Veronica Burton has had a whirlwind of a year.
are looking to retool the roster around superstar Paige Bueckers, who had a tremendous first season in the WNBA. They made a huge mistake in the 2024 season, though. Right before the 2024 season started, the Wings waived Veronica Burton, a player they'd taken with the 7th overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft.
She'd floundered in her first two seasons, and they must not have thought she made sense with the future vision of the team. She was picked by the Connecticut Sun for the 2024 season, and still didn't receive a big opportunity. That all changed when she was the third pick in the expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries. Burton blossomed onto the scene in 2025, averaging 11.9 PPG, 6.0 APG, and 4.4 RPG, shooting 34.5% from three. That was good enough for her to be the Most Improved Player of the Year, be selected to the All-Defensive Second Team, and finished 9th place in MVP voting. It was a turnaround that likely no one saw coming. Burton carried that momentum over to the Unrivaled League this year, where she just helped guide Mist BC to the championship in the league's second season, averaging 9.6 PPG, 4.6 APG, and 5.7 RPG. She's a beast on the defensive end of the floor, and considering how bad the Wings' defense was last season, they could've used a player like Burton.In the championship game, Burton put up 6 points and 5 assists, and while she may have been the only player on her team not to score at least 10 points, she still had a profound impact. She will be a free agent this summer, but after helping the Golden State Valkyries reach the playoffs, there's no reason for her to leave the Bay Area, especially with how bought in that fanbase is already. In the meantime, the Dallas Wings will have a lot of decisions to make on some of their own free agents. Arike Ogunbowale and Li Yueru, who were on Mist BC with Burton, are among the many players set to enter free agency this offseason, and arguably, no decision is bigger than what to do with Ogunbowale. The play styles between Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers are just too similar, and the focus has to be on finding the right fits around their first overall pick. Ogunbowale just may not be the right piece.Austin Veazey joined NoleGameday as the Lead Basketball Writer in 2019, while contributing as a football writer, and started as editor for MavericksGameday in 2024. Veazey was a Florida State Men’s Basketball Manager from 2016-2019. Follow Austin on Twitter at @EasyVeazeyNG
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Laura Miller: City Hall debate is a rerun of AAC debacleFormer Dallas Mayor Laura Miller says demolishing City Hall repeats mistakes with the American Airlines Center.
Read more »
Ikea has opening date for first store in DallasIkea, the Swedish furniture and home goods store, is set to open at site in Dallas on Wednesday, March 11. It is located in The Shops at Park Lane near...
Read more »
Nuggets Sign Former First Round Pick to Two-Way ContractThe Denver Nuggets have added a new name to their roster to finish out the regular season.
Read more »
Incumbent Dallas County DA upset by sanctioned former judgeAmber Givens defeated incumbent John Creuzot in a surprise upset for the Dallas County District Attorney race.
Read more »
Former judge's defeat of Dallas County DA surprises many, but not allAmber Givens was widely seen as the underdog in her race against District Attorney John Creuzot but she easily secured a win in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
Read more »
Dallas City Council approves resolution to explore leaving Dallas City HallDallas City Council members approved a measure to explore options for leaving Dallas City Hall while, but left the door open to staying in the iconic building.
Read more »