PHOENIX- After lacking the final 4 video games as a result of a concussion, guard Paige Bueckers returned to motion for the Dallas Wings towards 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’ title 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 staff 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 wanting ahead to getting her again into the combo. Her teammates are excited and simply relieves some stress right here with out having some extent guard the final 4 video games. So, wanting 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 impression. 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 into the third participant in WNBA historical past to attain a 35-point recreation inside her first video games, following within the footsteps of A’ja Wilson and Chennedy Carter.
Bueckers grew to become 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 profitable,” Bueckers mentioned postgame. “I felt a little bit 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 beneath me and I’ll be higher in these areas. However like I mentioned, simply making an attempt to contribute to profitable 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 report
Bueckers emphasizes the significance of self-discipline within the Wings’ recreation plan whereas she and her teammates are nonetheless discovering the fitting staff 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 staff wanted further contributions to help Bueckers.
“Simply having self-discipline in our recreation plan,” Bueckers mentioned. “Once we went by way of our observe yesterday, simply being disciplined in what we observe and holding ourselves accountable to it, simply speaking on each ends of the ground. Turnovers, making the easy play, taking the easy shot (and) the perfect shot accessible after which getting again in transition, any simple leak out wide-open threes and making issues harder 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 staff, notably concerning her personal improvement as a frontrunner.
“It’s difficult, however very rewarding in a way of simply being tremendous process-oriented and never result-oriented, and the way we need to have a set of requirements, construct a tradition and have a means we do issues and follow that, no matter wins or losses, and making an attempt to construct what that appears like for this staff,” 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 steer by instance, lead with my voice and have tough conversations. Get to know these individuals on and off the court docket, proceed to construct that chemistry and identical to something in life, it’s a journey and a course of that you simply like to embrace.”
Earlier than the Wings confronted the Mercury within the pregame, Bueckers talked about that the staff remains to be adapting to Koclanes’ imaginative and prescient for staff chemistry and taking part in type. She famous that she is observing continued progress on this adjustment.
“I believe we’re progressing each single day,” Bueckers mentioned. “We do not need to be result-oriented, we need to be process-oriented. So, sticking to what we do is sticking to our course of, and what the outcomes care for themselves. All of us need to win video games, nevertheless it’s what we do at observe, what we do to organize, that helps us win video games, so similar development.”
Depend’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 3 consecutive Nationwide Championships from 2002-04 and was chosen first total within the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. She went on to steer the franchise to 3 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 nicely. 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 conjures up me to embrace who you might be and never let anyone else’s opinions dictate that. Who she is as an individual, I’ve at all times been capable of attain out to her. She’s been very receptive to that, so I am very grateful for the connection now we have constructed and what she has constructed for the subsequent era.”
Bueckers led the Huskies to their first Nationwide Championship since profitable 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 Enviornment, the place Taurasi performed for twenty years. “I seemed as much as DT (Diana Taurasi) ever since I used to be little, and she or he’s simply the footwear that I need 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 Enviornment 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 house 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 thus 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 achieved 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.
