Jordan Chiles pens heartfelt note to WNBA draft No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers

Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles extended a heartfelt congratulatory message to Paige Bueckers after the UConn star was selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Jordan Chiles and Paige Bueckers share a strong friendship and have been spotted together at WNBA games.

UCLA gymnast Chiles capped off her 2025 season by helping her team finish as runners-up in the 2025 NCAA Championships, and she claimed the gold medal in the uneven bars, scoring 9.975. She had shared a note for her team on Instagram, acknowledging their support throughout the season.

Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers recently wrapped her collegiate career by leading the Huskies to their first NCAA title since 2016 in April 2025. She becomes the sixth UConn player to be taken No. 1 in the WNBA Draft, joining Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011), and Breanna Stewart (2016), per ESPN.

Recently, the Dallas Wings shared a video on Instagram in collaboration with usagym and togethexr, featuring Chiles congratulating Paige Bueckers,

“Hey Paige, it’s Jordan Chiles, and I just want to say congratulations on being the number 1 pick to the Dallas Wings, and I want to say welcome to Texas. I am beyond proud of you. Words can’t express how amazing you are on the court and off the court. I can’t wait to see you in all your WNBA games. I will definitely be at one. Love you,” Chiles said.

The Wings captioned the post,

"That Girl 🤝 That Girl. Takes one to know one 🥰 Special thanks to Olympic medalist @jordanchiles for sharing the love to @paigebueckers!"

Bueckers is a three-time Big East Player of the Year (2021, 2024, 2025), and she also earned three Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. She was the first freshman to win the AP Player of the Year award in 2021 and also secured the Naismith College Player of the Year and Wooden Award.

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Jordan Chiles opens up about her UCLA senior year and 2026 NCAA Championships

UCLA Bruins pose for a photo after taking second place in 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championships - Source: Getty

Jordan Chiles joined UCLA in 2022, and as she heads into her senior year, she confirmed her plans to compete in the 2026 NCAA Championships, aiming for a national title. UCLA finished as the national runner-up this year.

"Oh! I'm ready, I'm definitely ready to go into next season," said Chiles. "A lot of people did ask me, 'Are you going to come back?' Well, here's your answer — yes, I'm coming back. I'm not leaving The Bruins. I definitely can't wait to see how my senior year turns out and, you know, bring back that natty, for real for real this time."

In the upcoming 2026 NCAA Championships, Chiles is expected to face off against Romanian Gymnast Ana Barbosu, with whom she was involved in a controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics.