In the WNBA, an award bearing Tamika Catchings’ name signifies more than on-court success; it’s a testament to character. For Paige Bueckers, it’s the official stamp on a leadership era that has been building since day one.

Bueckers was honored with the 2025 Tamika Catchings Honor for her collective performance on the court and for maintaining a substantial and professional code of conduct in front of the media. Her pro team, the Dallas Wings, shared this exciting news on X. Several top players, such as Napheesa Collier, have won this award in recent years.

“Paige Bueckers is the winner of the third annual 2025 PBWA Tamika Catchings Award,” the caption of the post read. “The award honors the WNBA player who best combines high-level on-court performance with professionalism, cooperation, and dignity in dealing with the media and the public.”

When Bueckers’ entire 2025 season is considered, her eligibility for this PBWA award quickly makes sense. For the performance, there’s not an ounce of doubt. In her debut pro season for Wings, Bueckers dominated the show, becoming the fastest player to 200 points, 50 points, and 50 rebounds. This all-around performance also contributed to her WNBA Rookie of the Year and All-Star honors.

One major point amid these performances was that Bueckers did so with composure. Be it on the court, dealing with pressure situations, or handling press conferences after tough losses like a leader outside the court, the Dallas Wings guard has never missed a beat. Additionally, she has not put herself or her team in uncomfortable situations in front of the media without outbursts and has even faced tough questions with grace.

The 24-year-old explained why she looks up to the media in such a gracious fashion, and as it turns out, it has nothing to do with her brand value. “Thank you first of all, very grateful,” Bueckers said of winning the Tamika Catchings Award. “I know how much the media does for the game of basketball and how much it pushes the narratives and gets us out there nationally and globally. So, I really appreciate it as much as players sometimes don’t want to do it, after win or loss. It’s a part of basketball, and it’s part of growing the game.”

Notably, Paige Bueckers now has two awards carrying Tamika Catchings’ name in her trophy cabinet. The first came back in 2021, when she shared the Tamika Catchings Award with Caitlin Clark after a sensational freshman season in college. Years later, Bueckers picked up another Catchings-named honor from the Professional Basketball Writers Association, this time recognizing her impact and professionalism early in her WNBA journey; a sign of just how far she’s come since those breakout college days.

And her prowess was also on display in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifiers game against Senegal on Wednesday.

Paige Bueckers Unfazed by the Enormity of the National Stage in Debut Appearance for Team USA

Going into the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifiers, there were very few who faced as many challenges as Bueckers. After all, making a quick shift from 3-on-3 basketball ahead of her first senior national is never easy. But as reality set in, the national debut game was just another regular day at the office for Bueckers.

The Dallas Wings guard logged just 14 minutes in the game. She helped her team with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in these given minutes, showcasing again why she is one of the best point guards in the country. Bueckers mainly played second fiddle to Caitlin Clark (17 points) and Rhyne Howard (21 points) as Team USA annihilated Senegal 110-46.

Following the game, Paige Bueckers gave a brief on the adjustments she has had to make to transition from the pro circuit to the national stage. “I think just the physicality and the pace,” Bueckers said. “And also, there’s not too many TV timeouts here, so we have to be in really good shape getting up and down the floor, sprinting. We pick up and play defense, we play full court. And we just play a really fast-paced, really physical game.”

At times, Bueckers linked in pretty well with her backcourt counterpart, CC. Both of them moved the ball around the court with ease, without giving it away too often. These offensive outputs from these players were immensely important, given that the third debutant in the game, Angel Reese, fit into a more defensive and rebounding role.

All in all, Team USA, along with Paige Bueckers, has done pretty well to bond ahead of the remaining qualifiers. And subsequently also clinched a 91-48 win over host Puerto Rico on Thursday night where Bueckers impressed again with 16 points to her name. The team’s next assignment is on March 14 against Italy. The game is set to tip off at 5 p.m. ET. What are your expectations from Bueckers and Team USA in this game? Do let us know in the comments.