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The Los Angeles Sparks “would have been” the choice of UConn star Paige Bueckers within the 2025 WNBA draft lottery, in response to ESPN’s Michael Voepel.
The Dallas Wings wound up successful the lottery, with the Sparks getting the No. 2 decide. Because of this, the Wings are in place to take Bueckers, who’s universally thought-about the very best prospect within the class.
Enjoying in Los Angeles comes with apparent industrial benefits. A participant as notable as Bueckers goes to get large endorsements anyplace she goes, however it’s merely a distinct ballgame to be in L.A.
The Sparks are additionally just a little extra engaging than the Wings in basketball phrases.
The franchise has fallen on exhausting instances. Hiring Derek Fisher as head coach in 2019 was an enormous miscalculation that had a giant ripple impact as a roster that when boasted Candace Parker, Chelsea Grey and Nneka Ogwumike was steadily dismantled.
However now the Sparks have a younger cornerstone in Cameron Brink, who averaged 7.5 factors, 5.3 rebounds and a pair of.3 blocks per sport earlier than struggling a season-ending torn ACL in 2024. Rickea Jackson exceeded expectations as effectively with 13.4 factors per sport on 45.6 % capturing.
The Wings, in the meantime, have been unable to seek out any consistency from 12 months to 12 months since relocating to Texas in 2016. The final two seasons sum up the franchise’s run.
Dallas received 22 video games and reached the second spherical of the playoffs, an achievement that induced head coach Latricia Trammell to get emotional. It seemed just like the workforce was on an upward trajectory.
ESPN @espn
Look what it means to @DallasWings head coach Latricia Trammell 🥺
Dallas is on to the semifinals 🙌 pic.twitter.com/X4ZklTeIQv
As an alternative, the Wings misplaced 31 video games and fired Trammell in October.
Hiring Curt Miller a two-time Coach of the Yr and the 2017 Government of the Yr, as the overall supervisor is an indication of intent from Dallas. Nonetheless, its basic popularity will proceed to precede the group till it begins successful with regularity.
Maybe the arrival of Bueckers would be the factor to make that occur.