Jose Fernandez opens up about Paige Bueckers’ ankle injury vs. Fire

The Dallas Wings have seemingly turned things around after an uneven start to the regular season. They are now 8-4 and have the third best record in the Western Conference standings. But coming into their game against the Portland Fire on Saturday, the Wings are going to be short-handed as star guard Paige Bueckers is sidelined due to an ankle injury.

Paige Bueckers has played in all 12 games for the Wings so far this season, but she sustained the ankle injury during the team’s win against the Mercury this past Thursday. Prior to the team’s game against the Fire, Wings head coach Jose Fernandez spoke about the decision to keep the franchise star out, as per Kendra Andrews of ESPN.

“It’s a long year,” Fernandez said. “Paige wants to be on the floor tonight, but the best thing for her longevity, for her career, for the franchise is her making sure we take care of her and she takes care of her body.”

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Bueckers has been one of the best guards in the league from the very beginning of her career. Last season as a rookie, she won the Rookie of the Year Award, was selected as an All-Star and was named to the All-WNBA second team.

This season, the former UConn star has picked up right where she left off last year. She’s averaging 19.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists with splits of 52.3 percent shooting from the field, 42.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 78.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

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