Despite the Wings' 93-80 loss to the Mercury Wednesday night, rookie Paige Bueckers put on a show. She hit 35 points, six rebounds, and four assists in her first game back from injury. Bueckers also stepped up to assist teammate Dijonai Carrington in another important way when the latter had a personal exchange with former Sun teammate Alyssa Thomas.
Carrington and Thomas connected while on the floor, and Carrington immediately made it clear she didn't want cameras following the pair by putting her hand up to block the shot. The camera operator continued to record anyway, so Bueckers stepped in and took things to the next level by deftly standing right in front of the shot, giving Carrington and Thomas an opportunity to speak without viewers studying what they were talking about.
Paige a real one! aww the woman that you are🫂 pic.twitter.com/3AEE7uNrL2
— DiJonai.clips (@DiJonai_clips) June 12, 2025
While the pair's conversation will (hopefully) remain a mystery to the public, there's certainly a chance the conversation was in part about their former team. Both Carrington and Thomas were part of the mass exodus the Sun faced in the preseason when the entire starting roster departed.
When it comes to media coverage, there isn't usually a lot players can do if they want to be in a shot. Bueckers, who has had a lot of media training in her time, knew exactly how to deflect some of the attention from Carrington and Thomas, both in the moment and in the day that followed. Case and point: instead of writing about what the duo spoke about, the headlines are all about what Bueckers did (this one included).
Paige Bueckers and Dijonai Carrington are building a strong bond
Bueckers and Carrington have already demonstrated a tight bond this season. After Bueckers returned to the court following concussion protocol and illness she made a beeline for Carrington during media interviews and quickly asked if her teammate missed her (the answer was, seemingly to Carrington's surprise, a yes).
Carrington has come under fire this season for allegedly playing too rough, but there are charges against the league overall for being "too physical." It's difficult to know exactly why some players are targeted more than others; Carrington has a strong social media presence and an unapologetic disposition when it comes to who she is and how she performs, and historically strong women who know themselves aren't always easily digestible.
Bueckers arrived in the WNBA with a strong fanbase from her years at UConn and, more importantly, a clear drive to be the best teammate she can be. The rookie-vet dynamic is always important and fun to witness, and these two might be working on building one of the best yet.