevent dominant teams from holding too much power over the draft process.
While Bueckers’ comments may have a religious undertone, they underscore the significance of the Mavericks’ success in the draft. Her belief in divine purpose adds a unique perspective to the broader narrative of the NBA Draft, where the selection of top prospects can have a major impact on a franchise’s future. The event is a powerful reminder that even the most unlikely teams can find themselves in positions of opportunity, and the league’s draft system is designed to ensure that such scenarios remain a possibility for all teams.