Paige Bueckers walks into Goal Middle on Wednesday evening not as a fan, not as a highschool phenom, and never as the following huge factor — however because the Dallas Wings’ place to begin guard, two video games into a professional profession already outlined by poise, precision, and goal.
The matchup towards the Minnesota Lynx is her first WNBA look in her dwelling state. It’s a full-circle second years within the making, however this one isn’t simply symbolic — it’s deeply private.
“I’ve lots of household — my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents — after which lots of my former teammates from Hopkins and my AAU groups popping out to help,” Bueckers mentioned this week. “Simply to have them right here means all the things to me.”
Her return comes simply days after her hometown of Hopkins, Minnesota, briefly renamed itself “Paige Bueckers, Minnesota” on Could 16 to coincide together with her skilled debut. Town declared it “Paige Bueckers Day” and held a community-wide watch social gathering at Hopkins Excessive Faculty, the place she grew to become an area legend earlier than heading to UConn.
“I didn’t consider it at first. I believed it was faux information,” Bueckers mentioned final week. “There’s lots of faux information that circles round on the web… However it’s additionally surreal, and I don’t know, it’s loopy to me that they might identify the entire metropolis after me. Simply to have the ability to give again to that complete metropolis that’s given me a lot… For them to point out love like that, I recognize it for positive.”
Paige Bueckers Already Displaying Command
What makes Bueckers’ return much more outstanding is how shortly she’s taken management of a Dallas workforce in transition. By two regular-season video games, she’s averaging 14.5 factors, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block — all whereas adjusting to her new position because the workforce’s main ball-handler and organizer.
That course of started in coaching camp, when Bueckers was instantly inserted because the Wings’ lead guard. After her preseason debut on Could 4 towards the Las Vegas Aces, she mirrored on how shortly issues had modified.
“It’s tremendous surreal, by way of the turnaround from the place I used to be two weeks in the past to the place I’m at the moment,” Bueckers mentioned postgame. “Simply soaking it up, having fun with each second, getting used to new routines, traditions, new teammates, new group, and simply excited to play basketball once more with this new group and proceed to develop and get higher each single day.”
She adopted that efficiency with 15 factors and 6 assists in a 119–52 preseason win over the Toyota Antelopes on Could 7 — a sport the place her command stood out.
Earlier than that second preseason sport, she spoke about her strategy to studying the purpose guard place on the professional stage.
“I believe tonight it’s about utilizing my voice and persevering with to arrange as the purpose guard — the quarterback of the offense,” Bueckers informed Ballislife that evening. “Ensuring everybody’s the place they’re presupposed to be… creating performs for others, pushing in transition, and staying stable in transition protection.”
After the sport, she emphasised how observe and construction have been accelerating her development.
“Higher than the primary sport. I’m attempting to construct each sport and enhance,” Bueckers informed the media. “Getting extra reps in observe helps with confidence to arrange issues in video games. However the teaching workers and my teammates assist loads — it’s not a solo mission.”
She’s already earned reward from head coach Chris Koclanes, who spoke throughout coaching camp about how shortly she’s taken to the Wings’ free-flowing offensive system.
“She’s already an unbelievable playmaker,” Koclanes mentioned. “What we’re seeing now could be her beginning to perceive the widespread shapes and reads in our offense and main with goal. She simply retains getting higher each outing.”
Dealing with the Current — and the Previous
Her regular-season debut got here towards Minnesota — a 99–84 loss the place Bueckers posted 10 factors, seven rebounds, and two assists in half-hour. Matched at instances with MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, the second wasn’t misplaced on her.
“It’s extraordinarily enjoyable to play towards Phee,” Bueckers mentioned postgame. “She’s simply the final word competitor, and she or he brings out one of the best in you, as a result of she’s among the best within the league… So to be on the opposite aspect and need to beat one another — it’s enjoyable as effectively. I believe that’s the final word signal of respect.”
After one possession, the 2 shared amusing on the free-throw line.
“Only a good ol’ UConn pleasant chat,” Bueckers mentioned with a smile.
Collier, talking earlier than the sport at shootaround, made it clear how a lot she respects the rookie guard.
“I’m actually comfortable for Paige,” Collier mentioned. “I actually, actually like Paige — her household, the way in which she performs. She’s only a nice individual and participant, so I’m actually comfortable for her. I texted her like, ‘Good luck tonight. Don’t do an excessive amount of towards us — you wait until your subsequent sport.’”
She additionally broke down Bueckers’ sport.
“Midrange might be the toughest to grasp, and she or he’s actually good within the midrange,” mentioned Collier. “Particularly as a degree guard — with the ability to rating in any respect ranges after which her imaginative and prescient — it’s actually spectacular.”
