PHOENIX- After lacking the final 4 video games resulting from a concussion, guard Paige Bueckers returned to motion for the Dallas Wings in opposition to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night time.
On the Mercury recreation, many followers wore Bueckers’ UConn and Wings jerseys whereas eagerly ready for her to signal autographs. Even younger followers chanted Bueckers’ identify as she performed in Phoenix for the primary time and cheered each time she made a basket.
The Mercury vs. Wings recreation had a sellout attendance of over 13,000 followers.
How A lot Does Getting Bueckers Again Imply for the Wings?
Earlier than the sport, Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes expressed his pleasure about reintroducing Bueckers to the lineup. He famous the workforce had missed her tempo and excellent efficiency as a place to begin guard throughout her absence.
“Excited to insert Paige (Bueckers) again into the lineup and into the locker room,” Koclanes mentioned pregame. “I am simply trying ahead to getting her again into the combination. Her teammates are excited and simply relieves some strain right here with out having some extent guard the final 4 video games. So, trying ahead to having some tempo again and group on that finish of the ground.”
Bueckers scored 22 factors within the first half for the Wings, displaying aggression and making a big affect. She ended up scoring a career-high 35 factors and making 5 3-pointers in Dallas’ loss on the highway to the Phoenix Mercury.
Bueckers has joined Caitlin Clark, who was chosen first total within the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever, as the one rookies to attain 35 or extra factors and make 5 or extra 3-pointers in a recreation. She has additionally turn out to be the third participant in WNBA historical past to realize a 35-point recreation inside her first video games, following within the footsteps of A’ja Wilson and Chennedy Carter.
Bueckers turned the third rookie within the Wings’ franchise historical past to attain 35 factors in a recreation, becoming a member of Odyssey Sims (2014) and her present teammate Arike Ogunbowale (2019).
“Simply making an attempt to work to win video games, do something it takes on any given night time to contribute to successful,” Bueckers mentioned postgame. “I felt somewhat winded, and I’m simply getting back from a break. I really feel like I may have used my voice extra and been extra disruptive and crashed the glass extra, so I get wind below me and I’ll be higher in these areas. However like I mentioned, simply making an attempt to contribute to successful and no matter that appears like on any given night time, making an attempt to place your full effort towards that.”
How Wings are Adjusting to Crew Chemistry Amidst 1-10 document
Bueckers emphasizes the significance of self-discipline within the Wings’ recreation plan whereas she and her teammates are nonetheless discovering the proper workforce chemistry.
Bueckers scored 13 factors on 19 subject purpose makes an attempt for the Wings. The opposite gamers from Dallas, nonetheless, mixed to shoot 16 of 48 from the sphere. The workforce wanted further contributions to assist Bueckers.
“Simply having self-discipline in our recreation plan,” Bueckers mentioned. “Once we went by means of our apply yesterday, simply being disciplined in what we apply and holding ourselves accountable to it, simply speaking on each ends of the ground. Turnovers, making the straightforward play, taking the straightforward shot (and) the perfect shot accessible after which getting again in transition, any straightforward leak out wide-open threes and making issues more durable than on either side of the ground.”
Though the Wings are 1-10, Bueckers emphasizes the significance of endurance and progress for the younger, revamped Dallas workforce, significantly concerning her personal improvement as a pacesetter.
“It’s difficult, however very rewarding in a way of simply being tremendous process-oriented and never result-oriented, and the way we wish to have a set of requirements, construct a tradition and have a means we do issues and keep on with that, no matter wins or losses, and making an attempt to construct what that appears like for this workforce,” Bueckers mentioned.
“And the outcomes will observe and can come as we proceed to remain disciplined in who we’re each single day. So, simply making an attempt to guide by instance, lead with my voice and have troublesome conversations. Get to know these individuals on and off the court docket, proceed to construct that chemistry and similar to something in life, it’s a journey and a course of that you just like to embrace.”
Earlier than the Wings confronted the Mercury within the pregame, Bueckers talked about that the workforce continues to be adapting to Koclanes’ imaginative and prescient for workforce chemistry and taking part in model. She famous that she is observing continued progress on this adjustment.
“I believe we’re progressing each single day,” Bueckers mentioned. “We do not wish to be result-oriented, we wish to be process-oriented. So, sticking to what we do is sticking to our course of, and what the outcomes maintain themselves. All of us wish to win video games, but it surely’s what we do at apply, what we do to arrange, that helps us win video games, so similar development.”
Rely’em… 27 PTS for @paigebueckers1 pic.twitter.com/61t2qK8g8j
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) June 12, 2025
June 11 marks the birthday of Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi, who turned 43 simply shy of 4 months after saying her retirement from skilled basketball. Bueckers mentioned Taurasi’s vital legacy at UConn and within the WNBA, sharing how she has discovered inspiration in her profession.
Taurasi led the UConn Huskies to a few consecutive Nationwide Championships from 2002-04 and was chosen first total within the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. She went on to guide the franchise to a few WNBA Championships and retired because the league’s all-time main scorer.
“She was a winner in any respect phases, in any respect ranges,” Bueckers mentioned. “She’s the all-time winningest Olympian as effectively. So her excellence that she carried on off court docket, she was unapologetically herself, and she or he was a competitor, and a few individuals hate it, and a few individuals like it, however she was not afraid to be who she was.
“And that really evokes me to embrace who you’re and never let anyone else’s opinions dictate that. Who she is as an individual, I’ve at all times been in a position to attain out to her. She’s been very receptive to that, so I am very grateful for the connection we’ve got constructed and what she has constructed for the subsequent technology.”
Bueckers led the Huskies to their first Nationwide Championship since successful 4 straight, the final one relationship again to 2016. She overcame adversity in her tenure with UConn and ended her collegiate profession on a constructive observe.
“It is actually cool,” Bueckers mentioned of taking part in in PHX Area, the place Taurasi performed for 20 years. “I regarded as much as DT (Diana Taurasi) ever since I used to be little, and she or he’s simply the sneakers that I wish to fill, the greatness that she carried on and off the court docket. It is one thing that I actually admired and was inspiring to me, particularly her going into UConn, constructing our relationship. To be right here (in PHX Area the place she performed) means a lot.”
Phoenix Mercury Gamers Communicate Extremely of Bueckers
Phoenix Mercury forwards Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally praised Bueckers’ efficiency after getting the win at dwelling in entrance of its followers.
Whewww P!! First recreation again like that?! 😮💨😮💨🔥🔥 https://t.co/Q30TfoYK0t
— Dorka Juhász (@Dorkajuhasz14) June 12, 2025
Thomas and Sabally each agreed that the Mercury ought to have defended Bueckers higher and famous that Bueckers is an elite participant for years to return.
“Paige (Bueckers) is a hooper,” Thomas mentioned after returning for the Mercury. “I imply, we have seen her do it at UConn for therefore lengthy. She’s been coming to the Connecticut Solar video games for a minute, too. So (she’s) simply very calm on the market, she simply controls the sport. The sky is the restrict for her.”
“Yeah, we have to do higher (defending Paige Bueckers),” Sabally added. “We must always have executed higher (defending Paige Bueckers), for certain. However she’s elite.”
The Dallas Wings will journey to Las Vegas to face A’ja Wilson and the Aces on Friday, June 13.
