The Paige Bueckers effect is already being felt—and she hasn’t even played her first WNBA game yet.
On Friday, it was noted that ticket sales for the Minnesota Lynx and their May 16 road game against the Dallas Wings are moving fast—so fast, in fact, that they’ve officially opened the upper deck at College Park Center to accommodate the demand.
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The Lynx have typically only opened up the upper deck for Caitlin Clark and the WNBA Finals.
It will be Bueckers’ WNBA debut and her first game as a professional in her home state, going up against her hometown team.
For fans in Texas and Minnesota, it’s a matchup packed with meaning—and they’re not wasting time securing their seats.
Only a limited number of lower-level seats remain available, with most of them already spoken for as of Friday afternoon.
It’s a big sign of just how much excitement Bueckers is bringing to the league—and to Dallas.
The Wings selected the former UConn star with the No. 1 overall pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft, instantly injecting new energy into a franchise looking to climb into the league’s top tier.
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Bueckers, widely seen as the next generational talent, will make her professional debut against a Lynx team she grew up watching.
Minnesota has a strong fanbase and deep basketball roots, and is expected to draw even more attention this year thanks to matchups like this—ones that feature marquee rookies and rising star power.
Paige Bueckers on the orange carpet before the 2025 WNBA Draft.Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
With demand this high nearly a month out, the May 16 showdown at College Park Center is shaping up to be one of the early highlights of the WNBA season.
Paige Bueckers is home, folks.
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