Bueckers' scoring prowess already rivaling Clark with latest feat

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) dribbles against the Atlanta Dream during the second half at College Park Center. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers' scoring prowess already rivaling Caitlin Clark with latest feat

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 12:28 AM ET

Dallas Wings rookie guard Paige Bueckers is proving to be a walking bucket like Indiana Fever second-year guard Caitlin Clark.

Bueckers scored 21 points and had seven assists in an 88-85 home loss to the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday. In doing so, the No. 1 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft bested a Hall of Famer.

Bueckers passed Sue Bird (10) for the second-most games with 15-plus points and five-plus assists by a rookie. Only Clark had more (30) during her rookie season.

Paige Bueckers moves past a legend

With 21 PTS & 7 AST tonight, she passes Sue Bird (10) for the 2nd-most games with 15+ PTS & 5+ AST by a rookie!

Only Caitlin Clark (30) ahead.#WelcometotheW https://t.co/oMIOTRpeet pic.twitter.com/kkTDj9ryGf
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 31, 2025

Bueckers has scored 20 points or more 11 times in 21 games. Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, had 20 points or more in 19 regular-season games during her rookie season. The former Iowa Hawkeyes star played in 40 regular-season games in 2024.

With 16 regular-season games remaining, Bueckers probably won't tie or pass Clark, but she could have if she had stayed healthy. The former UConn star has missed seven games because of injury.

Bueckers will probably win Rookie of the Year, like Clark. Citing ESPN Bet, ESPN's Andre Snellings reported the Wings star is the favorite (-700) to capture the award in a story published Wednesday.

Clark, of course, had the more impactful rookie season. Her popularity significantly raised the WNBA's profile, and the sharpshooter carried the Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.

Despite Bueckers' stellar play, the Wings will likely miss the postseason. Dallas (8-20) has the league's third-worst record and has gone 3-7 in its last 10 games.

That doesn't detract from Bueckers' stellar rookie season. The 23-year-old has already established herself as one of the league's premier scorers. She also appears to be an excellent rival for Clark, the face of the league.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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