Paige Bueckers added one other milestone to her rookie season with a 21-point and 7-assist efficiency within the Dallas Wings’ thrilling 88-85 residence loss to the Atlanta Dream. Regardless of the defeat, Bueckers made historical past by surpassing Sue Chook for the second-most video games in WNBA rookie historical past with at the least 15 factors and 5 assists, reaching the mark in 11 video games. Solely Caitlin Clark recorded extra, with 30 such video games throughout her 2024 rookie marketing campaign.
The sport itself was a back-and-forth battle that includes a number of lead modifications and deadlocks earlier than Naz Hillmon drilled a buzzer-beating three with 2.6 seconds left to seal Atlanta’s victory. Bueckers scored 9 of her 21 factors within the last 5 minutes. Her go-ahead nook three at 2:36 gave Dallas a quick lead, just for the Dream to reply instantly earlier than Hillmon’s last blow. That marked Bueckers’ eleventh 20-point sport of the season in simply 21 appearances, putting her among the many most prolific rookie scorers in current reminiscence.
Earlier than this sport, Bueckers and Sue Chook had each posted ten video games with 15 or extra factors and 5 or extra assists. Now the Wings star stands alone in second place. With Clark’s 30 video games forward, she trails just one fellow first-year performer in that elite class. It’s a testomony to her scoring and playmaking versatility.
The 23-year-old is not only stacking stats; she ranks amongst league leaders in scoring and assists. Regardless of being a rookie, she is the one first-year participant this season ranked within the high 10 in factors, assists, and steals per sport. Her total averages sit round 18.3 factors, 5.5 assists, and practically two steals per outing—all whereas capturing effectively from the sector and the free throw line.
Earlier this yr, she logged 35 factors in a single sport, equaling the WNBA rookie single-game excessive, reinforcing the notion that she belongs on the high of league conversations.
At the same time as Dallas continues to rebuild and wrestle with accidents and rising pains, the Wings have leaned on Bueckers. She earned a beginning position within the 2025 WNBA All-Star Sport as the one rookie named to the beginning 5. She additionally captured Rookie of the Month honors for June after pacing all first-year gamers in scoring, assists, and steals over the stretch.
Dallas fell in an in depth one, however Bueckers delivered but once more. Her capacity to provide in crunch time earned her reward from each teammates and coaches. Regardless of the loss, her mark on the rookie file books shines by.
Wanting forward, the Wings nonetheless have sixteen regular-season video games remaining. If she stays wholesome and continues to ship the way in which she has, she may slender the hole on Clark and even get nearer to setting a brand new rookie benchmark. However even with out catching Clark this season, Bueckers has already cemented herself as one of many biggest debut seasons in WNBA historical past.
Dallas could also be struggling as a group, however Paige Bueckers is shining. She is rewriting what it means to be a rookie within the WNBA and proving that she is the rising star that followers and analysts anticipate her to grow to be. Her season stays a narrative in progress and one which WNBA followers will probably be watching carefully all yr.