Paige Bueckers won an NCAA title with UConn on April 6 and has barely stopped moving since: from talk shows to endorsements to Sunday's championship parade in Hartford, Connecticut. Monday will mark her biggest moment since hoisting the national championship trophy as she is expected to be picked No. 1 in the WNBA draft by the Dallas Wings.
"It's been insane -- a lot of celebrating, a lot of reflecting," Bueckers said in a recent video call with media. "Then to already have this transition into my next stage, the WNBA, it makes you really stay present in what you're doing."
Bueckers is one of 16 players invited to New York for the draft (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). After Bueckers, how might the rest of the 38-pick draft go? Here are some of the biggest questions heading into Monday night.
Which player will the Seattle Storm select at No. 2?
Kevin Pelton: The smart money is on French center Dominique Malonga. WNBA scouts are high on the 19-year-old, who has averaged 18.5 points and 11.0 rebounds for ASVEL in the EuroCup against WNBA players. At 6-foot-6, Malonga doesn't fill a need like Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron would for the Storm, who landed the No. 2 pick as part of a trade sending Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces. But with a unique opportunity to add a star talent -- with its highest pick since taking Breanna Stewart No. 1 in 2016 -- Seattle will likely favor the best player available.
Andre Snellings: Malonga is the most likely pick, but don't completely discount Citron. She has the size, shotmaking and defensive versatility to quickly develop into an impact guard in the WNBA. The Storm have the core of a contending team as soon as this season if they improve their guard play, and Citron could be a big help on that front for a team that already projects elite interior play from Ezi Magbegor and Nneka Ogwumike.
Michael Voepel: Malonga's size, youth and potential likely make her too valuable for the Storm to pass up. They had similar success taking Australia's Magbegor as a 19-year-old in 2019.
Aneesah Morrow scores 30 points and grabs 19 rebounds in a dominant double-double performance to power LSU to the Elite Eight.
If Paige Bueckers doesn't win WNBA Rookie of the Year, who will?
Charlie Creme: LSU's Aneesah Morrow. If she goes to the Washington Mystics or Golden State Valkyries in picks 3 through 6, Morrow will get plenty of playing time and opportunity to put up solid numbers, even if they don't necessarily come efficiently. She's undersized at 6-1, but the rebounding instincts and relentless pursuit of the ball that defined Morrow's college career won't disappear because the competition is better. Morrow won't have a double-double in 83% of her games like she did this season at LSU, but she will lead all rookies in that category.
Kiki Iriafen finishes with 36 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks as USC defeats Mississippi State.
Eric Moody: USC's Kiki Iriafen. She's a future star. Known for her footwork, post scoring and defense, Iriafen stepped up for USC after JuJu Watkins' ACL injury. In her first season with the Trojans after three years at Stanford, Iriafen averaged 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds, shooting 49% from the field. A unanimous All-Big Ten first-team pick, as well as a third-team AP All-American, she led USC to a Big Ten title and the Elite Eight. Iriafen's versatile, two-way game -- reminiscent of A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart -- makes her a strong rookie of the year contender, especially if she lands with a team such as the Washington Mystics.
Which team's pick(s) are you most interested in watching?
Moody: Connecticut Sun. The Sun hit the rebuild button this offseason, dismantling their roster after six consecutive years of reaching the WNBA semifinals or better, including two trips to the Finals. Connecticut would be wise to consider adding a point guard with one of its back-to-back picks at Nos. 7 and 8 in the first round -- someone the Sun could build around. Georgia Amoore would be an excellent addition. The former Kentucky guard is a great decision-maker on the court and excels in the pick-and-roll.
Voepel: The Mystics. With pick Nos. 3, 4 and 6 in the first round, the Mystics have a chance to get three very different types of players. The franchise has new leadership after 12 seasons under Mike Thibault as general manager (he was also coach for 10 years). We will get a look at the decision-making of GM Jamila Wideman and coach Sydney Johnson. Plus, what the Mystics do with half of the top six selections will have a big impact on the rest of the first round.
Which team has the potential to win the draft?
Moody: The Mystics. Washington cleaned house this offseason with a new coach and general manager and has an opportunity to reshape its roster. With former MVP Elena Delle Donne retired, these 3, 4 and 6 picks are valuable, even with a handful of top prospects opting to return to school. While a championship might not be on the near horizon for the Mystics, it's still an exciting landing spot for developing players to make the roster and earn a place in the rotation as Washington works to rebuild back into a championship contender.
Voepel: Dallas Wings. In Bueckers, they will get a franchise-changing guard with the highest public profile of anyone in the draft. Then at the No. 12 spot in the first round and the second spot in the second round (No. 14), there will still be players available who could make an impact for the Wings.
"Intentionally, as we constructed the roster, we created an opportunity for 12 and 14 to make our opening-day roster," Wings general manager Curt Miller said. "You would want to hear your name if you're in that range for Dallas."
Madison Scott drops 15 points and adds three blocks in the Rebels rout of Ball State and discusses her leadership role along with the Rebels' toughness.
Which projected second- or third-round draft pick are experts sleeping on?
Creme: Ole Miss' Madison Scott. For players taken outside the first round, it's all about having one or two specific skills that can help a team in spot minutes. At 6-2 with length and lateral quickness, Scott can guard three positions at the pro level. It's not difficult to envision Scott as a defender even some of the best veteran wings and point guards in the league won't like playing against. Scott likely won't ever be a big contributor offensively, but she can make a team out of training camp as a lockdown defender for 10 to 15 minutes per game.
Moody: UConn's Kaitlyn Chen. Her journey from Princeton to UConn shows Chen's resilience, adaptability and high basketball IQ. The 5-9 guard played an important role in UConn's run to a 12th national title, shining as a poised floor general and smart decision-maker. Chen excels in different systems, is a scrappy defender, shoots efficiently and displays a calm confidence. Though undersized, Chen's ability to elevate teammates and control the tempo is similar to other guards, such as Hailey Van Lith. Chen's versatility and leadership make her a reliable, impactful addition at the next level, and she's set to join a long line of UConn greats in the WNBA.
Hailey Van Lith goes off with 26 points and nine rebounds in TCU's 71-62 Sweet 16 win over Notre Dame.
Snellings: TCU's Hailey Van Lith. I understand the questions about her size, or about how things went last season with LSU. But she is a winner, and her run at TCU demonstrated a lot of the leadership, playmaking, shotmaking and grit that could allow her to be an impact player in the WNBA. Though they play different positions, Van Lith could face and overcome a lot of the doubts that made Angel Reese slide in last year's draft. And if the Sky pick Van Lith like they did Reese, they could get the steal of the draft two seasons in a row.
JJ Quinerly drains a smooth basket for West Virginia.
Voepel: West Virginia's JJ Quinerly. There was a time when not all WNBA teams had the resources, expertise, personnel or technology to properly evaluate many players. That's not the case now, so it's a matter of how players' skill sets potentially fit teams. To that end, a player such as Quinerly might slot in well for a team that needs a tireless on-ball defender. She was fourth among Power 4 conference players in steals per game this season (3.0) while also averaging 20.4 points.