Paige Bueckers isn’t coming to her second season at the W just as a backcourt player; her responsibility is beyond that. The Wings have settled in quite nicely through free agency and the WNBA Draft, where they have strengthened their team even more around their core, and Bueckers’ secondary role on the roster will be to establish the team’s standards for accountability. Recently, the Wings guard shared her take on how she approaches this role.

Speaking in an interview during Wings training camp, Bueckers clearly stated that, for her to develop into a leader, she needs to assess her on-court performance. “I think for me, I’ve always looked in the mirror first and never asked something of somebody else that I don’t do myself, ” Bueckers said.

“So, I hold myself to the highest standard. I’m really my toughest critic. So, to be able to know that and hold high, I hold my standard, that’s how I want to be in Dallas Wings. That’s how we want to hold each other accountable, like if I’m telling somebody to box out and not give up on a defensive rebound, I expect my teammates to get on me about giving that up,” she added.

Being one of the most dependable players on the lineup for the Wings, it’s quite certain that Bueckers’ responsibility matters immensely for the team. She doesn’t just command in the perimeter for her team; she also uses her voice to build the team’s tempo, along with other senior players, such as Arike Ogunbowale and Alanna Smith.

So, when such a top player is ready to take the thrashing from her teammates for an error on the court, or even take subtle accountability for her mistakes as well, it sends forth a message to the other teammates as well. Furthermore, it gives every player in the locker room, including the senior players to step up and take accountability for their performances as well.

And subsequently, it creates a culture that is deemed fit for a Championship-winning team. The Wings guard echoed a similar sentiment last month as well when she opened up about a certain transition in her personality in the last few years.

“I’ve always been a person who wants to please everyone. Make sure everybody’s happy, this, that, and the third, but I think learning how to hold people accountable while also holding myself accountable, taking responsibility for the team,” she had said.

Now, it’s not something that Bueckers has developed overnight. It stems from the collegiate seasons she spent at Storrs when she forged herself into a dependable leader on the court for Geno Auriemma’s UConn. So, setting a standard for her other teammates is something that she has done ever since those days, and the upcoming season won’t be any different for her.

From a broader perspective, this is something the Dallas Wings will need from her in the coming season, especially after a dismal 10-34 season last year, where Bueckers was one of their only silver linings and concluded the season as the team’s leading scorer (19.2 ppg). And thus, Bueckers’ responsibility is not only from a locker room perspective, but also from an on-court perspective.

Paige Bueckers Opens Up on Taking Responsibility for Dallas Wings’ Defense for 2026 WNBA Season

Last season, one of the Dallas Wings’ major challenges was their defense. The Wings never really cracked that element on the court, and ended up giving over 38% from beyond the arc across the season and nearly 46% from the field. Furthermore, they also had one of the worst defensive ratings in the season (109.9), summing up their struggles perfectly.

This is where Paige Bueckers will need to draw on her skill set and really focus on the leadership element she spoke about. Speaking at her latest press conference, Bueckers oozed confidence in her ability to fit into that role, while noting that her Unrivaled stint with Breeze BC in the offseason will complement her in this regard.

“I think it started in Unrivaled, having to guard in isolation,” Bueckers said. “Three on three, you’re never not in a play, never not guarding, and never resting on defense, and never not compartmentalising your energy. It’s just all out…So I know that I have to set the tone, and we have to set the tone as a team. That defense comes first and that’s our mentality here.”

Bueckers won’t be the sole contributor, though, as the Wings have made some valuable additions. Alanna Smith, co-defensive player of the year last year, has been roped in by the Wings. On the other hand, their No. 1 draft pick, Azzi Fudd, is quite a substantial perimeter defender. They can help Paige Bueckers solve the defensive flaws in the season.

According to reports, Smith hasn’t joined the Wings’ training camp yet. So, with their first preseason game set for April 30 against the Indiana Fever, it will be Bueckers who will have to shoulder most of the responsibility against the Fever’s Big Three- Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston.