Paige Bueckers had dreamed of moments like this since she was a kid. Playing under the lights. Putting on a show. And doing it in front of Kyrie Irving—the player she’s looked up to for as long as she can remember.
On Friday night at American Airlines Center, all of it came together. Bueckers turned in one of the best performances of her rookie season. She totaled 27 points, six assists, two steals, two blocks, and zero turnovers, as the Dallas Wings fell to the Indiana Fever, 94–86.
The stat line was historic. In fact, Bueckers became the first player in WNBA history to record a game with at least 25 points, five assists, two steals, two blocks, and no turnovers. Irving, seated courtside with his daughter, watched the entire thing unfold.
“It was pretty surreal,” Bueckers said. “Somebody I’ve looked up to and has been my favorite player since I was really, really young. So for him to come out and support us and support women’s basketball and have his daughter there and get to meet him. He’s been like a big brother figure for me, and to finally meet him in person, it was a great moment.”
From Admiration to a Real-Time Connection
Paige Bueckers on Kyrie: “It was pretty surreal. That’s somebody who I’ve looked up to and has been my favorite player since I was really, really young. So for him to come out and support us, support women’s basketball, have his daughter there, and get to meet him, he’s been… https://t.co/WVNY9VhBrQ
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 28, 2025
During the game, Bueckers found a moment to acknowledge Irving with a quick handshake along the sideline. After the final buzzer, they met at center court, shared an embrace, and walked off the floor together with Irving’s daughter—wearing a Bueckers jersey—beside them. Bueckers signed a jersey for him, posed for photos, and added a lasting memory to an already remarkable night.
That connection had been building for months.
At her April 23 introductory press conference after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Wings, Bueckers beamed at the thought of playing in the same city as Irving.
“He has been my favorite player for forever now, so super excited to be in the same city as him,” she said. “Hope I can learn a lot from him. I know he’s going through an ACL journey himself, so to be able to lean on and support each other through that, I think, is something that can be motivating.”
Irving, a nine-time NBA All-Star and 2016 champion, tore his ACL in March and has been rehabbing during the Mavericks’ offseason. Bueckers, who returned from her own ACL tear at UConn, knows the process well, and used that moment in April to speak directly to him.
“Kyrie, I know you’re gonna do great,” Bueckers said. “I know you’re going to come back from this better than ever, and I appreciate you for being an inspiration on and off the court. Being authentically yourself, being unapologetically yourself. It’s an inspiration. … Thank you for everything.”
Crafting Her Game in His Image
Paige Bueckers walked off the court with Kyrie Irving, the player she picked when asked who she’d like to attend a Dallas Wings game this season. pic.twitter.com/Fll3lBCHlp
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) June 28, 2025
Bueckers has spent years studying Irving’s game—his footwork, his handle, the change of pace, the creative angles at the rim. She’s tried to pick up the subtle things that make him one of the most unpredictable scorers in the game. That influence shows in her ability to shift speeds, break down defenders, and create space in tight windows.
“Just in terms of his skill work and his dedication to the game,” Bueckers said in April. “The stuff you see on the court, how much preparation and how [many] reps and how much practice it takes to be that elite at basketball is something that I want to take with me in my journey. I think his finishing abilities, the way he uses his quickness, he’s extremely strong, and just his creativity are things I want to take away.”
She’s carried that mindset into every aspect of her training. Bueckers has focused on becoming a three-level scorer—attacking the rim, mastering the mid-range, and spacing the floor with a reliable three-point shot.
“I want to be as unguardable as possible,” Bueckers said Friday. “And I feel like Kyrie is one of the most unguardable people to ever play the game. That starts with scoring at all three levels. So, adapting [to] the mid-range game was super essential for me and my game, and also being able to get to the rim and shooting from behind the 3-point line.”
Bueckers backed that up with a clinic-level performance: 9-of-18 shooting, 2-of-3 from deep, and a perfect 7-for-7 at the free throw line. Her six assists came without a turnover. Ultimately, Bueckers helped lead the Wings all the way back from a 23 point first-half deficit, briefly giving them the lead in the fourth before the Fever closed it out late.
A Crowd, A Moment, A Milestone
Even without Caitlin Clark, who was ruled out with a groin injury, the night was full of energy and support for the WNBA. A total of 20,409 fans filled the Mavericks’ home arena, making it one of the biggest WNBA crowds of the year. Mavericks No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, and Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons were among many more notable attendees in the building.
Still, the moment belonged to Bueckers, who made history and met her hero on the same night
“He’s been like a big brother figure for me,” she said again. “And to finally meet him in person, it was a great moment.”
Although they lost to the Indiana Fever, the Wings made a statement victory over the Mystics on Saturday night.
