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Paige Bueckers Reveals Truth on Exchange With Napheesa Collier

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Robert Marvi | Last updated May 17, 2025 9:54 AM ET

Friday was opening night for the 2025 WNBA regular season, and one of the games that took place pitted the Minnesota Lynx versus the Dallas Wings at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

It was the pro debut of Paige Bueckers, the former UConn star who led the school to the women's NCAA championship just a month ago. Unfortunately for her, the Stars lost decisively by a final score of 99-84.

Napheesa Collier, who scored a game-high 34 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the field, led the Lynx. Collier, like Bueckers, once played for the UConn Huskies, and the two exchanged words at one point.

Bueckers was asked about that exchange after the game.

“Just a good ‘ol UConn friendly chat,” she said.

What did Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers talk to fellow Husky Napheesa Collier about on the court?

“Just a good ‘ol UConn friendly chat.” pic.twitter.com/9cx7c8hpfr
— Melissa Triebwasser (@TheCoachMelissa) May 17, 2025

Collier was last season's Defensive Player of the Year and has made the All-Star game four times in her six pro seasons. Like Bueckers, she was a star at UConn, and like Bueckers, she won a national title while there.

The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 20.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks a game and led Minnesota to the very brink of a WNBA title last season.

Bueckers, a six-foot guard, is a very efficient three-level scorer and a capable ball-handler and facilitator. Her overall game has been compared to that of the legendary Diana Taurasi, who drove the Phoenix Mercury to three championships and led the league in scoring five times.

The Wings are hoping she will transform them after years of struggling. They have had just one season with a winning record since moving to Dallas for the 2016 season.

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

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