WNBA

How the LA Sparks Can Secure Paige Bueckers and the No. 1 Pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft

Published

2 weeks ago

September 5, 2024

With a 7-25 record, the LA Sparks are not only on their way to missing the postseason again, but they also face the worst winning percentage in their 28-year history. Their current .219 win rate is the lowest for the franchise, surpassing the previous low of .294 set during the 2007 season when they also finished last in the league. This puts them in a strong position for the 2025 WNBA Draft and a chance at securing the No. 1 pick.

As September approaches, the Spark’s chances of making the playoffs are statistically possible but not very likely. In other words, the right to give up the right to No. The improvement of the 1 pick makes potential UConn star Paige Bueckers more attractive.

Although head coach Curt Miller might be tired of hearing about tanking. The quality of the upcoming draft class and the team’s proximity to landing the top spot make the conversation unavoidable.

Also read: 2024 WNBA Draft: Order, Top Prospects, Location, and More

2025 WNBA Draft Lottery

The 4 teams that missed the playoffs in the WNBA Draft Lottery are eligible to win the No. 1 seed. 1 pick the inside. Draft lottery numbers are determined by a combination of records from the previous two years.

Currently, there are 4 teams in playoff contention: the Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics, Dallas Wings, and L.A. Conservatives. Atlanta won’t be tanking, as they traded a 2025 first-round pick to the Wings.

The Sparks, with the worst record over both seasons, are close to securing the best lottery odds. They have 24 wins over the past two seasons, while their closest competitor, Washington, has 29 wins and a 5-game lead. With the Sparks having 8 games left and the Mystics 7, LA needs to lose 4 more games or see Washington win 4 to guarantee the worst record.

Losing games should be relatively easy for the Sparks, given they have the second-toughest remaining schedule (.592 opponent win percentage), trailing only the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

Locking in the best odds for the No. 1 pick is just the first step. The actual lottery, typically held in December, determines the top spot. If the Sparks land the best odds, they’ll have a 44.2

Who will be the No. 1 pick?

Most mock drafts have UConn’s Paige Bueckers as the No. 1. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. 1 is optional. A top prospect because of too many schools, Bueckers follows in the footsteps of UConn legends like Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, and Napheesa Collier.

Last year, Beaukers averaged 21.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, the Huskies made it to the Main 4. Before Kaitlyn Clark ascended to stardom, Beaukers would be the only accolade winner for the 2021 AP National Player of the Year, averaging 20 points and 5.8 assists in her freshman season.

Despite accidents proscribing her to 17 games in 2021 and 2023, Bueckers rebounded strongly remaining season. Moreover, reasserts herself as a generational talent. Her offensive explosiveness at defense might be precisely what the Sparks need. While, alongside Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, and Dearica Hamby, to spark a turnaround.

Bueckers is extensively seen as the pinnacle defense and a generational prospect, nearly certain to be the No. 1 select subsequent spring. The best query is whether or not the Sparks may have the chance to select her.