The Dallas Wings selected UConn standout Paige Bueckers with the first overall pick in last month's WNBA Draft, and she'll be looking to make an immediate impact in Year 1 at the pro level.

Ahead of the season opener on Friday evening, Bueckers spoke on her mindset as she's gone from a veteran to the youngest player on this Wings roster.

Via Slam Magazine:

“It’s crazy, I went from being the oldest and I guess the vet on the UConn team to being the youngest here, or one of the youngest,” Paige Bueckers said. “I’m [continuing] to stay humble, stay hungry and working to be the best teammate, best leader I can be, [and] working to find my voice. Obviously, I don’t have as much experience, but I still feel like I have a lot of knowledge and wisdom for the game and a lot of love for it.”

Bueckers played four seasons for the Huskies and greatly succeeded in college. UConn won a national championship in 2025, and she was named a first-team All-American three times. Bueckers was also the Naismith Player of the Year in 2021.

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The 23-year-old joins a Wings team that is looking to bounce back from a horrible 9-31 campaign in 2024, where they missed the playoffs by a mile. Dallas had been in the postseason for three straight seasons before their struggles last year.

Paige Bueckers is certainly a game-changer, and she will join DiJonai Carrington and Arike Ogunbowale to complete a new-look trio for the Wings. Carrington was the Most Improved Player of the Year last season, while Ogunbowale averaged 22.2 PPG and was named an All-Star for the fourth time.

There's optimism in Dallas, and Bueckers will play a crucial part in getting this organization back to the playoffs. Her experience and versatile skillset will be on full display.

Bueckers and the Wings tip off at 7:30 PM ET against the Minnesota Lynx on Friday.