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The 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend is fully underway, with the headlining All-Star Game on tap for Saturday night. As two of the three rookies participating in the game, Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers and Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron are among the event's most notable participants.
Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is already one of the biggest stars in the league. Less than three years after suffering a torn ACL ahead of her junior season at UConn, Bueckers is aware of how “blessed” she is to already be recognized as a premier guard in the league.
“It feels surreal to be in this position,” Bueckers said, via WNBA on X, formerly Twitter. “Everything that's happened in the last year, I've just been extremely grateful for. Feel extremely blessed to be here with the best players in the league. Just trying to soak it all in and enjoy it as much as I can.”
From draft night to All-Star weekend 💫
Paige Bueckers arrives at her first W All-Star, embracing the journey and the moment! pic.twitter.com/MWtZ1xa4il
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 17, 2025
Citron, who was selected by the Mystics two picks after Bueckers, echoed similar thoughts. The 21-year-old Notre Dame alum admitted that she was “shocked” to be voted into the game, but is “grateful” for the opportunity.
“It's a shock; I still don't think it's hit me,” Citron said. “It's an amazing feeling. I'm really grateful for this opportunity and this experience.”
Bueckers and Citron are joined by Kiki Iriafen as the three rookies in the All-Star Game. Iriafen, Citron's teammate on the Mystics, is already proving herself as one of the best forwards in the league, averaging 11.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron clash at 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
Bueckers and Citron will go head-to-head in the game, with the former starting for Team Napheesa Collier and the latter coming off the bench for Team Caitlin Clark. Iriafen will also come off the bench for Team Clark.
While Bueckers was a no-brainer as an All-Star, Citron and Iriafen came as surprise additions. Both Mystics rookies have been impressive, but were shockingly nominated over teammate Brittney Sykes, who leads the team with 17.1 points and 4.4 assists per game. Sykes, 31, has yet to receive her first All-Star nod.
Buckers' Wings are struggling midway through the year, but she is hardly to blame. The 23-year-old prodigy immediately hit the ground running and is averaging 18.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game through her first 18 outings. If Clark was not coming off a historic rookie season in 2024, Bueckers would be receiving way more credit for the absurd numbers she is posting early on.
