It took five years, but Paige Bueckers was finally able to secure her first national championship win with the UConn Huskies, ending her college career on top.
Averaging 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals in her senior season at UConn, Bueckers became the clear favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. And, sure enough, the Dallas Wings selected her with the top pick.
Advertisement
On Friday, Bueckers made her WNBA preseason debut at Notre Dame’s Purcell Pavilion, facing reigning MVP A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces.
With 6:14 remaining in the first quarter, Bueckers received the ball off a screen and drove past Aces star Chelsea Gray. She made it all the way to the hoop and drained a tough layup over Gray and Wilson before hitting the deck, marking her first basket of her professional career.
“PAIGE’S FIRST LEAGUE POINTS LET’S GOOOOO!!” the Wings wrote on X.
WNBA fans were left impressed with Bueckers’ first points as a professional, taking to social media to leave their thoughts.
Advertisement
“a bucket on the point gawd and (Wilson). she’s not afraid of anyone,” one fan said.
“Lol tough bucket,” added a second.
“PAIGE MF BUCKETS IS HERE,” wrote another.
“literally crying LETS GOOO,” commented a fourth.
“WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE ROTY,” posted a fifth.
“they grow up so fast,” added a sixth.
Paige BueckersVincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Although they had WNBA All-Star MVP Arike Ogunbowale on the team, the Wings finished the year 9-31, the second-worst in the league. But adding Bueckers to the mix with Ogunbowale could automatically give Dallas one of the better backcourts in the WNBA.
The Wings will make their regular season debut on May 16, hosting the 2024 runners-up Minnesota Lynx.
Related: Caitlin Clark’s First Post After Injury Announcement
