“I really, really like Paige—her family, the way she plays. She’s just a great person and player,” that’s the welcome message Paige Bueckers got from the Lynx superstar, Napheesa Collier. It’s high praise coming from last season’s MVP. But apparently, just halfway through the season, Collier seems to be revisiting her words about Paige.

No, not the part where she calls Bueckers a great player—that still stands. Earlier this season, Collier said of Paige: “Mid-range is probably the hardest to master, and she’s really good in the mid-range. But especially as a point guard, being able to score at all levels—and then her vision is really impressive, especially for someone who hasn’t played professionally yet.” Collier was bang on with her analysis, as Bueckers has put up an impressive 19.1% from 2-point mid-range shots and is averaging 18.1 points per game. Despite this, Collier seems to have shifted her preference.

Speaking after the Lynx demolished the Las Vegas Aces, Collier couldn’t help but praise her teammate, Courtney Williams, after the latter dropped an impressive 23 points. “Courtney’s the best in the game at shooting mid-range. And so every single time she comes off that, I have confidence that she’s going to make the right read and she shoots,” she said. “It’s going in. She’s going to drop a dime.” This was evident in the game against the Aces, where Williams shot an impressive 10-for-12 from the field, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

Not just against the Aces, Williams has been imperious from the mid-range throughout this season. She has shot 38.4% from the mid-range across 26 games this season, much better than Bueckers in terms of raw shooting percentage. For additional context, career-high mid-range efficiency came in 2016 when she hit 66.7%, and even last season she shot 57.5% across 40 games. So, Collier was right (again) for shifting her allegiances to Williams. Or was she?

Here’s the thing—Paige Bueckers currently leads the league in mid-range field goals made per game, with 2.7 makes on 46.9% shooting from that area. That accounts for just over 40% of her total made field goals, establishing her as a true “pull-up maestro” from the elbow or off handoffs/screens. She ranks in the 99th percentile league-wide in both attempts and makes. Jeez!

So, in total, PB has made 41 mid-range buckets—25 from 10–15 feet and 16 from 15–19 feet—surpassing Williams’ 31 makes. As the Wings’ lead guard, Bueckers’ ability to pull up off screens or handoffs makes her a cornerstone of Dallas’ offensive scheme. Her mid-range threat commands defensive respect, which opens up passing lanes and creates driving opportunities.

On the other side, Williams ranks second in the league in mid-range field goals made per game—2.5 per game on 38.9% shooting. Though less efficient than Bueckers, her high volume shows her central role in the Lynx offense. A proven veteran and two-time All-Star, Williams uses her mid-range prowess to control tempo and momentum for Minnesota. In that 109–78 blowout win over Vegas, she scored 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting and led the team with five assists, reinforcing her two-way impact. So while Phee may have shifted her praise from Bueckers to Williams, don’t count out the Dallas Wings sensation just yet!

Paige Bueckers has a long way to go!

Even as the Wings struggle to find their footing at 7–18, Bueckers has been steadily ascending. In a recent loss to the Valkyries, she still shined, scoring 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting, dishing six assists, and grabbing four steals. And her performance didn’t go unnoticed. Why would it? With that outing, Paige became the fastest rookie in WNBA history to record at least 350 points and 100 assists.

And that’s not her only record. She now holds the record for the second-most games by a rookie with at least 15 points and five assists. This is the same player who led UConn to a national championship earlier this year, collecting accolades like the John R. Wooden Award along the way.

Yes, the Wings are rebuilding. But what they have in Paige Bueckers is a generational talent—someone who doesn’t just light up the box score but breathes new life into a franchise long stuck in neutral. She’s not just rising. She’s inevitable. So now the real question is—who’s really better?

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