Sep 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) celebrates after the game against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Did Paige Bueckers deserve to make First-Team All-WNBA?

Originally posted on Dallas Wings on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Oct 11, 2025 2:39 PM ET

Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers received the final accolade for a historic rookie season on Friday when she was named to the All-WNBA Second Team. That adds to her All-Star start, the All-Rookie Team selection, and her Rookie of the Year award, as she had a spectacular season, averaging 19.2 PPG, 5.4 APG, and 3.9 RPG.

However, the Dallas Wings really struggled this season, finishing tied for the worst record in the WNBA at 10-34. That likely cost her from making the First Team, and she barely even got onto the second team, as voters like to take team success into account for accolades like these. Of the ten players selected to an All-WNBA team, Bueckers was the only one to not make the playoffs.

The First Team consisted of Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson, who were unanimous selections, Alyssa Thomas (one vote away from unanimous), Allisha Gray, and Kelsey Mitchell. The Second Team had Nneka Ogwumike, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Aliyah Boston, and Bueckers.

Boston and Bueckers actually had more First Team votes than Ogwumike and Ionescu, but they didn't appear on as many ballots as the others selected, which was the big difference for the points breakdown. Bueckers and Boston had the same number of points overall for the ballot. Despite the bad team performance, did Bueckers have an argument to make the first team?

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Breaking Down First-Team All-WNBA

Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson were always going to be locks for the first team, as was Alyssa Thomas, who averaged nearly a triple-double at 15.4 PPG, 9.2 APG, and 8.8 RPG. Allisha Gray didn't appear on the ballots of four voters, while Kelsey Mitchell seemed to have the one spot up for grabs on the First Team.

Mitchell was spectacular this season for the Indiana Fever, averaging 20.2 PPG, leading the Fever to the playoffs despite Caitlin Clark missing most of the season with a groin injury. Although the rest of her counting stats weren't as strong as Bueckers' (3.4 APG, 1.8 RPG, 0.9 SPG), guiding the Fever to the playoffs within a game of the WNBA Finals is worth commending.

That's why the Wings need to find talent this offseason to surround Bueckers. Even with Clark out and a few other injured players, the Fever were still able to scratch and claw their way to wins with Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, Natasha Howard, and late signing Odyssey Sims.

This article first appeared on Dallas Wings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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