The Blueprint Forward
Within the opener towards Minnesota, the Wings held their very own for 2 quarters earlier than being overwhelmed by a third-quarter surge. The Lynx scored 35 factors within the body, led by 18 from Napheesa Collier and a string of midrange daggers from Courtney Williams. They carved up Dallas in pick-and-roll, acquired into the paint at will, and repeatedly pressured breakdowns within the Wings’ assist rotations.
Bueckers, now making ready for the rematch, provided a transparent prognosis of what went mistaken — and the place Dallas has to reply.
“Courtney Williams and Phee’s skill to actually get no matter they wished out of the decide and roll — so I believe we must be higher on the level of assault,” Bueckers informed Ballislife on Tuesday. “Making an attempt to congest the paint, not let so many simple touches… and offensively, attempting to get extra paint touches, change sides of the ground.”
The Lynx feasted on these breakdowns — turning pick-and-roll mismatches into open threes, quick rolls, and dump-offs on the rim. On movie, it was clear that Collier and Williams have been capable of manipulate defenders and pressure reactive choices from Dallas possession after possession.
However Bueckers wasn’t simply targeted on protection. She additionally recognized offensive stagnation as an space the Wings must right — particularly towards a disciplined Lynx unit that thrives when dictating tempo.
“After which simply attacking offensively, I do know simply attempting to get extra in transition, attempting to get extra paint touches, attempting to get extra altering sides of the ground,” Bueckers continued. “However I believe Phee and Courtney actually killed us within the first sport, so attempting to wash it up on that finish.”
Her strategy displays extra than simply movie examine — it displays her mindset because the workforce’s lead guard. She’s already taking a look at the right way to set a tone early, play with extra urgency, and get teammates concerned with faster actions and higher spacing.
Constructing Momentum Regardless of the Losses
Whereas the homecoming story is entrance and middle, Bueckers and the Wings enter Wednesday evening’s sport coming off one other take a look at of composure and resilience — a 79-71 loss to the Seattle Storm that dropped Dallas to 0–2 on the season.
Bueckers was a standout as soon as once more, ending with 19 factors, eight assists, 5 rebounds, two steals, and a block in 37 minutes. She spearheaded an 11-0 third-quarter run that helped trim a 17-point deficit down to 3 early within the fourth quarter. However Dallas in the end couldn’t end the rally, undone by 14 turnovers and 4-of-19 taking pictures from past the arc.
“We’re nonetheless rising,” Bueckers mentioned postgame. “We’re simply looking for a stage as a workforce of aggressive spirit. I believe that’s rising from sport to sport. We stock it for quarters, after which we’ve lapses… We’ve performed job preventing again in these conditions, however we’ve acquired to determine the right way to decrease these psychological lapses and actually play a whole 40 minutes collectively.”
Seattle utilized stress all through — trapping Bueckers on ball screens, forcing her into early reads, and daring different Wings gamers to beat them. Whereas she dealt with the coverages with persistence and nonetheless recorded a game-high eight assists, she acknowledged it was a studying second.
“It’s most likely good simply to blitz and get the ball out of my fingers,” she mentioned. “And simply attempting to regulate offensively to the right way to counteract the lure — possibly contact it and get off it, possibly much less ball screens, me screening for others, attacking in transition. It’s only a totally different look that defenses are throwing at me, which is an adjustment. So simply proceed to be taught and work by means of that.”
The loss additionally confirmed how dependent Dallas already is on Bueckers’ flooring presence. She logged 37 minutes and was candid about how a lot she needs to be on the ground.
“I’m feeling good. I need to be on the courtroom for all 40 if it have been as much as me,” she mentioned. “I’m cool with the 4 that I sat.”
For a Wings workforce nonetheless constructing chemistry and construction, Bueckers has turn into each the stabilizer and the tone-setter. She’s studying on the fly — below stress, in huge minutes — and displaying that she’s not simply adjusting to the WNBA, she’s serving to outline how her workforce competes.
It is Extra Than Basketball for Paige Bueckers
Even early in camp, Bueckers talked concerning the psychological self-discipline behind her transition — and the way management for her is about greater than stats.
“I need to spend money on my teammates,” she mentioned throughout Media Day. “The extra you concentrate on serving to others, the much less stress you placed on your self. I simply need to have enjoyable and keep current.”
She additionally shared how she stays grounded.
“Psychological well being is extraordinarily essential,” Bueckers mentioned. “The sport is extra psychological than bodily. I work with a sports activities psychologist. The largest factor I’ve discovered? Run my very own race. Comparability is the thief of pleasure.”
Now, the following step in that journey brings her dwelling — to the courtroom the place she first fell in love with the sport, in entrance of the individuals who have adopted her from Hopkins Excessive to UConn to Dallas.
“Being right here is an unbelievable alternative,” Paige Bueckers mentioned final week. “I simply need to do one of the best I can and provides again to those that have supported me alongside the way in which.”
On Wednesday evening, she will get to do precisely that.
“This one’s just a little sweeter as a result of it’s again dwelling,” she mentioned.
