Paige Bueckers walks into Target Center on Wednesday night not as a fan, not as a high school phenom, and not as the next big thing — but as the Dallas Wings’ starting point guard, two games into a pro career already defined by poise, precision, and purpose.
The matchup against the Minnesota Lynx is her first WNBA appearance in her home state. It’s a full-circle moment years in the making, but this one isn’t just symbolic — it’s deeply personal.
“I have a lot of family — my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents — and then a lot of my former teammates from Hopkins and my AAU teams coming out to support,” Bueckers said this week. “Just to have them here means everything to me.”
Her return comes just days after her hometown of Hopkins, Minnesota, temporarily renamed itself “Paige Bueckers, Minnesota” on May 16 to coincide with her professional debut. The city declared it “Paige Bueckers Day” and held a community-wide watch party at Hopkins High School, where she became a local legend before heading to UConn.
“I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was fake news,” Bueckers said last week. “There’s a lot of fake news that circles around on the internet… But it’s also surreal, and I don’t know, it’s crazy to me that they would name the whole city after me. Just to be able to give back to that whole city that’s given me so much… For them to show love like that, I appreciate it for sure.”
Paige Bueckers Already Displaying Command
What makes Bueckers’ return even more remarkable is how quickly she’s taken control of a Dallas team in transition. Through two regular-season games, she’s averaging 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block — all while adjusting to her new role as the team’s primary ball-handler and organizer.
That process began in training camp, when Bueckers was immediately inserted as the Wings’ lead guard. After her preseason debut on May 4 against the Las Vegas Aces, she reflected on how quickly things had changed.
“It’s super surreal, in terms of the turnaround from where I was two weeks ago to where I am today,” Bueckers said postgame. “Just soaking it up, enjoying every moment, getting used to new routines, traditions, new teammates, new organization, and just excited to play basketball again with this new group and continue to grow and get better every single day.”
She followed that performance with 15 points and six assists in a 119–52 preseason win over the Toyota Antelopes on May 7 — a game where her command stood out.
Before that second preseason game, she spoke about her approach to learning the point guard position at the pro level.
“I think tonight it’s about using my voice and continuing to organize as the point guard — the quarterback of the offense,” Bueckers told Ballislife that night. “Making sure everyone’s where they’re supposed to be… creating plays for others, pushing in transition, and staying solid in transition defense.”
After the game, she emphasized how practice and structure were accelerating her growth.
“Better than the first game. I’m trying to build every game and improve,” Bueckers told the media. “Getting more reps in practice helps with confidence to organize things in games. But the coaching staff and my teammates help a lot — it’s not a solo mission.”
She’s already earned praise from head coach Chris Koclanes, who spoke during training camp about how quickly she’s taken to the Wings’ free-flowing offensive system.
“She’s already an incredible playmaker,” Koclanes said. “What we’re seeing now is her starting to understand the common shapes and reads in our offense and leading with purpose. She just keeps getting better every time out.”
Facing the Present — and the Past
Her regular-season debut came against Minnesota — a 99–84 loss where Bueckers posted 10 points, seven rebounds, and two assists in 30 minutes. Matched at times with MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, the moment wasn’t lost on her.
“It’s extremely fun to play against Phee,” Bueckers said postgame. “She’s just the ultimate competitor, and she brings out the best in you, because she’s one of the best in the league… So to be on the other side and want to beat each other — it’s fun as well. I think that’s the ultimate sign of respect.”
After one possession, the two shared a laugh at the free-throw line.
“Just a good ol’ UConn friendly chat,” Bueckers said with a smile.
Collier, speaking before the game at shootaround, made it clear how much she respects the rookie guard.
“I’m really happy for Paige,” Collier said. “I really, really like Paige — her family, the way she plays. She’s just a great person and player, so I’m really happy for her. I texted her like, ‘Good luck tonight. Don’t do too much against us — you wait till your next game.’”
She also broke down Bueckers’ game.
“Midrange is probably the hardest to master, and she’s really good in the midrange,” said Collier. “Especially as a point guard — being able to score at all levels and then her vision — it’s really impressive.”
