The first pick of the 2025 WNBA draft, Paige Bueckers, has officially touched down in Dallas, and what better way to celebrate becoming a Dallas Wing than by locking in her own Wingstop meal? Paige is the first rookie to join Wingstop’s ‘Rookie Draft Class,’ and Paige’s order is officially on the menu: 6 OG Hot classic wings, 6 Hickory Smoked BBQ boneless wings, 2 Garlic Parmesan tenders, large seasoned fries, and 2 ranch dips.
“It’s a blessing just to be able to partner with Wingstop. I've been a huge fan ever since I was young—it’s my go-to spot,” Paige says. “I really think that food brings people together…I hope other people like it as much as I do.”
And in her case, it absolutely does. Fans might remember her legendary $540 Wingstop receipt that went viral after she led UConn to a national title—a wild order that included 400 boneless wings. “It was definitely for everybody at the after-party,” she laughs. “There were even leftovers... It was the perfect order.”
But this moment isn’t just about wings. On the court, Bueckers is already showing flashes of the generational talent she was projected to be. A dynamic playmaker with elite vision, mid-range finesse, and a relentless motor on both ends, she’s stepping into the WNBA with the same poise and impact that defined her college career. Teaming up with Arike Ogunbowale—whom she once watched win a national championship as a young fan—is more than just a cool pairing. It’s a dream in motion. “To be able to play on the same team in the pros, it’s really surreal. It’s like really a full-circle moment.”
Their chemistry is growing “every single day on and off the court,” and Bueckers brings a high-IQ game and fearless leadership to a Wings squad ready to make noise. “It’s been just very rewarding. It’s been a challenging journey, but I’m excited for the future and excited to be where I’m at now in this new city in Dallas and the new organization.”
Our conversation, lightly edited and condensed for clarity, is below.
First and foremost, we're here to talk about Wingstop. You famously spent $540 at Wingstop after winning the Natty. Everyone was obsessed with the receipt that went viral, which included 400 boneless wings. First question, who were you ordering for, and was it enough wings for everyone?
It was definitely for everybody who was at the after-party. After we won a Natty, it was just a huge celebration, and no better way to celebrate than getting Wingstop. So it actually was enough to feed everybody. There were some leftovers that we got to take when we went home. So all in all, it was just the perfect order.
And I have several important wing preference questions that we need answers to. So the first one would be boneless versus classic bone-in wings. Which one and why?
I go through phases. So depending on the month or the week, I would probably say boneless, though, if I had to choose one.
What is the elite wing sauce and why?
The elite wing sauce also varies, but I'm going to say buffalo because it's just a staple foundation of a wing.
Ranch or blue cheese?
Definitely ranch. Not even a question.
Flats or drums?
Flats, for sure.
You have a meal bundle dropping with Wingstop. What is it? How did you land on that being the perfect combo?
Yeah, so those are my three favorite flavored wings: the garlic parm, the OG hot, and then the hickory smoked barbecue. It's just a combination of all the things that I need. I got a hot, I got a medium, and then I got just a very good garlic parm to just blend it all together. It’s my favorite order. I hope other people like it as well, but the drink to add to that, I like pop. That's my guilty pleasure—I'm trying not to drink pop—but I'm going to say if I drank a pop, it would be half Dr Pepper, half Diet Coke.
And what kind of fries come with the bundle?
Large fry, for sure. I like just a regular cut fry with the ranch, for sure.
You're the first athlete being announced in their new Rookie Draft Class. What does that mean to you?
Yeah, it's a very big honor. It's a blessing just to be able to partner with Wingstop. I've been a huge fan ever since I was young. It's my go-to spot, and I really think that food brings people together. So to be able to partner with them, them being my first QSR partnership, just means a lot. And they've just done so much for me and my whole entire life. And to be able to partner with them and the entire rookie draft class, it's been an honor.
Switching gears a little bit, you ended your college career with a bang, winning the championship, and just like that, we're watching you play your first WNBA games within weeks. What was that transition like for you?
It's been a whirlwind. I've been extremely blessed and grateful to just experience all these things at once, and I've been trying to stay present and just enjoy it all. It's so easy to think about the future and what's next, and forget where you are and forget to enjoy the moment. So it's been just very rewarding. It's been a challenging journey, but I'm excited for the future and excited to be where I'm at now in this new city in Dallas and the new organization. And so it's been really exciting times.
And prior to being drafted, you talked about wanting to play with Arike. Now that you're playing with her, what is that like? How was that full-circle moment for you?
Yeah, it's really cool. I watched her win a national championship when I was younger in Tampa when she was playing at Notre Dame. And I actually grew up watching her in Minnesota. She was from Wisconsin, so I always got to see her through the Midwest pipeline, and to be able to play on the same team in the pros, it's really surreal. It's like really a full circle moment, and it's been a joy. We continue to build off each other, continue to grow our chemistry, and what that looks like every single day on and off the court. But she's just a great person to be around. She brings a lot of joy and passion to the game, so that's easy to mesh with.
And you and Azzi were such a dynamic force while playing together at Uconn. When people talk about that era of UConn basketball and just the dynamic duo that you both were on the court, what do you want them to remember about that era?
