Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers will be under the microscope as soon as she makes her WNBA debut against the Minnesota Lynx on May 16.
From there, she will face heavy pressure, as most teams want to give her a rude welcome to the league, which comes with the territory of being the No. 1 overall pick.
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In her first preseason game against the Las Vegas Aces, Bueckers scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including two three-pointers, in 23 minutes. She also grabbed four rebounds. The Wings got routed by the Aces, 112-78.
While it wasn’t exactly a standout performance, Wings coach Chris Koclanes has been nothing but impressed with the 23-year-old Bueckers, who’s expected to play alongside Arinke Ogunbowale in the team’s starting backcourt.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers at the 2025 WNBA Draft.Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
“(There’s) no time to really have to take a deep breath,” said Koclanes in a media conference. “It can be extremely overwhelming.
“So we’ve been really encouraged and impressed with how quickly she’s picking things up and how quickly she’s stepping up and finding her opportunities to lead.”
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Stepping into a leadership role isn’t new to Bueckers. She helped steer the University of Connecticut to the national title in her senior year and has been a steady general since making waves in high school.
For Koclanes, Bueckers must continue to embrace that responsibility, even with proven veterans on their roster.
“That’s something we’re really talking about with this youthful group: Where is our leadership going to come from?” said the first-year coach. “I’m empowering everybody to find their spaces and opportunities to lead.
“(I’m) just extremely encouraged from Paige and from all the rookies early with how they’ve shown up.”
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The Wings finished with a 9-31 record last season.
They are scheduled to close out their preseason on Saturday. Their opponent, however, has yet to be announced.
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