Paige Bueckers Raised Expectations And Excitement Level For Dallas Wings Months Before Wnba Draft

Paige Bueckers raised the expectations and excitement level for the Dallas Wings and their fans many months before she was even drafted by the WNBA team.

It started with the viral video of new Wings general manager Curt Miller's reaction when the franchise won the draft lottery for the No. 1 overall pick only days after he was hired .

"I absolutely lost my mind. ... We knew what that meant at that moment," the GM says even now.

That was in November, when Bueckers was only three games into the three-time AP All-American's final season at UConn, which ended with the Huskies' 12th national championship and coach Geno Auriemma's sixth No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft.

Within days after the draft lottery - five months before the April 14 draft, and six months before the May 16 season opener - the Wings had sold out their season ticket allotment. The team also has an expanded regional TV broadcast deal to reach 6.2 million homes, and will move into a renovated arena in downtown Dallas next season.