Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers joins elite company with rare trifecta

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Sep 16, 2025 12:35 PM ET

Dallas Wings rookie guard Paige Bueckers placed her name among WNBA legends on Tuesday.

To the surprise of no one, Bueckers was named Rookie of the Year. The honor caps whirlwind year (or, more accurately, six months) for the former Connecticut Huskies star.

In early April, Bueckers guided UConn to its 12th women's college basketball national championship with an 82-59 win over South Carolina. A week later, she was selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft.

With her latest accolade, Bueckers became the fifth player in league history to win an NCAA championship, be selected No. 1 overall and be named Rookie of the Year in the same year, joining WNBA all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi, all-time rebound leader Tina Charles and two-time MVPs Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart.

WNBA Players Who Won an NCAA Championship, Were Selected No. 1 Overall, and Earned Rookie of the Year in the Same Year:

Breanna Stewart
Candace Parker
Diana Taurasi
Tina Charles
Paige Bueckers

✨ pic.twitter.com/bm2G8EnuAm
— I talk hoops (@trendyhoopstars) September 16, 2025

Historic rookie season establishes bright Wings future

Bueckers finished her rookie season with 36 starts and averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent. On Aug. 21, she set the WNBA rookie single-game scoring record when she dropped 44 points on the Los Angeles Sparks.

Despite her excellent year, Bueckers is the first of the five who earned the rare trifecta to end her rookie season both out of the playoffs and with a losing record. The Wings finished 10-34, tied with the Chicago Sky for the league's worst record.

With several of the league's top players set to become free agents this offseason, Dallas could improve in a hurry as an attractive destination thanks to Bueckers, plus another high draft pick in 2026.

The WNBA's lottery system uses lottery teams' records from the past two seasons to determine their odds, putting the Wings, who are 19-65 since 2024, in place to have the most winning combinations when the order is set at a date to be determined.

Bueckers was as good as advertised as a rookie, and based on the elite company she joined on Tuesday, she should be the cornerstone of a perennial contender for seasons to come. The Wings have a lot to improve to take flight, but with Bueckers in tow, it's only a matter of time before they get off the ground.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

More must-reads: