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“It’s Crazy to Me”: WNBA Debut Turns Into Hometown Holiday for Paige Bueckers 1 Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Paige Bueckers is interviewed by ESPN after being selected with the number one overall pick to the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

'It’s Crazy to Me': WNBA Debut Turns Into Hometown Holiday for Paige Bueckers

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Grant Afseth | Last updated May 16, 2025 7:02 PM ET

When Paige Bueckers steps onto the court for her WNBA debut Friday night, she won’t just be representing the Dallas Wings—she’ll be representing a city named after her.

In a rare and heartfelt gesture, the city of Hopkins, Minnesota, passed a resolution to temporarily rename itself “Paige Bueckers, Minnesota” on May 16, 2025, in honor of the No. 1 overall pick’s first professional game. The proclamation, passed unanimously by the Hopkins City Council on April 15, also declared the date “Paige Bueckers Day” in the city where her basketball journey began.

Bueckers admitted she was stunned when she first heard the news.

“I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was fake news,” she said after a recent practice. “There’s a lot of fake news that circles around on the internet, so you never know what to trust. But it’s also surreal. I don’t know, it’s crazy to me that they would name the whole city after me.

“But 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.”

A Full-Circle Celebration of Paige Bueckers

The name change coincides with her much-anticipated debut against her home-state team, the Minnesota Lynx, who host the Wings at College Park Center in Arlington. The game will air nationally on ION at 6:30 p.m. CT and is expected to draw large viewership and emotions back home.

Bueckers, a Hopkins native and former high school standout who rose to stardom at UConn, has long been a source of pride for the city. She led Hopkins High School to a state championship and became the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2020. Her professional debut comes after a remarkable NCAA career and a return from a significant ACL injury that sidelined her in 2023.

Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon reflected on her community impact beyond basketball.

“We’re proud to name our city after her for a day,” Hanlon said. “For the folks that know her and watched her grow up—as a team member, as a community member, and as the champion that she is—we’re just very proud of her.”

The city planned multiple events to mark the occasion, including custom street signs, themed food and drink specials, and a community watch party at Hopkins High School. Residents were encouraged to wear Wings colors—even those who usually root for the Lynx.

The Start of a New Dallas Wings Era

“It’s All a Blessing”: Paige Bueckers on Cooper Flagg, Mavericks, and a Historic Dallas Moment 5 May 7, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers poses for a photo during the 2025 Dallas Wings Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Bueckers enters the league as the overwhelming Rookie of the Year favorite after being selected No. 1 by the Wings in April. She’s expected to be a foundational star for a retooled Dallas team featuring a mix of veterans and young talent.

But on this day, her debut is about more than just basketball. It’s about a hometown honoring a homegrown hero who’s reached the sport’s highest level.

Whether or not the scoreboard reflects it Friday night, “Paige Bueckers, Minnesota” has already won.

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

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