It’s finally time for the revelation! Paige Bueckers might have used her fifth year of eligibility to lead the Huskies to their championship win this season, but for the next chapter, she’s confirmed to depart for the WNBA. In fact, the No. 1 projected draft pick has already been linked to the team she’s joining. And no, it’s not the Los Angeles Sparks!

Despite being heavily associated with the Sparks, the Huskies star might land with the Dallas Wings who won the no.1 pick. How could Cameron Brink not react? The Sparks had a strong chance of creating the FIBA 2019 basketball trio—Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink, and Paige Bueckers—so Brink likely had high expectations. However, following the revelation, she appeared visibly surprised in a recent video uploaded on X, where she learned about the announcement.

But later, a broad smile lit up her face as she cheered with others.

With Wings securing no.1, Sparks are expected to lean towards USC forward Kiki Iriafen with their 2nd pick. Not only is the 6’3″ forward a good addition statistically, but she has also played alongside Brink at Stanford. But the Brink and Bueckers combination is sure one many would not have liked to miss. Maybe even the Sparks star herself.

The franchise had high odds of landing the No. 1 pick at 44.2% but ended up selecting second.

It’s not just Cameron Brink who feels the sting—it’s a tough blow for the entire Sparks roster, as well as other lottery teams that had their sights set on UConn’s Paige Bueckers. As an elite guard averaging 21.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, Bueckers would have been the perfect fit for the Sparks, who have struggled to fill the position since Chelsea Gray’s departure. Missing out on her, knowing she’ll likely be off the board when the Sparks pick, is a bitter pill to swallow.

But how did this happen?

It all comes down to trades. It started back in 2023 when the Dallas Wings traded their No. 1 pick to the Chicago Sky. Almost two years later, it was time for the Sky to pay back, which is how the Wings ended up with the No. 1 pick, despite having only a 22.7% (45.4% combined with the Sky) chance in the 2025 draft lottery.

In short, while Chicago Sky originally had the top pick, their trade with the Wings relegated them to the third pick this year. But the Sparks weren’t the only team Bueckers was linked to. The WNBA expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, were also rumored to be a possible destination for her. These speculations arose after Bueckers commented on the Valkyries’ jersey color combination.

However, those expectations have now been dashed. The expansion team will settle for the fifth pick. Even if the Wings were to pass on the Bueckers opportunity, Sparks or the 2 next, likely wouldn’t. The league is set to hold the expansion draft for the Valkyries on December 6, allowing Golden State to select players for their roster from other WNBA teams. The 2025 draft is then scheduled in April next year.