Despite having won the national title, questions around Paige Bueckers always lingered, especially about her WNBA destination. And her sit-down interview with Today was no different. “Most people believe you will be the first pick in the WNBA Draft coming up in a few days here. Perhaps going to play in Dallas. How does that sound to you?” the interviewer asked. By then, everyone had a pretty good sense that if she was going No. 1, she’d be heading to the Dallas Wings. So naturally, people expected her response to center around that. But it didn’t.

Instead, she said any team would be a dream come true for her. Then, she unveiled the real moment — the one everyone had been buzzing about. “I was just a little girl aspiring to be in the league. The Minnesota Lynx dynasty was everything for me… to be able to share that experience and be a part of that is just—it’s surreal to say.” That said a lot to some fans. She name-dropped her dream team, and it wasn’t the Wings. So, of course, the speculation about her not being thrilled about Dallas gained traction. But not so fast — just ask Elle Duncan.

On a recent episode of The Elle Duncan Show, she responded to the swirling rumors about Bueckers’ supposed reluctance to join the Wings. “And the new thing is that Paige Bueckers hates going to Dallas so much she refuses to show up in Dallas… And I would just like everyone to shut the f— up. What? Do y’all not have anything going on right now? Okay?” she said, clearly fed up with the narrative. “It’s just like, absolutely bananas. People are doing their sleuthing and trying to put pieces together that are just non-existent. Y’all, chill.”

Duncan also sort of explained Bueckers’ mindset behind things, saying, “And while, yes, she probably had some preconceived notion that she’d be going there, it’s still quite a whirlwind to literally pick up your whole life — especially after everything she’s had going on — and get to Dallas.” Now, important to tell you here that despite speculation suggesting Bueckers might avoid playing in Dallas, there’s no concrete evidence to support those claims.

In fact, the Wings’ Executive VP and General Manager, Curt Miller, addressed the rumors himself: “We have not heard anything directly that any person eligible for this draft would not want to play in Dallas,” Miller said in a statement. Still, there’s a reason why those rumors gained traction. The Wings are coming off a rough 2024 season. They limped to a 9–31 finish, second-worst in the entire league, and ranked dead last in defensive rating (114.0).

The only thing they did consistently was lose — and even that, they managed to do at the fastest pace in the WNBA (80.1 possessions per game). Sure, they could score — 84.2 points per game isn’t shabby — but their opponents lit them up for 92.1 a night. That’s not just bad defense; that’s a leaky faucet in a flood zone level of trouble.

And into this storm sails Bueckers, the kid from Minnesota who made a name at UConn with a silky jumper and a calm killer instinct in the clutch. Even she can’t fix Dallas overnight. But not everything seems off for the Wings — or for Bueckers.

Paige Bueckers brings hope that the Wings must keep alive

If there’s one stat that screams louder than any buzzer, it’s Dallas’s 111.7 defensive rating in 2024, dead last. That’s a system problem, a personnel problem, and an effort problem all rolled into one. And sure, Paige Bueckers is a solid defender. At UConn, she played the passing lanes well, had great hands, and understood positioning.

But she’s not locking down elite WNBA guards by herself. She’s also coming off major injuries, including a torn ACL, so the physical grind of guarding bigger, faster pros over a longer W season can’t be overlooked. Unless Dallas improves drastically on the defensive end, either through roster additions or a revamped scheme.

So, it is important for the team to keep the hope that she brings alive. Bueckers may spend half her rookie year trying to bail out a sinking ship she didn’t poke holes in. And guess what? The Paige Effect is already taking shape in Dallas, even before the former Huskies standout has suited up. Consider this: as soon as the Wings secured the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, ticket sales spiked by $50,000.

Season memberships? Sold out — five months earlier than the year before. That’s the kind of buzz franchises dream about. Even Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve couldn’t help but acknowledge the unique pull Bueckers has. “Paige is going to be more of a stand-alone,” she said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of company for her like there was around Caitlin. I don’t think there’s anybody close to making the impact [this season] that she will make on the Dallas franchise.”

It’s also reminiscent of what happened when Caitlin Clark joined the Fever: a 320% attendance boost, a national media frenzy, and a fanbase that followed her from Iowa to Indiana overnight. So, yes, the challenge is real for the team if they don’t want to disappoint a larger fanbase now.