I think our national championship run was described as the power of friendship, and I think that's what I wanted to be known for. And just our selflessness and our togetherness, our connectivity, it really made it so fun to play with each other. And that run that we went on was the most fun time because we all enjoyed it. We all were embracing each other and we just weathered whatever storm was thrown in front of us. And just the story of resilience as well. I know me and Azzi didn't have the most unchallenging path. We had injuries, we had ups and downs, highs and lows, but it all made it rewarding in the end. And I just feel like on the other side of a hard time is a huge blessing. And so, to continue for us to stick with it and stay together through it all, I think I want that to be the story.
If you had to pick an NBA player that you feel you play the most like, who would it be and why?
I think Devin Booker and Shai, mostly because of their mid-range game, their footwork, and their ability to get to their spots. And also they want to be two-way players, and they exert themselves on the defensive end as well. So I would say those two.
The Dallas Mavs and the Dallas Wings both getting the first-round draft pick is a story that really couldn't be written anymore perfectly. Have you and Cooper Flagg talked?
I haven't talked to him recently. I know how busy these times are and how much he has on his plate, and how much people are probably pulling him from all different directions. And I'm sure he has the same mindset as me to where he doesn't want to get complacent. But it's very exciting times in Dallas, andI would love to reach out and get to talk to him, get to know him a little bit more.
Kyrie showed so much love and excitement for you coming to Dallas. Can you talk about some of the best advice he's given you and just what he means to your game?
He's one of my favorite players of all time. I've been looking up to him ever since I was little, and just for him to be unapologetically himself, on and off the court, and he doesn't care about other people's opinions and other people's narratives around him. He's just Kyrie. And to go along with that, with the skill that he has and the work ethic that he has, and just the entertainment I find in watching him for him to support me. I know he supports women's basketball, he's a girl dad, and everything in between. So for me to be in the same city as him, it's really like a dream come true. And my childhood self is smiling.
During the WNBA draft, you were excited to find out that your teammate Kaitlyn Chen had been drafted. You had recently played against her with Geno watching courtside as the two of you faced off. What is it like to see such important figures from your college career present during the next chapter of your career?
Yeah, it was super crazy, super fun. And just like I talk about rewarding and a sense of, they both played such a huge role in who I am today, and the level of success that it took for us as a team to win that national championship, and Coach is shaping me to be the player in person and leader I am today. And then Kaitlyn being one of my sisters, and for her to get that opportunity to play with the Valkyries and be in this league, I think she's very deserving of it. So, for all that to happen basically at the same time, it was a really cool experience.
What do you want people to remember most about you as a player and as a person?
I think my ability to have and leave an impact on everyone that I know, and just the selflessness, the gratitude that I walk around with, the joy, the peace, I get it all through my faith. And so just what I find through that and the passion that I have for the game of basketball, my work ethic, and I want to be known more as the person page rather than the basketball player page. But ball is also life. So, finding the mix and balance of that, all of that to say just a selfless, caring, genuine human being who also loves the hoop.
Can you talk about what it meant for you to be the first college athlete with their own Nike?
I had grown up just the hugest Nike fan. I would just save up my money just to get some Nike kicks, go in a line, and I probably got some hackers or stuff on my computer because I used to try to go on them. Illegal websites don't like arrest me now, but I was just trying to finesse any way I could to get free gift cards, free promo codes, all that stuff. And now I am partnered with Nike with all these amazing athletes on their roster. And to have my first PE shoe in college, it was just to share that with my teammates, to have them wear them as well. And the details on it, just giving tribute to my hometown, my dad, my family, where I'm from, where I was at in Connecticut. It really was just very humbling and a true honor.
What would a Paige Beckers signature shoe mean to you?
It would mean a lot in terms of the work that it took to get here. And I know that there's people in front of me that deserve one as well, and just to continue to pave the way. I know Sabrina has one, A’ja has one right now, and Stewie has one with Puma. There's so many other athletes that have their own signature shoe, but just to be in line with that, I don't take it for granted just to be in those conversations. I never want to take it for granted and think that I'm entitled to anything. So to continue to work for it and truly earn it, if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But to be able to share that with the people around me would be the most important part.
And one of your first tunnel fits was a custom suit by Dapper Dan, which was a major flex. What's one brand or look you want to pull off in the WNBA tunnel?
Nike and Coach for sure. And then I'm a huge fan of Kith, Stussy, Honor The Gift, probably those.
You've been to a couple of shows during New York Fashion Week and we're curious, what's a show you'd love to see that you haven't gotten to see yet?
I would love to go to a Louis Vuitton show. I think those are amazing.
What's your top three game day travel essentials?
Three game day essentials? Definitely my devotional book, my iPad, and my Wingstop gift card.
And who has the best sneaker rotation on the Wings?
Best sneaker rotation on the Wings. I would say I probably Arike, her Kobe collection is insane, so her Kobe collection for sure.
Do you think women's basketball is finally getting its moment in sneaker culture? How do you feel like you're playing a role in that as well?
Yeah, I think women's basketball in general, just like the fashion, the tunnel walks, the sneaker collections, the way that we're being bigger than basketball and our brand and how we represent ourselves and just what you see in commercials, what you see on tv, the accessibility, and then just us being known as a fashion brand as well as a basketball brand. I think it's really cool and it helps us all to know in the younger generation that we don't have to fit in a box that we are hoopers, but we can also love fashion and do other things outside the court as well. And for me, just being unapologetically myself, whether that be masculine, feminine, not putting myself in a box, just being confident in that, and sharing that confidence and light with others.