Paige Bueckers often reminds people she’s a Dallas Wings basketball player but she’s also a role model to young women. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finsih)
PHOENIX — It may have been a home game for the Phoenix Mercury, but during pre-game at PHX Arena, you couldn’t tell as the crowd was there to see Paige Bueckers.
It was a sea of No. 5 jerseys as fans lined up to get a glimpse of the rising rookie. Coming into this matchup, the Dallas Wings won five of their last seven games, including an impressive rookie showing at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, last Thursday when the Wings made history by starting four rookies in a game— the first time since the Minnesota Lynx did so in 2000.
“We played here before this season, and it was a great turnout, great environment. And I know this is the home that she [Diana Taurasi] built, so the X-factor is there”, Bueckers said pre-game about being back in Phoenix.
Dallas coach Chris Koclanes told Bueckers and the other rookies to just be who they are.
“They’ve been so good through this all, and you never know when your opportunities are going to come in this game, and they’ve been really consistent in learning how to become pros,” Koclanes said.
Paige Bueckers has been thriving as a rookie with the Dallas Wings nearly halfway into the 2025 WNBA season. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)
Unfortunately for Dallas, Monday night’s game was all Phoenix. The Wings had no answer for the Mercury’s Sami Whitcomb, who scored a career high 36-points, with 29 of those coming in the first half.
Bueckers looked poised and unfazed by the score of 52 to 39, as she took the court for the second half. As her long blonde ponytail flowed with each stride, she sunk her warmup shots. As for her box score, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft tallied 11 points, two rebounds and three assists.
It’s that poise that makes her a fan favorite among young girls. Abbi Albright from Phoenix is one such fan.
Albright, who plays volleyball, suffered an ACL tear like Bueckers. She sees Bueckers as someone to look up to because she too faced adversity. Likewise, Bueckers suffered an ACL injury that forced her to miss the entire 2022-2023 season at UConn.
“She’s inspiring, and I don’t know—she’s just really fun to watch,” Albright said. “I’m not the biggest basketball fan, but she makes the game fun to follow.”
Another young lady, Pia Koelle, traveled all the way from Missoula, Montana, just to see Bueckers. Koelle admires the way that Bueckers is always so well spoken and loves to interact with her fanbase.
Paige Bueckers makes sure each interaction with the fans lasts a lifetime. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
“You can see what a kind genuine person she is. I mean, I don’t even play basketball, and I came all the way here to see her,” Koelle said.
Like many others, both Albright and Koelle primarily use social media to keep up with their basketball idol.
A strong social media presence is important to Bueckers as she feels it is one way she can show her personality off the court.
“I see using my platform as a positive way of continuing to share my faith and share being a confident human being and just being authentically myself,” Bueckers shared. “I hope to inspire the next generation to do so as well.”
The Dallas Wings fell to 6-14 on the 2025 WNBA season after suffering a tough loss, losing by a score of 102-72, but it’s clear—Paige Bueckers is winning at the game of life.
