Number 5 has been just as amazing as advertised, and more since she touched down in Dallas. Paige Bueckers has been breaking records left and right, making her future potential crystal clear: MVP. It's early in the former UConn star's journey, but the talent is undeniable. She's already positioning herself as one of the best players in the W, and she's only played 12 games as a professional.
Last night, Bueckers became the first player in WNBA history with a stat sheet so immaculate: 25 or more points, five or more assists, two steals, and two blocks with zero turnovers. She also got her 27 points on an efficient 50% from the floor, and knocked down all seven of her free throw attempts. She did it because her team needed it and because she could. Not everyone can, and that means something.
Unfortunately, the Wings still lost the game to the Indiana Fever despite being without Caitlin Clark, but the team is still learning to close games after a rough start to the season. They're missing players, and Fever are tough to deal with when they play with 100% intensity, which they did for nearly the entire ball game.
Indy came into Downtown Dallas with a record of 2-3 in their last five games. Their last loss was due to a fourth-quarter meltdown after having the game in hand, so they were desperate for a win. On the other hand, the home team played like they felt a bit of a letdown after hearing Clark would miss the game just hours before tip-off.
It led to a 20-point deficit for the Wings in the first quarter. Paige actually had a pretty bad start to the game despite how amazing the performance ended up being. She was 2-7 from the field 14 minutes into the ball game before she woke up. Bueckers, along with co-captain Arike Ogunbowale, got busy the rest of the game and brought their team to the precipice of victory.
Ogunbowale dropped 17 points, with nine coming in the third quarter. The former Husky scored nine, eight, and seven points, respectively, in quarters 2-4. Starting so poorly, yet finishing the game with such a jaw-dropping statline shows the type of player she is: an unguardable one. That's exactly what she set out to be when she designed her game after her favorite player, Kyrie Irving, and she spoke about that after the game.
Full answer from Paige Bueckers. Please excuse my shaky voice. It’s my first time. #WingsUp https://t.co/ltscWkueW0 pic.twitter.com/IlNuEsKxcM
— Jah (@JahlilWill) June 28, 2025
Working hard to be a three-level scorer was time well spent for the first-year point guard. She gives her opponents fits. Her passing ability and defense elevate her beyond just your average hooper, though. That makes winning an MVP a reality. She has more growing to do to figure out how to not allow herself to be schemed against to keep the ball out of her hands.
She'll get stronger, and as smart as she already is, she'll get wiser. The Dallas Wings will also need to put the right pieces around her as she grows into her prime. Winning Most Valuable Player is as much of a team award as it is a solo accolade. But once everything falls into place, it'll be Paige up on a podium giving a thank you speech for winning the prestigious award as she elevates Dallas to new heights.