WNBA First Basket Scorers & Picks: Thursday (5/29)
There are two games across the WNBA this evening. The slate begins in Brooklyn, where the Liberty take on Valkyries for the second time in three nights.
Following that, the Dallas Wings are on the road to face off against the Chicago Sky. Without any further delay, let's dive into our favorite WNBA first basket selections for Thursday, May 29th. Check out our WNBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for more WNBA props.
Thursday’s Best WNBA First Basket Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Golden State Valkyries vs. New York Liberty
Breanna Stewart has seemingly calmed down on volume in regards to points to start the 2025 campaign; instead, the UConn legend is predominantly focusing on efficiency. The New York center has only two games resulting in 20+ points. However, Stewart is shooting an eye-popping 57.4% from the field, which is more than 10% higher than her career average.
Stewart scored the first nine points against Golden State in their contest earlier this week, and we are going back to the well once again tonight. The Liberty center scored the first three baskets and made two free throws for New York, finishing the contest with 24 points in only 24 minutes.
The Valkyries do not have an answer for the Liberty’s front court beyond Temi Fagbenele, so narrowing down our selection to one of the two New York bigs presents the most logic. Golden State is allowing 35 points in the paint each contest, and Stewart is connecting on 83.3% of field goals from less than five feet away from the basket.
The Liberty were able to get off to an incredible start against the Valkyries on Tuesday, amassing a commanding 22-point lead with a little under a minute left to play in the first quarter. Stewart was a focal point in this advantage, and we feel this will once again be the case this evening.
Pick: Breanna Stewart (+430)
Dallas Wings at Chicago Sky
Paige Bueckers is coming off her best showing as a rookie to date against the Connecticut Sun. Maybe it was the feeling of being back in familiar confines, or perhaps it was simply a first-year talent locking in. Regardless, the result was a 21-point breakout performance for the 23-year-old rookie.
Chicago not only allows the highest opposing field-goal percentage, but the Sky also concedes 3.8 more baskets from beyond the arc than any other team. Opponents are hitting almost 14 three-pointers per game against Chicago, and score 50% of attempts taken from less than eight feet.
Bueckers’ success relies heavily on her ability to hit three-pointers and attack the rim. This is exactly where Chicago has proven to be the least effective in regards to stopping opponents. The Sky could be the most ideal matchup for the Dallas guard to make the first basket.
Bueckers has already scored the first points in a contest against Minnesota earlier this month. Chicago has been incredibly gracious towards opposing guards. After an impressive performance in Connecticut, confidence could also be on the rise for the first pick of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Pick: Paige Bueckers (+800)
Enjoy the games tonight and good luck with your picks.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Thursday: