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Paige Bueckers Receives Strong Message From WNBA All-Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Robert Marvi | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 1:58 AM ET

Paige Bueckers' rookie season in the WNBA hasn't been the smoothest one, and she has had her occasional struggles. On Tuesday against the Atlanta Dream, she struggled a bit with her shooting, going 6-of-15 from the field and missing both of her 3-point attempts.

But her Dallas Wings did win, 68-55, and her 12 points, five rebounds and four assists helped in the effort. She had just one turnover, and with her help, Dallas held the Dream to an icy 23.4% accuracy from the field.

Teammate and four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale, who led the team with 21 points, gave a glowing assessment of Bueckers.

“Obviously everybody Paige is elite,” Ogunbowale said. “She’s very mature for her age.”

Arike Ogunbowale says “everybody knows” that Paige Bueckers is “elite”

Ogunbowale also said Bueckers has been a good leader for the Wings. It is telling to hear a veteran like Ogunbowale call a rookie a good leader.#WingsUp pic.twitter.com/1DfonRsIxh
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) June 25, 2025

Bueckers was a big-time star at UConn, where she won the women's NCAA championship just a few months ago, and she also took home two Nancy Lieberman Awards, the AP Player of the Year award, the John R. Wooden Award and Naismith College Player of the Year honors.

In addition to getting praise for her outstanding offensive abilities, which include a refined mid-range game off the dribble, she has been lauded for her maturity and leadership. On the season, she's averaging 17.7 points and 5.8 assists a game.

After Dallas lost its sixth game in a row earlier this month, she talked about the importance of focusing on the process and not the results.

The Wings now have a 4-12 record, which is the second-worst mark in the WNBA. However, they have now won three of their last four contests.

On Friday, they will host the Indiana Fever, which means Bueckers will go up against Caitlin Clark for the first time as a pro player.

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

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