Trio of rookies on WNBA All-Star roster follow in Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese's footsteps
In April, Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers was calmly sitting at a table in New York and eagerly waiting for commissioner Cathy Engelbert to call her name.
"With the first pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, the Dallas Wings select Paige Bueckers, University of Connecticut," Engelbert eventually crooned.
Bueckers rose from her chair, smiled and put her left hand over her heart, seemingly to steady herself as she realized the gravity of the moment. For all the expectations placed on her shoulders, the class of 2025 silently also carried some of the weight. They would have to follow in the footsteps of the class of 2024, spearheaded by two players who often ripped out entire sections of WNBA history books.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese created immediate impact when they entered the league, earning All-Star nods during their first season as pros. Clark and Reese might have set a new benchmark for first-year players. Walking in their footsteps would be no easy feat. However, the class of 2025 wasn't daunted. It met the moment this season with three WNBA All-Stars: Bueckers and Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen. The trio will play in their first All-Star Game on July 19 in Indianapolis.
This new crop of players doesn't seem to be bothered by the pressure to produce; they thrive on it.
Bueckers redefines WNBA history with rookie season
Despite missing five games because of injuries, Bueckers is currently ranked top 10 or better in the WNBA in points, assists and steals per game. All the things she excelled at during her time at UConn – efficient shots, top-tier vision and passing, plus sweltering defense – immediately translated to the pro level. Her blazing fast start includes several league records.
The Wings guard is the first player in WNBA history with 60 points and 30 assists through the first five games, fastest player in league history to reach 200 points and 50 assists and first player in WNBA history to record a game with 25 or more points, five-plus assists, two-plus steals and two or more blocks with zero turnovers. As fate would have it (and history repeats), there's a connection to the class of 2024. En route to June Rookie of the Month honors, Bueckers joined Clark as the only rookies to ever score 35-plus points and five or more made 3-pointers in a single matchup.
"Paige (Bueckers) is a bucket. She's deserving of everything," Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale recently told USA TODAY about Bueckers' All-Star nod. "She's just been a great player. I mean, everything you guys see, that's what we see every day. ... She just has an all-around game – all-around good person."
Citron and Iriafen are WNBA's best rookie duo
Bueckers isn't the only first-year player who turned heads upon stepping onto the hardwood. Her colleagues across the country, Citron and Iriafen, are the first pair of rookie teammates since 1999 to make the WNBA All-Star team.
Citron was the first rookie in 2025 to score 100 points and is the only player from the class of 2025 to have multiple 20-point double-doubles. Per ESPN, the rookie has an effective field goal percentage of 53%, factoring in 3-pointers and shooting almost 90% from the free throw line. Additionally, alongside Iriafen, she became the first rookie since Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson in 2018 to open their career with eight or more double-digit scoring stat lines.
"Big fan of her game. Been a big fan of her since she's been in college," Clark said after adding Citron to her roster for the 2025 All-Star Game. "I've been telling everybody I thought she would be a tremendous player when she got into the league, and she hasn't let me down."
Citron's game is not considered flashy by most standards, but her patience in nailing clutch shots and playing shutdown defense in the big moments is hard to overlook. She rarely panics, which translates to smooth and fluid movements of a player beyond her years.
Citron's teammate, Iriafen, has also carved out a lane for herself, becoming one of the best young players in the league. Her undeniable motor and footwork have been noteworthy, particularly because the opening slate of post players she faced was filled with future hall of famers, including Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner, Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles, Wilson in Las Vegas and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas. Still, Iriafen didn't flinch.
"Kiki (Iriafen) came in, and she's not playing like a rookie," Griner said in June. "She wasn't scared of any of us out there; she's coming right at us. You see her working. ... So I've been very impressed with her."
As the early days of her season went on, Iriafen joined more elite company by adding her name to a list that includes Clark, Reese and Phoenix forward Satou Sabally. They are the only rookies since 2020 to record three consecutive double-doubles. Iriafen had four straight double-doubles and earned May Rookie of the Month honors.
When considering Iriafen's and Citron's impact along with Bueckers, there's a resounding theme: the class of 2025 has no dropoff in talent. This year's class potentially sets the stage for 2026 and beyond.
Next year's group of league hopefuls includes Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Olivia Miles, UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts, LSU Tigers guard Flau'jae Johnson and UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd. In 2027, USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo will lead a class with Texas Longhorns forward Madison Booker and several other high-profile prospects.
The tide is shifting in the WNBA, and as more talent enters, having three or more rookie All-Stars suddenly doesn't feel like a fantasy. It's reality, and soon, it could be the standard. The torch has been passed.
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