Paige Bueckers Is a Lock for WNBA ROY

There hasn’t been much glory deep in the heart of Texas when it comes to Dallas and the WNBA. Look at the Wings in the standings and you see 9-31 in WNBA games last season, just a game better than the league-worst Los Angeles Sparks, 

In their 10th ‘Big D’ season, the transplanted Detroit-then-Tulsa Shock have struggled to find their footing (just one winning season in Texas). There’s a new team sheriff in town, however, as the team chose former Connecticut standout Paige Bueckers with the first overall selection in this past draft. Buckers ended her career in Storrs, averaging 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.

The Paige Bueckers injury log has recovered after a torn ACL (left knee) ahead of her junior season with the Huskies. Bueckers was an NCAA champion last season.

It was a useful debut in Dallas (10 points, seven rebounds, two assists) against the Minnesota Lynx, though in a losing effort. Dallas is hosting the Seattle Storm Monday evening (May 19th) before a four-game road trip.

Here’s a bit of a primer on Paige Bueckers and the WNBA entering the 2025 season…

 

Is Paige Bueckers Good Caitlin Clark?

The ‘Is Paige Bueckers better than Caitlin Clark?’ question would depend on which camp someone is in. While both ladies have their fair share of supporters, Clark has one award (Rookie of the Year last season), and Bueckers is heavily favored to win this season. 

She’s minus money in that category, according to WNBA odds.

Perhaps a good barometer is team improvement. Clark and the Indiana Fever improved seven games (13-27 to 20-20 and into the playoffs) in her freshman season. As was mentioned, the Wings were 9-31 in 2024, and the effect of Buecker’s arrival in Dallas remains to be seen. The team’s projected win total in WNBA games this season is 19½, so there’s that.     

 

Is Paige Bueckers a Relationship?  

According to the always-trustworthy land of artificial intelligence, Paige Bueckers is currently not dating anyone. Being in the ‘public domain’ makes Bueckers the subject of speculation. AI has her focusing on her career in Dallas as she strives to lift the Wings in WNBA standings.  

So there.

 

Does BetUS Offer Constant Updates on WNBA Games Betting Lines?  

Indeed, it does, with betting lines available during the entire 44-game WNBA regular season. With an eye toward the 29th title in the history of the league, it’s the defending (first-ever) champion New York Liberty as 9-4 (+225) favorites to repeat. 

The Liberty is again expected to be led by Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever join three-time MVP A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces as 13-4 (+325) second choices. Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx, bridesmaids at Liberty last season, are 4-1 (+400) on the board, per WNBA odds.

Looking at Paige Buecker and Dallas, odds have the Wings at 60-1 (+6000) to win it all.

Examining some of the props, it’s the Liberty favored at 7-4 (+175) to lead in wins, and a 5-2 (+250) choice to win the Commissioner’s Cup.  

The MVP money is on either Clark, Wilson, or Collier, all between 2-1 (+200) and 3-1 (+300).   

 

Any Final Thoughts?

Wishing to emulate Paige Bueckers’ game? Start with the Paige Bueckers shoes, Nike’s G.T. Hustle 3, with a ‘launch price’ of $190 last December.

 

History of Paige Bueckers’ Career

Paige Madison Bueckers, born October 20, 2001, in Edina, Minnesota, is widely regarded as one of the most decorated women’s basketball players of her generation. Nicknamed “Paige Buckets,” her career spans an illustrious high school tenure, a storied college career at the University of Connecticut (UConn), and the beginning of her professional journey in the WNBA. Below is a detailed overview of her career trajectory, based on available information.
High School Career (Hopkins High School, Minnetonka, Minnesota)
Early Recognition: Bueckers began playing basketball at age five and quickly emerged as a prodigy. By high school, she was a national sensation at Hopkins High School, ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2020 by ESPN.

Accolades

• 2019-20 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Recognized as the top high school player in the country.
• 2020 Naismith Prep Player of the Year and Morgan Wootten Player of the Year.
• Three-time Gatorade Minnesota Player of the Year.
• 2020 McDonald’s, SLAM, and Jordan Brand Classic All-American.
• First female high school athlete to grace the cover of SLAM magazine, joining the ranks of legends like Maya Moore and Candace Parker.

Performance:
As a senior, averaged 21.0 points, 9.2 assists, 5.2 steals, and 5.1 rebounds per game.

Led Hopkins to a 30-0 record and the Class AAAA state championship game, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Played five seasons of varsity basketball and competed in AAU for North Tartan.

Recruitment: Heavily recruited by top programs, Bueckers chose UConn, one of the most successful women’s basketball programs, over other elite schools. Her decision was seen as a commitment to restoring UConn’s dominance.

College Career (UConn Huskies, 2020–2025)

Bueckers enrolled at UConn in 2020, entering as the program’s most hyped recruit since Breanna Stewart in 2012. Despite challenges like injuries and a competitive landscape, she cemented her legacy as one of UConn’s all-time greats.

Freshman Season (2020–21)

Immediate Impact: Stepped into a leadership role on a UConn team with no seniors, following the departure of top scorer Megan Walker to the WNBA.

Performance:
Started all 29 games, averaging 20.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.

Led the Huskies in points, assists, steals, and three-point field goal percentage.

Scored in double figures in 28 games, with 14 games of 20+ points.

Accolades:

First freshman to win the Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooden Award, AP Player of the Year, and USBWA Player of the Year.

• Unanimous first-team All-American.
• Big East Player of the Year and Big East Freshman of the Year.
• Two-time Big East Player of the Week and eight-time Big East Freshman of the Week.
• Team Success: Led UConn to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, played in a bubble due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sophomore Season (2021–22)

Injury Challenges: Suffered a tibial plateau fracture in December 2021, missing 19 games. Returned for the NCAA Tournament.

Performance:
Played in 17 games (13 starts), averaging 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

Notable games included a career-high 34 points in the season opener against Arkansas and 27 points (15 in overtime) against NC State in the NCAA Tournament.

Team Success: Led UConn to the 2022 NCAA Championship game, where they lost to South Carolina.

Junior Season (2022–23)

Season Missed: Suffered a torn ACL in August 2022 during a pickup game, forcing her to miss the entire 2022–23 season.

Recovery: By June 2023, cleared for all activities except five-on-five play; fully cleared by August 2023.

Redshirt Junior Season (2023–24)

Return to Form: Started all 39 games, leading UConn with 21.9 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, 150 assists, 86 steals, and 53 blocks.

Notable Performances:
Scored a season-high 32 points with 10 rebounds and six assists against Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament (March 25, 2024).

Recorded 31 points against No. 2 UCLA (November 24, 2023) and 32 points against Seton Hall (January 17, 2024).

Tied Maya Moore as the fastest UConn player to reach 1,000 career points (55 games) on December 10, 2023.
Accolades:
Big East Player of the Year and unanimous first-team All-Big East.

Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player (MOP).

NCAA Tournament Final Four All-Tournament Team.

Team Success: Led UConn to the Final Four, falling to Iowa.

Redshirt Senior Season (2024–25)

Dominance:

Started all 38 games, averaging 19.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, with a shooting split of .534/.419/.889.

• Became the fastest UConn player to reach 2,000 career points (102 games) on January 19, 2025.
• Set an NCAA Tournament record for UConn with 40 points against Oklahoma (March 29, 2025).
• Injury: Missed two games due to a left knee sprain sustained against Villanova (January 5, 2025).
• Accolades:
  2025 National Champion, helping UConn secure its 12th NCAA title.
• Wade Trophy (top NCAA Division I player), Honda Sports Award, and second Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard).
• Third-time unanimous first-team All-American.
• Big East Player of the Year and Big East Tournament MOP for the third time, a program first.

Career Stats:

Finished with 2,439 points (third-most in UConn history), 561 assists (eighth), and a program-record 19.9 points per game average.

Holds NCAA Tournament records for UConn: 477 career points and 40 points in a single game.
Undefeated in Big East conference play throughout her career.

Off-Court Impact:

NIL Deals: One of the highest-paid college athletes, partnering with brands like Nike (first college athlete with a player-edition shoe, the Paige Bueckers G.T. Hustle 3), Gatorade (first college athlete NIL deal), Bose, Uber, Google Chrome, Chegg, Dunkin’, CeraVe, and Unrivaled. Ranked as the top-earning female college athlete in 2024 by NIL Store.

Social Media: Amassed 5.7 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, with the second-largest social media following and highest engagement among college athletes.

Community: Organized “Buckets With Bueckers” youth basketball clinics in Minnesota and Montana.

International Career (USA Basketball)

Youth Level:

Won three gold medals with Team USA:

• 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup (Bangkok): Named Most Valuable Player.
• 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Championship (Minsk).
• 2017 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship.
• Olympic/Professional: No senior Team USA appearances noted as of May 2025.

Professional Career (WNBA, 2025–Present)

Draft: Selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft, a testament to her status as a generational talent.

Debut:
Preseason: On May 2, 2025, debuted against the Las Vegas Aces, scoring 10 points with 1 assist and 4 rebounds in a 78–112 loss.

Regular Season: On May 16, 2025, debuted against her hometown Minnesota Lynx, scoring her first professional basket within a minute. Finished with 10 points (3-of-10 shooting), 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. Hopkins, Minnesota, was temporarily renamed “Paige Bueckers, Minnesota” in her honor.

Early Stats (as of April 2025):

Played 3 games, averaging 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, with 37.1% field goal, 33.3% three-point, and 80.0% free-throw shooting.

Cultural Impact: Her arrival in the WNBA, alongside stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, has contributed to the league’s growing popularity. Her draft-night celebration with Nike and her orange carpet appearance drew significant attention.

Personal Background

Family: Daughter of Bob Bueckers and Amy Fuller (a former cross-country and track athlete at the University of St. Thomas). Oldest of four siblings: brothers Ryan and Drew, and sister Lauren.

Education: Graduated from UConn in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in human development and family sciences.
Interests: Favorite player is Kyrie Irving; enjoys criminal law classes; member of her high school’s honor roll.

Legacy and Impact

UConn Records:

• Fastest to 2,000 career points (102 games) and tied for fastest to 1,000 points (55 games, with Maya Moore).
• Highest career scoring average (19.9 points per game) and third-most points (2,439) in program history.
• Most points in an NCAA Tournament game (40 vs. Oklahoma, 2025) and career NCAA Tournament points (477).

Pressure and Resilience: Overcame significant injuries (tibial plateau fracture, ACL tear) and immense expectations as UConn’s star, delivering a national championship in 2025. Coach Geno Auriemma praised her ability to control the game’s pace from a young age.

Cultural Influence: A trailblazer in NIL deals and media presence, Bueckers has elevated women’s basketball’s visibility, drawing comparisons to UConn legends like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and Maya Moore.

Summary of Key Achievements

High School: No. 1 recruit, Gatorade National Player of the Year, SLAM magazine cover star.

College:
2025 NCAA Champion, Wade Trophy, Honda Sports Award, two-time Nancy Lieberman Award.

Three-time unanimous first-team All-American, three-time Big East Player of the Year, three-time Big East Tournament MOP.

UConn records for scoring average, NCAA Tournament points, and fastest to 2,000 points.

Professional: No. 1 overall pick in 2025 WNBA Draft by Dallas Wings; promising early performances.

International: Three gold medals, including 2019 FIBA U-19 MVP.

Current Status (May 2025)

As of May 22, 2025, Bueckers is in her rookie WNBA season with the Dallas Wings, building on her college legacy. Her early performances show her adapting to the professional level, with expectations high for her to become a cornerstone of the WNBA’s rising prominence.