The future is bright for Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers, who made history in the team’s one-point 82-81 road loss on Wednesday evening to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Sparks veteran guard Kelsey Plum scored the game-winning basket to hand Los Angeles another thrilling victory over the young Dallas squad that is now mathematically eliminated from playoff contention after dealing with injuries and trades throughout the year.
Still, there is a promising future in Dallas, as it builds its franchise around Bueckers.
“We’re right there, this young group continues to scratch and claw,” Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes said postgame. “… We have to continue to learn and figure how to win some….just proud of our fight.”
Bueckers Made WNBA History
Bueckers became the first player to score 40 or more points this season, set a single-game rookie scoring mark and also tied Cynthia Cooper (1997) for most points scored by a first-year W player with 44 points in the Wings’ heartbreaking loss. (Cooper was 34 year old in that inaugural season.) Bueckers finished with an outstanding field goal percentage of 81 (17-of-21), made four 3-pointers, and had three rebounds and four assists while playing 36 minutes for Dallas.
I mean…Paige Bueckers is insane. Her 44 points tonight vs. the Sparks is:
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 21, 2025
*the most points in a game by a rookie in WNBA history
*the most points in a game by any player this season
*the first 40-piece in league history on 80% FG pic.twitter.com/4dPMzWYDCY
Additionally, she became the first player in league history to have a 40-point performance while shooting 80 percent from the field. She also joined Cooper and Candace Parker (2008) as the only rookies to record a 40-point game.
After the game, Bueckers gave credit to her Wings’ teammates for being a part of her special night in Los Angeles while continuing to fight with nine players available (later went to eight after J.J. Quinerly went down with an apparent knee injury).
“Just my teammates getting me open,” Bueckers said. “Screening for me, running some off-ball actions, trying to get myself open looks. Just bringing the ball up the floor. (Luisa Geiselsoder) set amazing screens for me the entire night and then my teammates just looking for me, getting me the ball, getting me open.”
ROY
— Arike Ogunbowale (@Arike_O) August 21, 2025
During the pregame, Koclanes told the media his belief is Bueckers is the frontrunner for 2025 Rookie of the Year. After Bueckers’ historic performance in Los Angeles, he reiterated his support for Bueckers’ candidacy.
Back in May, Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen won the Rookie of the Month award with her impact on the team alongside fellow rookie teammate Sonia Citron. Bueckers has since won Rookie of the Month awards for June and July and is averaging 18.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game throughout the season.
“After you just watched that performance (no doubt she’s Rookie Of the Year),” Koclanes said. “…She lets the game come to her and she takes what the defense is giving her…she just plays at her own pace, you can’t speed her up. It’s really impressive for a rookie in this league.”
Bueckers Shares Gratitude to her Fanbase
With less than a month left in the WNBA regular season, Bueckers shared her gratitude to the fans for their support, highlighting how much it means to her. She is having a memorable calendar year, starting with leading the UConn Huskies to a National Championship and making an immediate impact on the league in her first season.
Not to mention Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink, the second overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, called Bueckers a “phenomenal” and an “amazing” player.
“I’ve always prided myself and the team on winning so that’s obviously the main goal,” Bueckers said. “Honestly, I’m just most proud of this team, like, the way we fight… This team just means so much to me.
“The way we love each other, like, it could be easy for us to sit here and be nine in whatever we are and be miserable and hate coming to work, but just how we show up for each other, we’re learning and growing together… As much as success and the wins haven’t translated yet, what we’re building here, it just makes me so happy. I’m just super grateful for it….Just being super proud of every single one of my teammates is the most thing I’ll take away from this, truly.”
The Dallas Wings will return home to face the Seattle Storm, who are fighting for one of the last playoff spots, on Friday.
