PHOENIX- After missing the last four games due to a concussion, guard Paige Bueckers returned to action for the Dallas Wings against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night.
At the Mercury game, many fans wore Bueckers’ UConn and Wings jerseys while eagerly waiting for her to sign autographs. Even young fans chanted Bueckers’ name as she played in Phoenix for the first time and cheered every time she made a basket.
The Mercury vs. Wings game had a sellout attendance of over 13,000 fans.
How Much Does Getting Bueckers Back Mean for the Wings?
Before the game, Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes expressed his excitement about reintroducing Bueckers to the lineup. He noted the team had missed her tempo and outstanding performance as a starting point guard during her absence.
“Excited to insert Paige (Bueckers) back into the lineup and into the locker room,” Koclanes said pregame. “I’m just looking forward to getting her back into the mix. Her teammates are excited and just relieves some pressure here without having a point guard the last four games. So, looking forward to having some tempo back and organization on that end of the floor.”
Bueckers scored 22 points in the first half for the Wings, displaying aggression and making a significant impact. She ended up scoring a career-high 35 points and making five 3-pointers in Dallas’ loss on the road to the Phoenix Mercury.
Bueckers has joined Caitlin Clark, who was selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever, as the only rookies to score 35 or more points and make five or more 3-pointers in a game. She has also become the third player in WNBA history to achieve a 35-point game within her first games, following in the footsteps of A’ja Wilson and Chennedy Carter.
Bueckers became the third rookie in the Wings’ franchise history to score 35 points in a game, joining Odyssey Sims (2014) and her current teammate Arike Ogunbowale (2019).
“Just trying to work to win games, do anything it takes on any given night to contribute to winning,” Bueckers said postgame. “I felt a little winded, and I’m just coming back from a break. I feel like I could have used my voice more and been more disruptive and crashed the glass more, so I get wind under me and I’ll be better in those areas. But like I said, just trying to contribute to winning and whatever that looks like on any given night, trying to put your full effort toward that.”
How Wings are Adjusting to Team Chemistry Amidst 1-10 record
Bueckers emphasizes the importance of discipline in the Wings’ game plan while she and her teammates are still finding the right team chemistry.
Bueckers scored 13 points on 19 field goal attempts for the Wings. The other players from Dallas, however, combined to shoot 16 of 48 from the field. The team needed additional contributions to support Bueckers.
“Just having discipline in our game plan,” Bueckers said. “When we went through our practice yesterday, just being disciplined in what we practice and holding ourselves accountable to it, just communicating on both ends of the floor. Turnovers, making the simple play, taking the simple shot (and) the best shot available and then getting back in transition, any easy leak out wide-open threes and making things tougher than on both sides of the floor.”
Although the Wings are 1-10, Bueckers emphasizes the importance of patience and progress for the young, revamped Dallas team, particularly regarding her own development as a leader.
“It’s challenging, but very rewarding in a sense of just being super process-oriented and not result-oriented, and how we want to have a set of standards, build a culture and have a way we do things and stick to that, regardless of wins or losses, and trying to build what that looks like for this team,” Bueckers said.
“And the results will follow and will come as we continue to stay disciplined in who we are every single day. So, just trying to lead by example, lead with my voice and have difficult conversations. Get to know these people on and off the court, continue to build that chemistry and just like anything in life, it’s a journey and a process that you love to embrace.”
Before the Wings faced the Mercury in the pregame, Bueckers mentioned that the team is still adapting to Koclanes’ vision for team chemistry and playing style. She noted that she is observing continued progress in this adjustment.
“I think we’re progressing every single day,” Bueckers said. “We don’t want to be result-oriented, we want to be process-oriented. So, sticking to what we do is sticking to our process, and what the results take care of themselves. We all want to win games, but it’s what we do at practice, what we do to prepare, that helps us win games, so same progression.”
Count’em… 27 PTS for @paigebueckers1 pic.twitter.com/61t2qK8g8j
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) June 12, 2025
June 11 marks the birthday of Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi, who turned 43 just shy of four months after announcing her retirement from professional basketball. Bueckers discussed Taurasi’s significant legacy at UConn and in the WNBA, sharing how she has found inspiration in her career.
Taurasi led the UConn Huskies to three consecutive National Championships from 2002-04 and was selected first overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. She went on to lead the franchise to three WNBA Championships and retired as the league’s all-time leading scorer.
“She was a winner at all stages, at all levels,” Bueckers said. “She’s the all-time winningest Olympian as well. So her excellence that she carried on off court, she was unapologetically herself, and she was a competitor, and some people hate it, and some people love it, but she was not afraid to be who she was.
“And that truly inspires me to embrace who you are and not let anybody else’s opinions dictate that. Who she is as a person, I’ve always been able to reach out to her. She’s been very receptive to that, so I’m very grateful for the relationship we have built and what she has built for the next generation.”
Bueckers led the Huskies to their first National Championship since winning four straight, the last one dating back to 2016. She overcame adversity in her tenure with UConn and ended her collegiate career on a positive note.
“It’s really cool,” Bueckers said of playing in PHX Arena, where Taurasi played for two decades. “I looked up to DT (Diana Taurasi) ever since I was little, and she’s just the shoes that I want to fill, the greatness that she carried on and off the court. It’s something that I truly admired and was inspiring to me, especially her going into UConn, building our relationship. To be here (in PHX Arena where she played) means so much.”
Phoenix Mercury Players Speak Highly of Bueckers
Phoenix Mercury forwards Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally praised Bueckers’ performance after getting the win at home in front of its fans.
Whewww P!! First game back like that?! 😮💨😮💨🔥🔥 https://t.co/Q30TfoYK0t
— Dorka Juhász (@Dorkajuhasz14) June 12, 2025
Thomas and Sabally both agreed that the Mercury should have defended Bueckers better and noted that Bueckers is an elite player for years to come.
“Paige (Bueckers) is a hooper,” Thomas said after returning for the Mercury. “I mean, we’ve seen her do it at UConn for so long. She’s been coming to the Connecticut Sun games for a minute, too. So (she’s) just very calm out there, she just controls the game. The sky’s the limit for her.”
“Yeah, we need to do better (defending Paige Bueckers),” Sabally added. “We should have done better (defending Paige Bueckers), for sure. But she’s elite.”
The Dallas Wings will travel to Las Vegas to face A’ja Wilson and the Aces on Friday, June 13.
