Paige Bueckers, DC Duo Leads WNBA All-Rookie Crew

High draft choose Paige Bueckers headlines the newly-named 2025 All-Rookie group, which additionally options two Washington Mystics first-year standouts.

Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers and a pair of Washington Mystics appeared on the 2025 WNBA’s All-Rookie Crew, which was launched with a French twist on Monday.

The feted freshman 5 is the newest record of honorees unveiled by the league: the highest choose and Rookie of the 12 months Bueckers leads the way in which subsequent to the DC duo Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen whereas French imports Dominique Malonga (Seattle) and Janelle Salaun (Golden State) spherical issues out.

Bueckers, the newest College of Connecticut alumna to take residence the highest first-year honor, lived as much as the hype because the No. 1 choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft regardless of Dallas’ dreary ultimate ledger: she ended this season because the rookie chief in factors (19.2) and assists (5.4), each of which ranked within the prime 10 amongst all WNBA freshman seasons.

Bueckers additionally earned the third-best complete scoring season in league historical past (692) for rookies behind solely the touted maiden voyages of Caitlin Clark and Seimone Augustus. She’s additionally the primary member of the Wings to succeed in the All-Rookie Crew since 2021, when fellow prime choice Charli Collier earned the nod.

The three girls chosen instantly after Bueckers had been additionally invited to the All-Rookie workforce. Regardless of working behind tenured All-Star Nneka Ogwumike, the teenage sensation Malonga managed to discover a groove after the mid-summer break: from July 24 onward, Malonga averaged 12 factors and 6.8 rebounds off the bench and helped Seattle safe one of many final spots on the playoff bracket. Malonga additionally shot simply over 55 p.c from the sector to steer all rookies who performed a minimal of 300 minutes. 

Fellow prime 4 picks Citron and Iriafen, respectively hailing from Notre Dame and USC, had been additionally on the record after the Mystics selected them back-to-back. Each had been invited to the WNBA All-Star Recreation alongside Bueckers, with Citron main all first-year members in three-pointers (81) and Iriafen on the prime in complete rebounds (376). This marks the third consecutive season the place one workforce has produced a number of All-Rookie alternatives, following the Minnesota Lynx (Dorka Juhasz, Diamond Miller) and Chicago Sky (Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese).

Rounding out the 5 is Salaun, a rookie in title solely after taking part in professionally in France and Italy whereas additionally incomes a silver medal with Malonga on the Paris Olympics. Salaun signed a coaching camp contract with the growth Golden State Valkyries and went on to turn out to be a valued member of the beginning 5 to the tune of 11.3-point and 5.1-rebound averages. Salaun and Malonga turn out to be the primary French reps to seem on the All-Rookie workforce. 

Because the playoffs wind down, the awards proceed to circulation out on the WNBA circuit. The 2025 All-Defensive First and Second Groups will unveiled on Wednesday, shortly earlier than the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces interact of their winner-take-all semifinal finale. 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags