Just over a week ago, the Connecticut Huskies cruised to a dominant national championship victory, defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 82–59 to claim the program’s 12th title.
The win also marked Paige Bueckers’ first national championship in her five-year career with the Huskies—and it came in her final game at UConn.
Now, with the WNBA draft set for Monday night and the season just about a month away, Bueckers is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick. But before even hearing her name called, she made headlines with a bold outfit change—from the orange carpet to the green room before stepping on stage.
She kicked things off with a sleek purple ensemble, paired with a black handbag to complete the look.
Paige Bueckers has entered the chat #WNBADraft Orange Carpet presented by @Coach pic.twitter.com/GJeBhd4K5U
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 14, 2025
However, she later walked into the arena wearing a full black suit that instantly caught attention — even the WNBA took notice, posting, “Of course Paige pulled up with a second fit.”
Of course Paige pulled up with a second fit
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 14, 2025
Tune in to the 2025 WNBA Draft presented by @StateFarm at 7:30pm/ET on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XfsEj8oOmO
WNBA fans quickly reacted to Bueckers’ bold outfit change—something unique she brought to the table on one of the biggest nights of her basketball career.
"She’s the one!!" A fan posted.
"BRUHHHHH OMG," Someone else added.
"Being best dressed twice at the same event is crazy actually," Another fan posted.
One more fan commented, "I LOVEEEE THIS ONE OMGG."
After making waves with her outfit, Bueckers was selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings—an expected move that now pairs her with former Notre Dame star Arike Ogunbowale.
Bueckers has been through plenty over the course of her college career, including a major knee injury in 2022 that forced her to miss the entire 2023 season. Now, it’s all come full circle. She’s had a historic month—first capturing a national title, and now hearing her name called as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft.
More must-reads:
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in July before he strained his hamstring legging out a triple. He was placed on the injured list, and it only got worse from there. Less than 24 hours later, manager Pat Murphy said Chourio would be out beyond the 10-day minimum and possibly at least a month. On Saturday, beat reporter Curt Hogg shed another tidbit of light on the slugger’s timetable. It’s not necessarily worse news, but Hogg’s update probably does not illuminate much. Fans already knew Chourio was going to be out a while after Friday’s report, so this latest info isn’t surprising. It isn’t all that encouraging, either. It certainly suggests no expedited return schedule. Not to make assumptions, but the emphasis on the location of the damage versus evaluating its severity seems to indicate the Brewers are just hoping Chourio avoided a worse-case scenario. In that case, caution would indeed be first in the order of operations. Only after ascertaining clarity would it make sense to seriously estimate a recovery timetable. That he won’t be ready to immediately resume baseball workouts further points to a slow, methodical recovery process. For however long he remains out, the lineup will miss him badly. Chourio’s 17 home runs rank second on the team behind Christian Yelich, as do his 67 RBI. His .786 OPS leads the offense among qualified hitters. In 90 at-bats in July, he hit .367/.408/.600. The Brewers are resilient everywhere, but without one of their few genuine power threats and hottest bats, plus an everyday outfielder, they are courting a potential offensive slump. The most fans can hope for from Chourio is that he returns fully healthy by the first week of September. Until then, Blake Perkins and trade pickup Brandon Lockridge should see plenty of playing time while Yelich takes more reps in the outfield after getting most of his at-bats this season as the designated hitter.
It's feeling like 2012 all over again. SummerSlam 2025 ended with shock and nostalgia when Brock Lesnar returned unannounced and dropped John Cena with a thunderous F5, just as Cena was addressing the crowd during his retirement tour. The moment felt poetic, mirroring the night after WrestleMania 28 in 2012, when Lesnar returned to WWE for the first time in eight years and F5’d Cena, launching a brutal and unforgettable rivalry. This attack wasn’t just for show. With Cena’s farewell tour expected to end in December, the timing of Lesnar’s return feels intentional. WWE is known for delivering emotional, high-stakes finales for its legends and this could be the setup for one last epic clash between two of the most iconic figures in company history. Their rivalry has always delivered, from their battles in 2012–14 to the infamous “Suplex City” beatdown at SummerSlam 2014. Now, with both men nearing the end of their in-ring careers, fans may be getting a final chapter in this storied feud. Whether it culminates at the Royal Rumble or on the grandest stage of them all at WrestleMania 41, the anticipation is real. Lesnar has been off WWE TV for nearly a year, making this return even more impactful. For Cena, who has been embracing his final run with open arms, a showdown with Lesnar is a fitting, full-circle moment. It’s the kind of storytelling WWE thrives on — legacy vs. legacy, pride vs. redemption.
Joel Embiid’s trust in the healing process may not be paying off. A concerning update emerged over the weekend about the health of the Philadelphia 76ers star center. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reports that there is “genuine concern” around the league about the health of Embiid’s knee. Siegel adds that Philadelphia’s camp is attempting to downplay the concerns but notes that “word is bad” about Embiid’s health around the rest of the NBA. Now 31, the former MVP Embiid is still dealing with the ill effects of a torn left meniscus suffered during a 76ers game in February 2024. Embiid, who previously tore the same left meniscus back in 2017, quickly underwent surgery on the knee and missed two months. It appeared that everything was peaches and cream for Embiid after he returned to finish out the 2023-24 NBA season and even played at the 2024 Paris Olympics last summer as the starting center for Team USA. But Embiid missed significant time while managing his left knee throughout the 2024-25 season and even suggested at one point that he would need to have another surgery. In the end, Embiid appeared in just 19 total games for the 76ers last season and was shut down in February with the team nowhere close to contention. There was some talk a few months ago that Embiid might be undergoing the Kobe Bryant treatment to address the troublesome knee, but it looks like Embiid still hasn’t found a course of treatment that his knee is responding to. We know that the 76ers were already growing frustrated with Embiid’s lack of availability going back to last season. Now they may have to prepare for the potential of Embiid missing more time in 2025-26, a disastrous possibility given that they still owe the seven-footer an absurd $187.6M over the next three seasons.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are known for always having a highly capable defense. The expectations for the unit are sky-high heading into the 2025 season as it will be the fourth consecutive year that Pittsburgh is rostering the highest-paid defense in the league. The group is headlined by stars at every level, with some of the most notable being TJ Watt, Cam Heyward, and Jalen Ramsey. However, in order to have the best defense in the league, Pittsburgh is going to need to see some of the younger guys stepping up. Someone to keep an eye on is inside linebacker Payton Wilson. Wilson was one of the more exciting picks for the Steelers during the 2024 NFL Draft, and he did not disappoint during his rookie year. He tallied 78 total tackles, an interception, and he also recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Fans are looking for Wilson to have another successful season, which probably includes taking another step forward. Team insider Mark Kaboly has noticed a difference in Wilson while being in Latrobe, which he posted to social media. "You know that big jump that Tomlin talks about from being a rookie to being a second-year player being significant?" Kaboly asked. "It’s real, at least for Payton Wilson, and it's likely not in the area you were expecting. Wilson has morphed into a different football player, more than just on the field. A guy who barely spoke last year, Wilson has been one of the more vocal players on the defense, which already has some big personalities. The trash talking, the vocal leadership, and the intensity have been off the charts through the first week, and it’s been relentless. I can’t admit that we would see that from Wilson this early in his career, but here we are." It seems as though Wilson is trying to take on more of a leadership role during his second season with the team, and he is also trying to make more of an impact with his play. He played well as a rookie, but some fans are expecting him to take a major leap in 2025. This could propel him into Pro Bowl status, or something close. Wilson has been extremely vocal throughout camp, and he has even been taking shots at some of his own teammates in the media. Kaboly has heard him down on the field between the whistle, which is something Pittsburgh needs as a part of its defense. Kaboly believes this is all a result of Wilson being more confident and comfortable in his role. "All that means to me is that he’s much more comfortable in his role – a role where he doesn’t want to come off the field for any reason," Kaboly wrote. During the 2024 season, Wilson played a decent amount, but he only started four total games. Elandon Roberts would usually be the other linebacker next to Patrick Queen when it seemed like a running situation, while Wilson would be on the field in obvious passing scenarios. Wilson wants to be a three-down linebacker in 2025, which is certainly possible. Steelers' Payton Wilson Is Not Lacking Confidence Wilson is flying high heading into 2025, and rightfully so. He has come out and point blank said that he is one of the best coverage linebackers in the world, which is something he will be looking to prove once the regular season kicks off. He is going to need to be a key contributor for Pittsburgh if they want to be the best defense in the league, especially if he plans on being on the field in all scenarios.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!