Paige Bueckers just made it official—she’s heading to the WNBA. The Dallas Wings snatched her up with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday. If you’ve watched her tear it up at UConn, this move felt inevitable. Here’s the wild part: just a week ago, she was hoisting a national championship trophy with the Huskies. Now, she’s the face of a WNBA franchise. And the Mavs star Anthony Davis himself congratulated the 23-year-old.

And it wasn’t just a quick hello either. Davis said, “What’s up, Paige? AD here. From one first-round overall pick to another. I just want to say congratulations, welcome to Dallas, can’t wait to get you here to support you, come to some games to watch you do your thing. Congrats again. Enjoy the night.”

The post caught fire instantly—over 8,000 likes and nearly 600,000 impressions in five hours. Now, here’s the kicker: the Dallas Wings are fresh off a brutal 9-31 season. Yeah, they’ve got a lot of work to do. But Bueckers could be the spark they’ve been missing. Even before her WNBA debut, there’s real buzz that she’ll step in and immediately rank among the league’s best. And honestly, if you’ve followed her journey, you probably believe that too.

It didn’t take long for fans to jump into the comments section once the Mavericks posted Davis’s message to Paige Bueckers. While the video was meant to be a feel-good welcome, many weren’t buying the wholesome vibes, especially given how Dallas handled things with Luka Doncic.

Mavs fans don’t believe in Anthony Davis’ warm welcome, warn Paige Bueckers

One fan dropped the line, “You trolling? I wouldn’t be surprised if y’all trade her tonight…” And honestly? That comment hits harder than it should. Back in Feb 2025, Dallas pulled off the unthinkable: trading away Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal that landed them Anthony Davis. That move shook the league and left Mavs fans split down the middle. Luka was the franchise cornerstone, the guy Dallas built around for years. If they could deal him, who’s really safe?

Another fan chimed in with, “Before you know it, Nico might trade her to LA Sparks👀👀👀👀”—and as wild as that sounds on the surface, there’s real smoke behind the sarcasm.

Nico Harrison, the Mavericks’ GM had said: Dallas is in win-now mode. That mindset is exactly what led to the shocking decision to trade Luka for AD. It wasn’t about sentiment or loyalty—it was about immediate championship contention. Now, drop that same mentality into the Wings’ front office orbit—especially considering they just wrapped a 9-31 season. If Nico has any influence, or if the Wings adopt the same aggressive mindset, fans worry Bueckers might not be seen as a long-term project but rather as prime trade capital.

One fan didn’t mince words, writing, “Just don’t let Nico get near her.”. Under Harrison’s watch, the Mavs have shown they’ll mortgage promising futures if it means speeding up a title chase. That “win-now” mindset has fans nervous that the Wings could fall into a similar trap. Even though Nico doesn’t directly run the WNBA franchise, the shared ownership umbrella and cultural overlap between the two teams spark concern.

The underlying fear? Bueckers becomes another young phenom shuffled out too soon, before Dallas ever sees her peak.

When a fan exclaims, “This cursed organization needs to stay the f— away from her!!”, it’s more than just frustration—it’s a reflection of the deep-seated mistrust rooted in the Mavericks’ recent history. Harrison, a longtime admirer of Davis, cited concerns over Doncic’s conditioning and the team’s culture as factors influencing the decision. Chants calling for Harrison’s dismissal echoed through the American Airlines Center during the Slovenian’s return with the Lakers, who finished 3rd in the West. And the Mavs? 10th in the East and getting ready to fight through the Play-in tournament.

Fans are understandably protective of emerging talents like Bueckers. They fear that the same pattern of abrupt decisions could impact her career trajectory.

Another fan joked, “Luka wouldn’t be able to do this video. That’s why we traded for you AD! Let’s get this win tomorrow,”. Fans aren’t holding back, using humor to express their frustrations with the trade while trying to keep some optimism alive. In their mind, this was a “win-now” move, but it’s clear that not everyone’s sold on the idea of shifting the team’s identity so drastically.

It’s a sarcastic way of expressing how concerned fans are about the Mavs’ approach to building a team, with all the uncertainty surrounding player retention. In the end, this fan reaction highlights the deep-rooted concerns about the Mavs’ unpredictable moves, especially after the shocking Luka-to-AD trade. Fans are wary that Bueckers might just become another casualty in a long line of swift, high-profile roster changes.