After the Dallas Wings’ 24th loss of the season, Paige Bueckers didn’t talk stats; she talked faith. “I feel like on the other side of a hard time is a really big blessing….It’s easy to believe in God and think all things are well when you’re coming off a national championship, winning games, and holding a winning record. But how are you, and how is your character, when you have a losing record? To remain the same and steadfast in your faith is something that I try to embody,” she said, and what more can the number one pick of the draft really do? After all, she’s been rewriting the history books night after night without any tangible results. Still, she had one clear demand for the locker room as they head into the final month of what’s likely the end of her rookie season.

Paige and the Wings suffered a 13-point loss to the Mystics. It was another game they should have won in an ideal world, especially after leading by as many as 14 and heading into halftime with a comfortable 11-point cushion. And you can’t pin this one on Paige either. She put up 17 points on 55% shooting, one of only two Wings players to have an efficient night alongside JJ Quinerly, who dropped 9 points in just 8 minutes on a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.

And that’s not the only thing Paige did tonight. According to Polymarket hoops, Paige ended up becoming the fastest rookie in WNBA history to get to 450+ points, 100+ assists, and 100+ rebounds. She needed just 25 games to achieve this record, which is 2 fewer than what Caitlin Clark needed, as per Across the Timeline. Cynthia Cooper is the only one to achieve this feat quicker than both of them, but she did that at the age of 34 during the inaugural season of the W.

Despite all these record-breaking events, Paige hasn’t had the opportunity to succeed in the W. The previous No.1 pick, Clark, managed to get the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 in her rookie year, but Paige doesn’t have players like Boston and Mitchell beside her. Sure, an argument can be made about Arike Ogunbowale, but that is a discussion to be had later. For now, Paige has made her feelings clear as they head into the final month of the regular season.

Speaking in the post-game conference, Paige made a clear demand while addressing the result: “I think we just got to come out with more intensity about us, um, and don’t take our foot off the gas. Play an entire 40 minutes.” As mentioned above, the Wings went into halftime holding an 11-point lead, which was gone in the third quarter after the Mystics rallied to score 33 points in the period. And this wasn’t the only time they struggled after the break. Back on July 25, they also blew a 12-point lead against the Valkyries in the second half.

Coach Koclanes had set “urgency” as the motto for the second half of the season, but the Wings haven’t lived up to it. Sitting at 8-24 with just a month of regular season left, hope for a playoff spot is fading fast among fans. But Paige? She’s got a strong message for her Dallas teammates as they head into the final stretch of the regular season.

When asked about how the Wings can improve to end the season on a high, Paige said, “I mean, there’s only so much we can talk about. I think we’ve had these conversations almost after every game. So, right now it’s all about action. And I think that is a place I can be better at in setting this film.”

Paige clearly isn’t a fan of losing. She has already dropped 24 games this season, and for someone coming off a championship run with UConn, winning had become second nature. Naturally, she wants to win, and so do Dallas fans. The big question now is: Can Paige rally her teammates for a strong finish to the season?

Theoretically, the Wings aren’t out of the playoff race yet. But after trading key players like NaLyssa Smith and DiJonai Carrington for draft picks, and bringing in talents like Diamond Miller, it’s clear they’re also focused on building for the future. It will be interesting to see where the Wings go from here. Paige was also asked about the expectations fans have had this season and how she manages the pressure. Here’s what she had to say.

Paige Bueckers on managing fan expectations

Landing the first pick in the draft is exciting on its own, but when that pick is a generational star like Paige Bueckers, the hype reaches a whole new level. Wings fans couldn’t contain their excitement when Paige officially joined the team. With her on board, expectations skyrocketed. But the case with rebuilding teams is that they don’t normally get instant results. The Dallas Wings are no different.

Before heading into the season with the Wings, Paige made it very clear that she knew she wasn’t going to win games on a daily basis with this team, and she was ready to adjust accordingly. So when asked how she handles the high fan expectations in the post-game conference, her answer was simple and honest: “Basically by not paying attention to any other expectations that people put on me… Just try to be the best version of myself I can be for my team every single day.”

Paige might be matching Caitlin Clark stride for stride when it comes to talent, and the records she’s breaking almost daily prove it. But her inability to steer the Wings toward a playoff berth this season will be scrutinized heavily. Sure, there’s a valid debate about the many challenges Dallas has faced, but most fans won’t see past the win-loss column. With a month of basketball still to play, there’s still time to turn things around—if the Wings can rally behind Paige’s call to action. The question is, can they pull it off?