If her chronic knee pain wasn’t concern enough for Paige Bueckers, Tuesday night added another blow. You hate to see it, but it’s true. The young guard joined the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese during the game against the Liberty. No, not for her play but becoming the latest addition to this season’s ever-growing injury list. Now, Chris Koclanes may have attempted to curb down the worries, but is the recent glimpse really lining up?

After winning back-to-back Rookie of the Month honors, the UConn alumna’s debut season was shaping up to be a strong case for the ultimate honor. “It’s hard to make an argument against Bueckers in this market, as the Wings guard has clearly been the team’s best player in the 2025 season,” SI’s Peter Dewey noted, analyzing the odds. But now, with a crucial home matchup against the New York Liberty on the horizon, the situation is clouded.

As their leading scorer with a strong presence on both ends of the floor — an impact a few believe eclipses Caitlin Clark’s — Bueckers’ every minute will be vital for Dallas. However, the body language of the young star and the comments from head coach seem to be telling two very different stories. And not the good kind.

The wonder rookie suffered the injury on August 5 during an away clash against the New York Liberty. Now, 28 hours ahead of the rematch, this time on home court, Paige Bueckers’ actions suggest she’s still not game-ready. Though cameras caught her present at practice, she stayed on the sidelines, observing her teammates instead of joining them. Notably, she wasn’t even wearing her training shoes, a clear indication that she had no intention of engaging in any form of physical activity.

Bueckers has already been treading her season carefully patellar tendinitis she suffered in high school. Any heavy minutes, back-to-back schedule– she is saying no. So you can see why remaining on the sidelines after a pulled muscle is both a concern and necessity. But for what it’s worth, the young guard had only positive remarks following the injury.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m all right. I just got it checked out,” Bueckers said after the game. “I felt a strain, felt it tighten, so I’m just going to get it worked out, take some medicine, and go from there.” And it wasn’t just her.

Dallas Wings head coach reveals Paige Bueckers’ availability for Friday

Dallas Wings guard has already missed six games this season, mostly due to injury setbacks and workload management. But she’s made it clear, she doesn’t want to miss any more. After the Liberty game, Bueckers said, “I’m hoping it won’t take me out. I’ll get some treatment, get some rest, and take some medicine.”

Her fans now have reason to cheer. Head coach Chris Koclanes confirmed that Bueckers is expected to suit up on Friday. The Wings desperately need her presence if they hope to snap their three-game losing streak. Bueckers has been on a tear lately, averaging over 20 points across her last five appearances. Her most recent showing against the Liberty stood out: she poured in 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and shot 53.3% from the field.

If she keeps up this dominant stretch, the Rookie of the Year title could be well within reach. But staying in that conversation means she’ll have to stay healthy and keep delivering her A-game. The Wings return to action on Friday at College Park Center for their rematch with the Liberty. Two days later, they’ll take on the Washington Mystics in a Sunday afternoon showdown in Arlington.