In 2025, the Dallas Wings are stuck in a rut—they’ve dropped 12 of their first 15 games, including a brutal 91–88 overtime loss to the Washington Mystics. But through all that gloom, one light keeps cutting through: rookie Paige Bueckers. The former UConn star isn’t just living up to the hype—she’s rewriting what a rookie season can look like. Bueckers’ recent performances have made even the most vocal Caitlin Clark supporters pause, and the numbers suggest she may already have a statistical edge over the 2024 No. 1 pick.

Just one week into June, Bueckers became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 200 points and 50 assists, surpassing all-time legends like Cynthia Cooper, Tamika Catchings, and Andrea Stinson.

While Clark brought gravity and flair in her debut season, Bueckers is bringing balance, doing more with less fanfare but more all-around impact. In fact, she’s currently one of only two guards in the league—alongside Allisha Gray—averaging at least 18 points per game while shooting over 46% from the field.

Which is one of the few stat points Dallas Wings are using to promote Paige for the Rookie of the Year award for 2025.

As, she has provided them with efficiency at an elite level while being a rookie guard, which is rare, especially on a struggling team with no established offensive engine.

However, where Bueckers truly sets herself apart is in her midrange mastery—a lost art in today’s three-heavy game. According to Real App data, Bueckers leads the entire WNBA in midrange shots made, hitting 41 total—25 from 10 to 15 feet and another 16 from 15 to 19 feet.

For context, the next closest player, Courtney Williams, has 31. Even the official WNBA tracking stats, which tend to skew slightly lower, place Bueckers at 29 midrange makes, which still tops the league. That’s not just rookie excellence; it’s veteran-level shot selection and execution.

Paige Bueckers Edges Caitlin Clark with Mid-Range Mastery in Rookie Season

And then there’s the stat-stuffing. By June 21, Bueckers had logged at least 150 points, 50 assists, and 25 “stocks” (combined steals and blocks) through her first 10 games. Only Cynthia Cooper, a 2X MVP, had accomplished that as a rookie. Bueckers’ all-around brilliance continued from that week with a dominant 20-point, 9-rebound, 7-assist performance against Washington on June 23, adding a steal and a block to round out her night.

Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark’s rookie numbers were exceptional, but as they are two different players with 2 different styles of play, one from 3, the other from mid-range, Paige brings a different kind of defensive disruption when compared to Clark’s style of play. In fact, this different style of play has also enabled Paige to overtake Clark in terms of efficiency, as currently she ranks 8th in the WNBA in terms of efficiency when compared to Clark, who ranks 10th. 

Against Washington, Bueckers also became the only rookie in the league with 5 , 20-point games and the only rookie this season to record a 10-assist game. She leads all rookies not just in scoring but also in assists and steals. She ranks fourth among rookies in blocks and rebounds. More strikingly, she’s the only rookie to rank top five in all five major statistical categories—points, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks.

On June 21, her 4, 20-point games (5 now after June 23) matched the entire output of every other rookie combined(who also had 4, 20-point games combined). Even when compared to the media hurricane that surrounds Clark, Bueckers is making her presence felt with cold, undeniable production.

While Caitlin Clark may still be the most talked-about player in the WNBA, Paige Bueckers is quietly becoming the most statistically complete rookie in recent memory. In basketball terms, Clark plays like a shooting star—flashy, explosive, capable of lighting up the scoreboard in a burst. But Bueckers is more like a steady pulse—calm, methodical, and always moving the needle across every stat line. She doesn’t just play one position; she plays every role, adjusting with the moment, filling every gap her team needs.

So while Dallas is still searching for wins, they’ve already found their franchise cornerstone.