The Dallas Wings won’t be in the 2025 playoffs, sitting at 9-31 with little left to play for. But rookie guard Paige Bueckers has been the silver lining in an otherwise tough year.
The No. 1 overall pick has lived up to expectations, showing resilience on and off the floor. Leading a struggling roster hasn’t been easy, but she’s handled it with maturity.
Late last month, Bueckers was a surprise scratch before a matchup against the Connecticut Sun. She later explained the situation to the Dallas Hoops Journal.
“Just congestion-wise, being able to breathe. I actually planned on playing against Connecticut, but I ended up taking an IV right before the game, and my body kind of rejected it,” she said.
She added, “That happened right before, so it was a late scratch. But honestly, I’m ready to go. As long as I can breathe and get up and down the floor, you’ll hear no excuses from me.”
Two nights later, she bounced back with 16 points and 10 assists against Atlanta. The Wings lost, but her performance showed why fans remain excited.
“She’s terrific in that space”: Paige Bueckers earns massive praise from Lynx coach amid defeat
Even the opposition has noticed. After Dallas fell to top-seeded Minnesota, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve praised how the team has leaned on Paige Bueckers.
“Point guard, I mean, she plays mostly off-ball, and they sort of figured that out with Paige,” Reeve said. “There are times when she initiates, but they really use her more off-ball. They’ve really navigated her best spaces well. Clearly, she likes to post up.”
Reeve also highlighted her growth: “She’s gotten really shifty, getting defenders up and getting to her sweet spot. It’s not just make one move, you stop her. She’s terrific in that space.”
The Wings’ struggles haven’t shaken Bueckers’ belief in her teammates. After the Atlanta game, she sent a message about staying the course.
“Just to stick with it. Whoever puts on a Wings jersey that night, that’s who we believe in. We don’t need exterior belief. We believe in each other. I remember Steph Curry, before the Warriors became the Warriors, tweeted, ‘Just stick with us.’ That’s the message.”
Dallas closes the season with a road trip that includes a visit to the Golden State Valkyries. Wins may be scarce, but with Bueckers, the franchise has hope for what’s ahead.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
