“Everyone on that roster can contribute. That’s our competitive depth, and everyone is going to continue to buy into that.” That’s how head coach Chris Koclanes described the Dallas Wings locker room. Their unexpected 98-89 victory against the Phoenix Mercury on July 3 was led by Paige Bueckers and the entire rookie brigade. But just a few days in, and the Mercury gave a bitter 102-72 reality check to the Wings. And to make matters worse, Bueckers was at the center of the chaos.

The overall No. 1 pick collided against Mercury’s center player, Kalani Brown, during the first quarter. Bueckers was about to drive the ball to the basket when she took a hit to the head. This collision came as a huge blow to the roster; it adversely impacted the Rookie of the Month’s performance. As a result, the Wings player finished the game with just 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. Moreover, she even contributed three turnovers to the team’s loss.

Despite an underwhelming performance against the second-ranked team in the Western Conference division, head coach Chris Koclanes could not find fault with the players. On being asked about the rookie phenom’s impact on the team, Koclanes did not hold back. “Paige has been great as well,” he said in a post-game conference. “Continuing to get more and more comfortable playing on the ball now off the ball with JJ.”

The HC highlighted Bueckers’ growing influence in the locker room. Despite being a point guard, Bueckers is a versatile player who can easily adapt to various roles. She stepped up to lead the Wings in the absence of key players, including Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, and Maddy Seigrist. Also, Bueckers can comfortably act as a primary ball handler and also as a helping hand to the team by moving posts to accommodate passes, reading defences, shooting, or creating ample opportunities in the paint.

She teamed up with fellow rookie JJ Quinerly to bolster the team towards victory. Though the Wings had a promising first half, Bueckers fell short as she failed to score even one basket in the third quarter. On the other hand, Quinerly made 18 points as Aziah James added 15 points against opponents. Meanwhile, Sami Whitcomb’s 36 points as Alyssa Thomas added additional 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists to Mercury’s roster.

This statement comes shortly after the Wings’ 14th loss this season. Now, while the HC’s comment solidified Bueckers’ growing maturity and leadership abilities in the pros, the rookie’s remarkable run in the league has been turning heads. Her 35-point comeback after being sidelined under a concussion protocol pulled the stops on lingering doubts against the player and her team. Besides, she averaged a whopping 21.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game last month. No wonder she was crowned with the ROTM honors for June 2025.

Paige Bueckers adds another feather in her hat

As the overall No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, Paige Bueckers has created a stir ever since she entered the league. Her consistency and hunger to prove her worth among the pros lands her with a historic achievement each time she steps on the hardwood. Needless to say, in the 15 games that she has played so far, Bueckers managed to average 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists so far. She joined Indiana Fever player, Caitlin Clark as the only players to average 15+ points and 5+ assists across their first 15 games.

Moreover, her growing popularity in the pros even prompted the Dallas Wings to shift their August 01 matchup against the Indiana Wings to the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks arena. While the two powerhouses of women’s basketball failed to face each other when the franchises collided on June 27, fans expect to watch Bueckers and Clark face each other for the first time in the pros.

The Wings’ first game of the season against the Fever was also held in the NBA arena, and drew nearly 20,409 spectators for the historic showdown. And as a result, it became the league’s eighth regular season game in history to average more than 20,000 spectators.

Now as the Wings proceed with an incomplete roster towards the game against the Chicago Sky, can Bueckers & Co. leave this brutal loss behind and start a new winning streak? As the playoffs inch closer with each passing game, things look bleak for HC Chris Koclanes and the Dallas Wings, who have already occupied one of the last spots in the league’s standings. Thoughts?