Aug 29, 2025; College Park, Georgia, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) runs on the court before a game against the Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

'Duh': Paige Bueckers Sparks Arike Ogunbowale’s Obvious Response After ROTY Victory

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 12:24 PM ET

Now that the regular season is over, it’s time to tally the points, cast the votes, and crown the best performers of the season. And unsurprisingly, Paige Bueckers has officially been crowned the WNBA Rookie of the Year . Her Dallas Wings teammate Arike Ogunbowale made sure to let the world know what she thought about it. In true Ogunbowale fashion, she kept it short and simple with a post that read: “duh!”

Considering how the rest of the pack had performed, and how others were marred by injuries, Paige Bueckers’ durability, consistency, and ability to lead the field were the deciding factors that made her stand out. And people will agree that the award belongs to her. They could see that a mile away.

Ogunbowale had no doubt in her mind that the choice was clear and that it was the obvious choice. And the crowds who were witness to Paige Bueckers’ performance would all agree that only a handful of players did what she did. Paige was the top rookie among the bunch.

There has already been a lot of hype and buildup at the early stages of Paige Bueckers’ career. Expectations has already been among the heavy burdens she’s carried since then. The ROTY is the confirmation that she has successfully transitioned from a high-performance collegiate athlete to a high-performance professional athlete.

The Rookie of the Year award is only the start for Paige Bueckers, who continues to prove that her ceiling is sky-high.

Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers earns 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year

Receiving the Rookie of the Year for 2025 has been quite an achievement for the young Paige Bueckers. And she’s expressed it in words:

Aug 24, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) drives to the basket as Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles (6) defends during the second half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

“Thank you God for an amazing rookie year Process over results. Unconditional joy and gratitude, so much to be thankful for. Love my squad, they all deserve Teammates of the Year in my book, nothing is possible without them. Now let’s keep on keeping on. Go wings! Proverbs 16:9 ‘The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.’”

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A message of thanks, gratitude, and appreciation to the people that enabled her to do the hard work she did and push hey beyond everybody else who did the same.

In a WNBA season full of talented rookies, heated rivalries and non-stop fan debates, the ROTY puts a dot on who reigns above all the rookies this WNBA season.

Aug 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) shoots a free throw against the Washington Mystics during the second half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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