Ever since Dallas won the draft lottery and the chance to draft UConn star Paige Bueckers, Wings fans have been incredibly excited to add such a talented player to the team. Rightfully so. Bueckers was one of the most popular college players in the country and will bring at least some of her fanbase to Dallas with her. Drafting Bueckers also means the Wings should soon have another All-Star next to Arike Ogunbowale.
It is not just her talent on the basketball court that should make Bueckers an instant fan favorite, though. She has the basketball skills and the personality to become Dallas’ new basketball darling—something the city desperately needs after the Mavericks traded NBA star Luka Doncic.
Bueckers’ personality was on full display at the Wings’ introductory press conference.
Paige Bueckers said all the right things
The Wings had to stomach some tough blows when they lost two of their three best players in the offseason. Natasha Howard and Satou Sabally both decided to leave Dallas in free agency. Howard signed with the Indiana Fever, and Sabally was sent to the Phoenix Mercury in a sign-and-trade.
Nevertheless, the Wings were able to salvage the situation. They managed to get DiJonai Carrington and Ty Harris from the Connecticut Sun as well as NaLyssa Smith from the Fever. Carrington is a defensive standout with plenty of postseason experience, Harris is a great 3-point shooter and backup guard, and Smith is a former lottery pick with great potential. Combining that with Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers gives the Wings an interesting core to work with.
Targeting younger veterans and building a new practice facility, the Wings are obviously trying to build the foundation for a successful long-term future this season. To do that, they will need full commitment from Bueckers. Her comments at the introductory press conference suggest that they have it.
When asked what she was most excited about for her rookie season, Bueckers said, “There’s a lot of new in this organization, so to be a part of something and build with each other.”
She also added that she and the other rookies were looking forward to “investing all of ourselves in Dallas.”
That is exactly what an organization looking for a quick retool around their established All-Star hopes to hear from their top draft pick, especially after rumors surfaced after the lottery that Bueckers didn’t want to play for the Wings.
Bueckers also has a clear vision of what her role next to Ogunbowale should look like.
“Looking to assist her a lot, space the floor, get her open looks,” Bueckers said when asked about her fit with the Wings’ All-Star.
Her attitude toward the Wings’ organization and her role in their mission to build a contender should make Bueckers an immediate fan favorite in Dallas. Those answers were not the only highlights of the press conference, however.
Bueckers also entertained reporters with her answer to the question of what it felt like to be “the hottest thing in Dallas” at the moment.
“I mean, I would say the weather’s probably hotter than me,” Bueckers joked, sending a wave of laughter through the audience.
It is that mixture of seriousness about the game, talent, competitiveness, and easy humor that should make Bueckers one of the most popular players in Dallas—and the entire WNBA—very quickly.