“She is Rookie of the Year. There’s no question.” That’s how confident Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes is regarding Paige Bueckers. Although the rebuilding roster struggled at every juncture this season, Bueckers’ consistency and grit kept the Wings on their toes. She took every fall personally and clawed back gracefully. With drastically improved offenses and dominating gameplay, Bueckers made history on more than one occasion. After becoming the fastest player to reach 500+ points and 100+ assists, the rookie added 44 points in one game. But these are not the only instances that qualify her as a perfect ROTY contender. When it comes to her, the Sky’s the limit.

The Dallas Wings may have waved goodbye to playoff hopes, but that doesn’t mean they’re clocking out early. Right now, it’s all about proving their rebuild isn’t just duct tape and wishful thinking. And no one, especially Paige Bueckers, is treating these games like glorified scrimmages. Sure, she finally snapped her season-long streak of double-digit scoring, finishing with just 9 points in 34 minutes, but she balanced it out with 9 assists. And let’s just say 3-of-12 from the field won’t be framed and hung in the Bueckers Hall of Fame. But if you thought that was enough to dampen the mood courtside, you clearly forgot Jason Kidd was in the building. He wasn’t there for perfection; he was there to see the future, and Paige still passed that test.

The Dallas Mavericks HC sat on the courtside bench, soaking in the women’s game in Arlington, Texas. While he reveled in the game, a reporter engaged in a conversation with the former Hall of Famer. Being asked about getting two no.1 draft picks in Dallas, in Paige Bueckers and now Cooper Flagg, a proud Kidd said, “The basketball Gods were great to us. So, when talking about two No.1’s, Paige and Cooper, there’s this understanding that we have that the future’s bright, of Basketball here in Dallas, and we’re so excited to have two- Cooper and Paige in Dallas.”

Now, that is big coming from Kidd, who isn’t just a former player, but a benchmark for what a floor general should be like. Drafted in 1994 by the Mavs, he himself shared RoTY honors with Grant Hill and led the league in triple-doubles in his first year. Being at the top of the assists list in the NBA five times, he retired with 12,091 assists (2nd all-time). So, as a point guard himself, Kidd could not escape one question. When asked, “As a point guard legend to other point guard, what advice will you give Paige not on the court but off the court as well?” Kidd chalked out a well-framed yet brief advice for the Wings rookie.

“Well, always keep learning. I’m here watching them learning. I think we can always learn from each other,” Kidd said. “She’s one of the best in the world. She’s a rookie. She has shown that she can play on a higher level. And here at Dallas, we’re about championships.” Well, yes, that’s how you establish expectations that do not translate to pressure. And we know Bueckers, who has always transitioned according to the team’s requirements, takes it seriously as well. The rookie even stepped into the shoes of a leader in the pros, dictating plays from across the hardwood. But before the team could step on the hardwood today, they had to watch a player leave. Again.

Insider has a shocking detail regarding the Wings’ roster

In the recent wake of events, another player joined Li Yueru and Tyasha Harris on the sidelines. Before stepping on the court, the official Dallas Wings’ account broke the news on social media. They shared a poster of the athlete on social media with a caption that read, “Dallas Wings guard JJ Quinerly will miss the remainder of the 2025 season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain in her left knee. Quinerly sustained the injury in the Los Angeles Sparks game on Aug. 20. Quinerly is expected to make a full recovery. Additional updates will be provided when appropriate.”

As injuries deplete the Wings’ roster, insider Grand Afseth had another shocking revelation for fans. He took to X and tweeted, “The Dallas Wings’ injury toll is staggering: by season’s end, 8 of 12 opening-night players will have missed 7+ games. Including midseason addition Li Yueru, that number rises to 9. Not one Wings player has appeared in every game this season.” But there is another question regarding a veteran lingering now.

It’s simple. Should the Wings shut down Arike Ogunbowale for the rest of the season? Ogunbowale is out indefinitely with tendinitis in her knee and is supposed to be reevaluated soon. But now that the team is out of contention, it does not seem like a great decision to have her back. The same could be said for Paige Bueckers, who’s been managing that familiar knee soreness. But Dallas probably isn’t pulling her off the court anytime soon. Records don’t chase themselves, and besides, the Wings still need a live test lab to figure out who actually clicks with their young superstar.

In the meantime, expect another cameo from someone on a 7-day hardship deal. Amy Okonkwo already had her guest appearance earlier this week, and the Wings might hand out another short-term contract like it’s a party favor. As for the rest of the season? With the worst record in the league, the team is firmly in “race to the bottom” mode, duking it out with the Connecticut Sun and the Chicago Sky. If the Wings get the 2026 No.1 pick, we could finally see a real push from them in the next season.