The Blueprint Ahead
In the opener against Minnesota, the Wings held their own for two quarters before being overwhelmed by a third-quarter surge. The Lynx scored 35 points in the frame, led by 18 from Napheesa Collier and a string of midrange daggers from Courtney Williams. They carved up Dallas in pick-and-roll, got into the paint at will, and repeatedly forced breakdowns in the Wings’ help rotations.
Bueckers, now preparing for the rematch, offered a clear diagnosis of what went wrong — and where Dallas has to respond.
“Courtney Williams and Phee’s ability to really get whatever they wanted out of the pick and roll — so I think we need to be better at the point of attack,” Bueckers told Ballislife on Tuesday. “Trying to congest the paint, not let so many easy touches… and offensively, trying to get more paint touches, change sides of the floor.”
The Lynx feasted on those breakdowns — turning pick-and-roll mismatches into open threes, short rolls, and dump-offs at the rim. On film, it was clear that Collier and Williams were able to manipulate defenders and force reactive decisions from Dallas possession after possession.
But Bueckers wasn’t just focused on defense. She also identified offensive stagnation as an area the Wings need to correct — especially against a disciplined Lynx unit that thrives when dictating tempo.
“And then just attacking offensively, I know just trying to get more in transition, trying to get more paint touches, trying to get more changing sides of the floor,” Bueckers continued. “But I think Phee and Courtney really killed us in the first game, so trying to clean it up on that end.”
Her approach reflects more than just film study — it reflects her mindset as the team’s lead guard. She’s already looking at how to set a tone early, play with more urgency, and get teammates involved with quicker actions and better spacing.
Building Momentum Despite the Losses
While the homecoming story is front and center, Bueckers and the Wings enter Wednesday night’s game coming off another test of composure and resilience — a 79-71 loss to the Seattle Storm that dropped Dallas to 0–2 on the season.
Bueckers was a standout once again, finishing with 19 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block in 37 minutes. She spearheaded an 11-0 third-quarter run that helped trim a 17-point deficit down to three early in the fourth quarter. But Dallas ultimately couldn’t finish the rally, undone by 14 turnovers and 4-of-19 shooting from beyond the arc.
“We’re still growing,” Bueckers said postgame. “We’re just trying to find a level as a team of competitive spirit. I think that’s growing from game to game. We carry it for quarters, and then we have lapses… We’ve done a good job fighting back in those situations, but we’ve got to figure out how to minimize those mental lapses and really play an entire 40 minutes together.”
Seattle applied pressure throughout — trapping Bueckers on ball screens, forcing her into early reads, and daring other Wings players to beat them. While she handled the coverages with patience and still recorded a game-high eight assists, she acknowledged it was a learning moment.
“It’s probably smart just to blitz and get the ball out of my hands,” she said. “And just trying to adjust offensively to how to counteract the trap — maybe touch it and get off it, maybe less ball screens, me screening for others, attacking in transition. It’s just a different look that defenses are throwing at me, which is an adjustment. So just continue to learn and work through that.”
The loss also showed how dependent Dallas already is on Bueckers’ floor presence. She logged 37 minutes and was candid about how much she wants to be on the floor.
“I’m feeling good. I want to be on the court for all 40 if it were up to me,” she said. “I’m cool with the four that I sat.”
For a Wings team still building chemistry and structure, Bueckers has become both the stabilizer and the tone-setter. She’s learning on the fly — under pressure, in big minutes — and showing that she’s not just adjusting to the WNBA, she’s helping define how her team competes.
It’s More Than Basketball for Paige Bueckers
Even early in camp, Bueckers talked about the mental discipline behind her transition — and how leadership for her is about more than stats.
“I want to invest in my teammates,” she said during Media Day. “The more you focus on helping others, the less pressure you put on yourself. I just want to have fun and stay present.”
She also shared how she stays grounded.
“Mental health is extremely important,” Bueckers said. “The game is more mental than physical. I work with a sports psychologist. The biggest thing I’ve learned? Run my own race. Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Now, the next step in that journey brings her home — to the court where she first fell in love with the game, in front of the people who have followed her from Hopkins High to UConn to Dallas.
“Being here is an incredible opportunity,” Paige Bueckers said last week. “I just want to do the best I can and give back to those who have supported me along the way.”
On Wednesday night, she gets to do exactly that.
“This one’s a little sweeter because it’s back home,” she said.
