When it comes to building a championship-caliber franchise from scratch, WNBA general managers have a clear favorite: Paige Bueckers. In the league's annual preseason GM survey released Tuesday, 33% of executives named the former UConn superstar as the ideal player to anchor a new team—edging out reigning four-time MVP A'ja Wilson and Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark, who each received 20% of the vote.

This marks a significant shift from last year's survey, when Clark dominated the category with 50% of the vote. Bueckers, fresh off her 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year campaign, now enters her sophomore season with sky-high expectations both inside and outside the league. The 23-year-old guard also earned votes for best point guard (7%) and best shooting guard (20%)—ranking third at the point behind four-time champion Chelsea Gray and Clark, and second at shooting guard behind Las Vegas Aces star Jackie Young.

Bueckers isn't the only Husky making waves in the survey. New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, entering her 10th WNBA season, was voted the second-most likely player to win MVP (27%) behind Wilson (60%). Stewart also claimed the title of most versatile player in the league and was the only player besides Gray to receive votes for best basketball IQ—a testament to her championship pedigree and all-around game.

Meanwhile, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier—another UConn great—tied with Stewart for best forward in the WNBA, each earning 27% of the vote. Collier turned heads last season with a historic 50/40/90 shooting split, finishing runner-up in MVP voting. However, her 2026 status remains uncertain after undergoing surgery in March to repair lingering injuries in both ankles. The Lynx announced in late April that Collier is on track to return by early June, but she's expected to miss the start of the season.

For fans of UConn women's basketball and the WNBA alike, the message is clear: Huskies royalty continues to define the league's present and future. Whether it's Bueckers as the franchise cornerstone, Stewart's versatility, or Collier's elite efficiency, these stars are setting the standard for what it takes to build a winner—and they're doing it in style.