WNBA Draft Day Splash: Bueckers to Dallas, Jocytė Headlines Valkyries’ Inaugural Class
SAN FRANCISCO — The 2025 WNBA Draft opened with a generational pick and included a historic night for the league’s newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries.
UConn guard Paige Bueckers headlined the evening at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City, going No. 1 overall to the Dallas Wings. Bueckers becomes the sixth No. 1 pick in UConn history, following legends such as Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. A national champion, three-time Big East Player of the Year, and 2025 Wade Trophy winner, Bueckers leaves college as UConn’s career leader in scoring average and third all-time in points.
From there, the first round saw international talent and versatile scorers fly off the board, but all eyes eventually turned to the Bay Area with the Valkyries hosting fans and media at Chase Center in San Francisco.
With the No. 5 pick, the expansion Valkyries selected Lithuanian guard Justė Jocytė, marking the team’s first-ever WNBA Draft selection.
“She is a phenomenal athlete. She’s 19 years old…she was the youngest athlete to play in the EuroLeague at 14,” said Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin. “The sky is the limit for her.”
Golden State followed by drafting Maryland point guard Shyanne Sellers at No. 17 and UConn guard Kaitlyn Chen at No. 30, rounding out a balanced and promising rookie class.
“We were surprised that Shyanne was available at 17. We were excited about it…her versatility excites us,” Nyanin said of the second-round steal?.
Sellers made Maryland history as the only player in program history to record 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists. Chen, meanwhile, brings a mix of Ivy League intellect and NCAA Tournament-tested poise after transferring from Princeton to UConn and starting every game in her graduate season.
The Valkyries’ three picks add to a roster already defined by international flair and defensive intensity. Of the 11 players selected in December’s expansion draft, seven hail from overseas, a makeup head coach Natalie Nakase insists was driven more by mindset than geography.
“Competitiveness, high character, and a never-satisfied mindset,” Nakase said during the team’s initial build. “That’s exactly what I was looking for.”
Nyanin echoed that sentiment Monday night.
“If I could describe the group we’ve assembled tonight in one word,” she said, “it would be competitive.”
The Valkyries begin training camp April 27 and host the Los Angeles Sparks on May 16 at Chase Center to tip off their inaugural season. With 22,000 season ticket deposits already made and a front office that has aggressively built both through the expansion and college draft, Golden State is making it clear: this franchise intends to compete now.
2025 WNBA Draft First Round Results
| Pick # | Team | Player Selected | Team/Country | Position |
| 1 | Dallas Wings | Paige Bueckers | Connecticut/USA | Guard |
| 2 | Seattle Storm | Dominique Malonga | Lyon ASVEL/France | Center |
| 3 | Washington Mystics | Sonia Citron | Notre Dame/USA | Guard |
| 4 | Washington Mystics | Kiki Iriafen | USC/USA | Forward |
| 5 | Golden State Valkyries | Just? Jocty? | Lyon ASVEL Feminin/Lithuania | Forward |
| 6 | Washington Mystics | Georgia Amoore | Kentucky/Australia | Guard |
| 7 | Connecticut Sun | Aneesah Morrow | LSU/USA | Forward |
| 8 | Connecticut Sun | Saniya Rivers | NC State/USA | Guard |
| 9 | Los Angeles Sparks | Sarah Ashlee Barker | Alabama/USA | Guard |
| 10 | Chicago Sky | Ajša Sivka | Tarbes Gespe Bigorre/Slovenia | Forward |
| 11 | Chicago Sky | Hailey Van Lith | TCU/USA | Guard |
| 12 | Dallas Wings | Aziaha James | NC State/USA | Guard |
