Paige Bueckers Goes No. 1 in Unrivaled Draft
The Unrivaled league season begins on January 5, with several games hosted in Philadelphia. In Wednesday’s draft, Paige Bueckers became the No. 1 overall pick, selected by The Breeze. This marks her second top selection of the year, following her being chosen first by Dallas in the WNBA draft in April.
The Breeze and The Hive Selections
The Breeze is one of two new 3-on-3 clubs in the Miami-based winter league. The other new team, The Hive, held the No. 2 pick and chose Kelsey Mitchell.
- The Breeze roster: Paige Bueckers, Rickea Jackson, Dominique Malonga, Aari McDonald, Kate Martin, Cameron Brink.
- The Hive roster: Kelsey Mitchell, Sonia Citron, Ezi Magbegor, Natisha Hiedeman, Saniya Rivers, Monique Billings.
League Draft Structure
Players were split into six position-based pods—guards, wings, and forwards—across six rounds of drafting, with eight teams alternating picks. The league granted last season’s top four playoff teams—The Rose, Lunar Owls, Vinyl, and Laces—the right to protect two players each from being drafted by expansion clubs. The Phantom and Mist, who missed the playoffs, could each protect one player.
Returning and New Rosters
- The Rose: Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Lexie Hull, Azura Stevens, Shakira Austin, Sug Sutton.
- Lunar Owls: Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins, Marina Mabrey, Aaliyah Edwards, Rebecca Allen, Rachel Banham.
“The Breeze and The Hive headline an expanded Unrivaled field that promises more talent and competition this season.”
Author’s Summary
Bueckers headlines the Unrivaled draft as The Breeze’s first pick, highlighting an expanded 3-on-3 league with new teams and stronger rosters for 2025.