Paige Bueckers had dreamed of moments like this since she was a child. Taking part in below the lights. Placing on a present. And doing it in entrance of Kyrie Irving—the participant she’s appeared as much as for so long as she will be able to bear in mind.
On Friday night time at American Airways Middle, all of it got here collectively. Bueckers turned in probably the greatest performances of her rookie season. She totaled 27 factors, six assists, two steals, two blocks, and 0 turnovers, because the Dallas Wings fell to the Indiana Fever, 94–86.
The stat line was historic. In reality, Bueckers turned the primary participant in WNBA historical past to document a recreation with a minimum of 25 factors, 5 assists, two steals, two blocks, and no turnovers. Irving, seated courtside along with his daughter, watched all the factor unfold.
“It was fairly surreal,” Bueckers stated. “Any individual I’ve appeared as much as and has been my favourite participant since I used to be actually, actually younger. So for him to come back out and help us and help ladies’s basketball and have his daughter there and get to fulfill him. He’s been like an enormous brother determine for me, and to lastly meet him in particular person, it was an amazing second.”
From Admiration to a Actual-Time Connection
Paige Bueckers on Kyrie: “It was fairly surreal. That’s any individual who I’ve appeared as much as and has been my favourite participant since I used to be actually, actually younger. So for him to come back out and help us, help ladies’s basketball, have his daughter there, and get to fulfill him, he’s been… https://t.co/WVNY9VhBrQ
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 28, 2025
In the course of the recreation, Bueckers discovered a second to acknowledge Irving with a fast handshake alongside the sideline. After the ultimate buzzer, they met at middle courtroom, shared an embrace, and walked off the ground along with Irving’s daughter—sporting a Bueckers jersey—beside them. Bueckers signed a jersey for him, posed for images, and added a long-lasting reminiscence to an already outstanding night time.
That connection had been constructing for months.
At her April 23 introductory press convention after being drafted No. 1 total by the Wings, Bueckers beamed on the considered taking part in in the identical metropolis as Irving.
“He has been my favourite participant for endlessly now, so tremendous excited to be in the identical metropolis as him,” she stated. “Hope I can study quite a bit from him. I do know he’s going via an ACL journey himself, so to have the ability to lean on and help one another via that, I feel, is one thing that may be motivating.”
Irving, a nine-time NBA All-Star and 2016 champion, tore his ACL in March and has been rehabbing in the course of the Mavericks’ offseason. Bueckers, who returned from her personal ACL tear at UConn, is aware of the method nicely, and used that second in April to talk on to him.
“Kyrie, I do know you’re gonna do nice,” Bueckers stated. “I do know you’re going to come back again from this higher than ever, and I admire you for being an inspiration on and off the courtroom. Being authentically your self, being unapologetically your self. It’s an inspiration. … Thanks for every little thing.”
Crafting Her Sport in His Picture
Paige Bueckers walked off the courtroom with Kyrie Irving, the participant she picked when requested who she’d wish to attend a Dallas Wings recreation this season. pic.twitter.com/Fll3lBCHlp
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) June 28, 2025
Bueckers has spent years finding out Irving’s recreation—his footwork, his deal with, the change of tempo, the inventive angles on the rim. She’s tried to choose up the delicate issues that make him probably the most unpredictable scorers within the recreation. That affect exhibits in her means to shift speeds, break down defenders, and create house in tight home windows.
“Simply by way of his talent work and his dedication to the sport,” Bueckers stated in April. “The stuff you see on the courtroom, how a lot preparation and the way [many] reps and the way a lot follow it takes to be that elite at basketball is one thing that I need to take with me in my journey. I feel his ending skills, the best way he makes use of his quickness, he’s extraordinarily sturdy, and simply his creativity are issues I need to take away.”
She’s carried that mindset into each side of her coaching. Bueckers has centered on changing into a three-level scorer—attacking the rim, mastering the mid-range, and spacing the ground with a dependable three-point shot.
“I need to be as unguardable as doable,” Bueckers stated Friday. “And I really feel like Kyrie is among the most unguardable folks to ever play the sport. That begins with scoring in any respect three ranges. So, adapting [to] the mid-range recreation was tremendous important for me and my recreation, and likewise having the ability to get to the rim and taking pictures from behind the 3-point line.”
Bueckers backed that up with a clinic-level efficiency: 9-of-18 taking pictures, 2-of-3 from deep, and an ideal 7-for-7 on the free throw line. Her six assists got here with out a turnover. In the end, Bueckers helped lead the Wings all the best way again from a 23 level first-half deficit, briefly giving them the lead within the fourth earlier than the Fever closed it out late.
A Crowd, A Second, A Milestone
Even with out Caitlin Clark, who was dominated out with a groin harm, the night time was stuffed with power and help for the WNBA. A complete of 20,409 followers crammed the Mavericks’ residence enviornment, making it one of many greatest WNBA crowds of the 12 months. Mavericks No. 1 choose Cooper Flagg, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, and Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons have been amongst many extra notable attendees within the constructing.
Nonetheless, the second belonged to Bueckers, who made historical past and met her hero on the identical night time
“He’s been like an enormous brother determine for me,” she stated once more. “And to lastly meet him in particular person, it was an amazing second.”
Though they misplaced to the Indiana Fever, the Wings made a press release victory over the Mystics on Saturday night time.
