“I think Paige just gets you easy buckets. Even if you think she doesn’t see you, she sees you… Yeah, I saw the highlight when I was in the locker room. It was dope.” That’s what Arike Ogunbowale said after her viral bucket off a slick Paige Bueckers assist. And honestly? It gave fans a taste of what’s coming for the Dallas Wings this season. Fast-paced. Fun. Flashy. It’s the kind of basketball that perfectly fits the vision of new head coach Chris Koclanes. But still–not everyone’s sold on the Wings. And to be fair? They’ve got a few valid reasons for their skepticism.
Paige Bueckers’ debut in a Dallas Wings jersey? One to remember—for better or worse. Sure, it ended in a tough 112–78 loss to the Aces. Not the start she would’ve hoped for. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom. There were flashes. Bright ones. Especially from the rookies. JJ Quinerly and Aziaha James combined for 26 points, with Quinerly even leading the team in scoring–despite limited minutes. And of course, Paige did Paige her thing as well. She went 4-7 from the field. Still, the game exposed some real issues within the Wings side.
Rachel Annamarie DeMita didn’t hold back when sharing her thoughts on the Dallas Wings. And if you’re a Wings fan, her words might sting a little. She said, “It seems like the theme in Dallas this year is… this team is not going to be good. From everything that I’ve seen, it looks messy. The team doesn’t look good. I don’t think they are going to have a winning record. I do not think that they will make the playoffs. It su-ks for Paige, but it’s kind of the name of the game–number one picks do not go to good teams.”
The Dallas Wings tried out all kinds of combinations in their game against the Aces. They leaned into small-ball lineups, with Satou Sabally out, using Maddy Siegrist, Teaira McCowan, and even Myisha Hines-Allen at the five. It gave them more speed and spacing on offense. But it came at a cost–they got crushed on the boards. The Aces didn’t hesitate to punish them.
It’s clear that Coach Chris Koclanes is still figuring things out. The rotation feels unsettled, and the right five-player combo hasn’t clicked yet. There’s no questioning the talent in Dallas. But the big question is: Can they find a starting 5 that actually wins games? So far, it’s looking shaky. And that isn’t going to help if you have a No. 1 draft pick like that of Paige Bueckers. Sure the top picks are expected to turn things around– single-handedly for a large part. But that isn’t exactly the case when you have a player of Paige’s skillset, according to DeMita.
“The unfortunate part about Paige and her game is she is not the type of player who just goes out there and dominates and will take over games. She does better when she has pieces around her,” the analyst adds.
That’s the game Paige has grown around. At UConn, she was surrounded by 5-star recruits. For their championship campaign, Azzi Fudd won the Final Four MOP, while Sarah Strong smashed freshman records while dominating the board. Paige? She led in assists while climbing up the Huskies’ scoring lists.
The star guard has always admitted to being a team player, and the analysts haven’t shied away from expressing how that’s going to affect her season. While Seerat Sohi thought it would be a hurdle in her case for the ROTY race, DeMita very early on pointed out how that stops us from expecting an explosive season like that of Caitlin Clark’s. So unless the pieces fit around Paige, having the No.1 isn’t likely to do much for the Wings.
But Paige Bueckers knows exactly what she signed up for. She’s not expecting wins to come easy. In a recent interview, the rookie star spoke openly about her expectations heading into the season and she isn’t sugarcoating things.
Paige Bueckers gets candid about her expectations for the new chapter
Paige Bueckers enters the WNBA with a national title and just three losses in her final season at UConn. Now with the Dallas Wings, she knows things are about to change. Winning won’t come as easy. Just as Rachel DeMita pointed out! She talked about that reality during Wings media day.
“I think I’ve come to that realization that I’ve been extremely blessed and fortunate to be in great situations in high school and in college,” Bueckers said during Wings media day. “It’s different in the W. You don’t see teams going undefeated, you don’t see a lot of single-loss seasons, which is something that the teams I’ve been playing on have not been accustomed to, so it’s definitely going to be an adjustment.”
NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship Apr 6, 2025 Tampa, FL, USA Connecticut Huskies guard Kaitlyn Chen 20 and guard Paige Bueckers 5 celebrates after winning the national championship of the women s 2025 NCAA tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Amalie Arena. Tampa Amalie Arena FL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xNathanxRayxSeebeckx 20250406_hlf_fo8_0202
Paige Bueckers is stepping into unfamiliar territory. At UConn, she played for a program known for winning. Now, with the Dallas Wings, things are different. She knows that. The wins might not come as easily. But what she can control? Her game. Her effort. Her impact. The Wings are entering a new era. New players. New head coach. Will they finish with a losing record? That’s the big question. With the talent they’ve got, it’s tough to make that call just yet. One thing’s for sure — it’ll be fun to watch. So, stay tuned!
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