Paige Bueckers might be on her way to being one of the best rookies in the WNBA. But the thing is that outstanding phenoms and No.1 picks like Bueckers often experience a lot of external pressure and expectations from fans and critics alike. She left UConn as arguably its greatest player of all time and immediately plunged into the uncertain waters of the WNBA. “I’ve always looked at pressure as a privilege,” Bueckers once said, and she is currently using that pressure to mold herself into a diamond.

She is scoring and assisting at an elite rate with 18.4 points and 5.8 assists per game while leading the charge to a turnaround from their disappointing start. Bueckers missed the Washington Mystics game with discomfort in her knee, and at the same time, she was selected as a starter in the WNBA All-Star team. Further, she is the only member of the 2025 rookie class to be named a WNBA starter. Following this news, the expectations have further gone to another level, but the guard seems to be in her zone. 

Paige Bueckers told the media, “No, I don’t live to anybody else’s expectations or what I’m supposed to look like. I just go out there and play every single game and every single possession as it is. Um, and the results may vary. Um, so whatever that looks like on any given night, you live with the results.”

This reflects the mindset Bueckers has carried throughout her career. She’s always been focused on her own journey, tuning out outside noise. Even when comparisons to Caitlin Clark began to surface, she dismissed them, saying, “Comparisons are just media-driven, narrative-driven.” While she admitted that these comparisons used to bother her, she has since turned her focus inward, committing to constant growth and improvement in her game.

At six feet tall, she’s considered slightly undersized for the league’s intense and physical play style. This has drawn concern from both fans and analysts, despite her consistently strong performances. Similar concerns were raised during Caitlin Clark’s rookie season, and Clark responded by improving her strength and physicality in her second year. Bueckers faces a similar learning curve but has already shown the poise and adaptability needed to adjust.

Another lingering issue for Bueckers is her knee health. In a recent interview, she revealed that she has dealt with patellar tendinitis since high school, a condition that continues to affect her. Despite this, she has managed her body carefully and continued to deliver high-level performances on the court. After all, she became the fastest player ever to reach 200+ points, 50+ rebounds, and 50+ assists, achieving the milestone in just 11 games.

But behind all the milestones lies crucial support from her peers as well as her competitors. The 23-year-old added, “Um, it means a lot. Um, just because we all know what it takes to get to this point and how hard it is to maintain a level of excellence. Um, and it’s just it’s tough to be in this league and compete against the best competition in the world every single night. So, for you to have everybody around you respect, uh, it means a lot.”

In the All-Star voting, Paige Bueckers led all guards and achieved strong results across the board, finishing second among fans, fifth among media, and fourth among players. Her weighted score of 3.25 was the best in the league. So, it’s not exactly a surprise that she has drawn praise from established veterans across the WNBA.

Before the season started, Diana Taurasi publicly endorsed Bueckers and identified her as a future great in the league. Ahead of her WNBA debut, Napheesa Collier sent her a message of support and jokingly asked her to take it easy on the Minnesota Lynx, showing the blend of admiration and friendly competition that Bueckers inspires.

Paige Bueckers’ All-Star calling shows she can thrive in chaos

It’s no question that Bueckers’ All-Star selection is well deserved. She’s averaging 18.4 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game so far in Dallas. This makes her the team leader in all three categories, as well as minutes played, clocking in 35.2 minutes per contest. League-wide, she is top 15 in all three categories. Bueckers has repeatedly delivered memorable performances, almost single-handedly leading the team to victories. She has been the most consistent performer for the Wings throughout the season. While many might see this as the natural expectation from Bueckers, it was not the case.

No.1 picks making the All-Star game have been common in the past two years, with Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston both earning all-star spots in their rookie campaigns. Their situations were very different. The Indiana Fever had a relatively settled squad compared to the Wings this season. They decided to start the Paige Bueckers era with a clean slate, including a new coach, a new manager, and just three returning players from their 2024 season.

With this level of rebuilding, the Dallas Wings knew Bueckers might take some time to find her rhythm. It was a new system, with new ideas both behind the scenes and on the court. Coach Chris Koclanes is also a first-time head coach, which was evident in their 1- 9 start. Despite a new team and increasing losses, Bueckers persisted. 

In fact, her career-high performance came shortly after returning from a concussion and illness. Bueckers erupted for 35 points, along with 4 assists and 6 rebounds, shooting an impressive 68 percent from the field. She was especially dominant from beyond the arc, knocking down five of her seven three-point attempts.

From carrying the weight of expectations to leading a rebuilding franchise with poise, she has not only embraced the challenges around her but also turned them into opportunities. If this is only the beginning, the WNBA may be witnessing the emergence of its next truly elite star.