Aside from Arike Ogunbowale’s play, Paige Bueckers, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, has been one of the few bright spots for the Dallas Wings this season.
They started the year 1-11 and have picked up a few wins since then, improving to 5-13. Still, the Wings remain in last place in the Western Conference heading into Thursday night.
As a rookie, Bueckers is not only leading the team in points per game (18.4) but also in assists (5.8) and steals (1.8) per game. The 23-year-old point guard elevated her play in June, averaging 21.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5 assists for the month.
It certainly didn't go unnoticed, and on Thursday, the league announced Bueckers as the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Month for games played in June.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has been named the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Month, for games played in June. pic.twitter.com/EeZYOWg6cE
— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) July 3, 2025
Bueckers won the award despite missing three games at the beginning of June due to a concussion and illness. She also sat out the team’s final game of the month with right knee soreness.
This marks Bueckers’ first Rookie of the Month honor, after Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen won the award for May.
The young Dallas star played her college basketball for the UConn Huskies, where she spent five seasons. Bueckers racked up nearly every major honor imaginable — winning four Player of the Year awards in 2021, earning unanimous First Team All-American honors three times and capturing a national championship in her final season.
Bueckers' best season statistically came in 2023-24, when she averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
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