Aug 29, 2025; College Park, Georgia, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) in action against the Atlanta Dream in the fourth quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers speaks out on latest worrisome injury

Originally posted on Dallas Wings on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 10:15 AM ET

The Dallas Wings suffered their 8th straight loss on Monday evening, falling 96-71 on the road to Paige Bueckers' hometown Minnesota Lynx. Four of those losses have come by at least 19 points, and the Wings now have a worse record (9-32) than they did last season (9-31).

Bueckers entered the game with a new injury designation: probable for a calf injury. She was activated for the game, and ended up scoring 17 points in 29 minutes. Before the game, she spoke about her latest injury, and how she's aware of the concerns of playing on an injured calf.

"It’s something that I felt after the Atlanta game,” Bueckers said. “So just being cautious, making sure my body’s ready to go. Calves are not something you want to play with, so just being careful and cautious.”

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Calf injuries have been a major concern in basketball this year. Players like Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers tried playing through a calf strain before he infamously tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The NBA saw a massive spike in Achilles injuries in the 2024-25 season, so any calf injury is met with the utmost caution.

When Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks injured his calf in December, there was a dispute between his personal training team and the Mavs' training staff on how long he should be out, and that led to him being traded a few months later. The Dallas Wings aren't anywhere near that point with Bueckers, thankfully. Dallas fans have had enough of trading young superstars this year to last a lifetime.

Should Paige Bueckers Even be Playing?

With the Wings' season already spiraling down the drain, it's fair to wonder if Bueckers should even be playing. They have the league's worst record and are guaranteed to finish with the best odds for the top pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft: a 40% chance.

There's not really any reason for Bueckers to still be playing other than chasing records and to evaluate how the talent around her fits. She has enough injury concerns, including knee soreness, and the Wings would like to have Bueckers 100% healthy for the foreseeable future.

This article first appeared on Dallas Wings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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