Last month, Diana Taurasi made headlines with a bold take on Paige Bueckers. “The one thing I know about Paige is she’s so grounded, so patient, and she’s so prepared. She’s learned that in the last four or five years, and all those things that she learned at Connecticut are going to change the way you look at that team. One day, she’s going to end up being the best player in the league for sure.” That’s quite a take, especially with names like Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, and Napheesa Collier dominating the league right now. But not everyone is sold on that prediction. In fact, White Mamba’s UConn teammate Sue Bird sees things a bit differently.
Taurasi’s high praise came right after Paige Bueckers delivered a vintage performance against the Connecticut Sun. She put up 21 points and 7 assists to help the Wings win their first and to date the only win of the campaign so far. Since then, Bueckers has missed a brief period of time outside the court due to a concussion and then an illness. But she just had to return to show everyone what she is really capable of.
One of the most glorious pages of Bueckers’ career was written last week when she scored 35 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists against the Phoenix Mercury. That standout performance made her just the third player in WNBA history to score 35 points within their first 10 career games. A historic night, even though it ended in a tough loss for the Dallas Wings.
Yet, Sue Bird isn’t quite ready to jump on the “Paige Bueckers will be the best player in the world” bandwagon just yet. When asked by The Athletic’s Ben Pickman to weigh in on Diana Taurasi’s bold prediction, Bird offered a more measured take.
“Yeah, um, I certainly think Paige has the skill set to be one of the top players, for sure. I mean, ‘best’, in what year? Does it even matter? Everyone’s going to have their preference. But I think the thing that separates Paige is her efficiency. You saw it in college, and you’re seeing it now in the WNBA it’s something that’s maintained, so you know it’s real, no matter who the competition is. So yeah, I’ve been enjoying watching Paige play, but yeah, I guess I’ll let D live on that limb by herself for now,” she said.
May 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks on during the second half against the Seattle Storm at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Well, in her 8 games, the rookie is currently averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game while shooting 46.8% from the field and 41.7% from 3P. And that’s not all! Paige ranks at the very top of the WNBA when it comes to shooting from the 12-15 foot range. She’s taken 31 shots from that distance and knocked down 17, placing her in the 100th percentile. She’s also among the best in the midrange game overall, sitting in the 99th percentile with 49 attempts and 22 makes this season.
Now, everyone knows how difficult it is to shoot from midrange. Coaches do not even give everyone that freedom. Bigs usually stay near the basket, and guards find more space out on the perimeter. But the midrange is tricky; it’s often packed with defenders, making clean looks rare and efficiency hard to maintain. So when a rookie like Paige Bueckers not only takes those shots but actually thrives there, even against seasoned pros, it just shows why she makes it hard for anyone to doubt her. Her assist-to-turnover ratio (2.72) is not bad either, as she bags a 95 percentile there league-wide.
Yet, her team, the Wings, have gone 1-11 to start the season and definitely don’t look like a team that will make the playoffs this season. As for the chatter about Paige Bueckers becoming the best player in the world? Well, that’s still up for debate and won’t go down easily. But it is important to note that the guard won’t easily walk away with the ROTY title either; she has competition. But, if it’s worth anything, she has already made a big case for herself, even after getting sidelined from the conversation during her absence. So, whether she becomes the best player today or tomorrow – no one knows -but she absolutely has the potential to be one day.
That said, the Wings front office isn’t sitting back quietly. They’re actively trying to shift the momentum and turn things around for the franchise. Here’s a quick look at the moves they’ve made in hopes of turning the season around!
Paige Bueckers and co make big moves
With the news of Maddy Siegrist injuring her knee, all hell broke loose in Dallas. They had just lost the likes of Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsoder to the EuroBasket. And with Tyasha Harris also out with a knee injury, the Wings suddenly found themselves with a depleted roster. Their player count dropped below the WNBA’s 10-player threshold, qualifying them for the hardship exception and allowing them to sign temporary replacements.
This opened the door for players like Kaila Charles and Haley Jones to join the roster through hardship exception contracts. Just days before that, the Wings also made a move to strengthen their frontcourt by trading for Li Yueru in exchange for draft picks.
Will these moves help the Wings get back to winning ways? Well, that remains to be seen. It will certainly be interesting to see how Yueru and Bueckers work in tandem.
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