Paige Bueckers Reacts to Unfortunate News on Wednesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Parker Johnson | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 4:54 PM ET

The Dallas Wings have struggled with a 5-13 record in the 2025 WNBA season, but Paige Bueckers is off to a strong start to her professional career.

On Monday, the Wings rookie was named a starter for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game. Bueckers received the second-most votes among guards, trailing only Caitlin Clark in the popular vote.

The 23-year-old guard is averaging 18.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.6 minutes per game. Bueckers' consistency has been outstanding, but the roster around her has been full of chaos.

In the past five days alone, the Wings have welcomed two players back from EuroBasket, released two in return, traded veteran forward NaLyssa Smith and signed a replacement in Liatu King.

Bueckers felt the strain of the unfortunate situation on Wednesday, when she was one of just six players available for practice between transactions and injuries.

Arike Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington, the Wings' top two guards besides Bueckers, were not seen at practice on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately I have been through this," Bueckers said, reflecting on her time in college with the UConn Huskies. "It’s actually kind of fun to play when the odds are stacked against you.”

Will out some clips from today’s practice availability.

Paige Bueckers says “it’s actually kind of fun to play when the odds are stacked against you.”#wingsup #dallaswings #paigebueckers #wnba pic.twitter.com/Bq01eyqPQj
— Melissa Triebwasser (@TheCoachMelissa) July 2, 2025

The No. 1 overall draft pick was put through the ringer during her five seasons at UConn under legendary coach Geno Auriemma. She missed 19 games during her sophomore year in 2021-2022 with a knee injury, followed by a season-ending ACL injury forcing her to miss the entire 2022-2023 season.

When she returned in 2023-2024, the rest of the roster was depleted by injuries. By the time No. 3 UConn met Clark and No. 1 Iowa in the Final Four, the Huskies only had six players available.

With a full-strength team in 2024-2025, UConn dominated the competition and Bueckers capped off her career with an NCAA championship, the program's first since 2016.

“No one is feeling sorry for us.”

Koclanes’ message to the team was to play through the adversity. Paige Bueckers added that the team is enjoying their underdog status and will just play through it. #wnba #wingsup
— Melissa Triebwasser (@TheCoachMelissa) July 2, 2025

Bueckers' experience playing short-handed will be needed on Thursday, when Dallas hosts the 12-5 Phoenix Mercury.

If they can make it through that game, they will have a few days off before a set of three road games in a week starting on Monday against the Mercury, Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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