“The goal for us is still to win.” When Dallas Wings GM Curt Miller set the tone for 2025, it wasn’t just a rallying cry; it was an attempt to erase the scars of a disastrous 2024 season. The franchise reshaped itself around the best student of the NCAA, Paige Bueckers, whose rookie brilliance lit up the league. Her poise and efficiency drew immediate comparisons to 2024 ROTY Caitlin Clark, who set new standards for freshman impact last season. After all, Clark rewrote the WNBA metrics by propelling her team into playoff contention. But despite her meteoric rise, Clark failed to match Candace Parker’s one-of-one feat of winning both Rookie of the Year and MVP in 2008. But enter Paige Bueckers. And suddenly, the impossible felt within reach again.

Averaging 19.7 points, 5.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals across 31 games, Paige Bueckers broke rookie records, delivered a jaw-dropping 44-point performance, and earned All-Star starter honors in her debut year. Statistically, her efficiency even outpaced Clark’s rookie year. Bueckers shot from over 48% from the field and ranked fifth among league leaders in scoring. It was everything the league hoped for, except that the Wings collapsed around Bueckers. The team spiraled with inconsistent rotations, mounting injuries, and a fractured identity. Dallas ended the year with one of the league’s worst records, overshadowing Bueckers’ generational run. No wonder some analysts believe she was denied a fair chance at recreating history.

On the latest episode of WNBA On NBC podcast, co-hosts Natalie Esquire and Terrika Foster-Brasby shed light on Bueckers’ remarkable rookie run. “Paige Beckers has led the way and set the standard on what it means to be different as a rookie in this league this year, right?” Terrika said. “Like, had Dallas been a bit better, I can imagine that had situations been a little bit different, she might have been maybe the closest that I could see to pulling off a Candace Parker. Maybe the closest that I’ve seen to pulling it off.”

That comparison alone reveals the scale of Bueckers’ dominance. In 2008, Candace Parker pulled off the impossible. She grabbed both Rookie of the Year and MVP titles, a feat that was untouched for 17 long years. Not even Caitlin Clark, with all her historic rookie numbers, could chase that double crown. And while Bueckers flashed potential, Dallas Wings’ repetitive failures robbed her of the ultimate honor. But being compared to Parker is an honor in itself.

“Ain’t nobody going to do it because Candace is going to be Candace. And ain’t nobody going to do what Candace is doing,” Terrika clarified. “But she has been dropping 44 points in a game- is beyond bonkers. And she continues to do and I can only imagine she’s going to get better.” And boy is she right! That “bonkers” night against Los Angeles Sparks showed how close she was to history.

Bueckers’ 44-point explosion eclipsed Parker’s rookie career-high of 40 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 assists against Houston Comets in 2008. But the cruel twist was that Bueckers’ performance ended in defeat, eliminating Dallas from playoff contention and, with it, crushed her MVP hopes. While Clark revived the Indiana Fever through her relentless efforts, Paige Bueckers’ efforts failed to largely affect the Dallas roster. And while she continues to remain a steady choice for the upcoming Rookie of the Year title, the 17-year wait to see another Candace Parker moment continues. Not because Bueckers wasn’t ready, but only because the Dallas Wings wasn’t ready as a team.

League insiders have also noted that the WNBA’s compressed 40-game schedule magnifies roster weaknesses. With no time for Dallas to integrate midseason signings, Bueckers’ historic highs were undermined by a lack of depth. This has fueled speculation that the Wings may pursue a major free-agent signing this offseason to maximize her window.

ESPN clears the Clark-Bueckers debate

While fans have constantly been comparing Paige Bueckers with her Indiana Fever counterpart, Caitlin Clark all season, ESPN cleared their stance on the debate. Sharing a “25 under 25” list comprising WNBA’s best players this season, ESPN ranked Caitlin Clark as the forerunner of the league.

While it is important to note that Clark was ranked the highest despite missing out on 16 straight games so far, Michael Voepel explained why she deserves the spot. “She stretches the floor with her shooting range, pushes the pace, and picks defenses apart with her passing,” Voepel said. “The 23-year-old brings an unmatched excitement factor every time she’s on court, and her confidence spreads to the whole team.”

Besides, the sports company did not shy away from ranking Paige Bueckers above the league veterans. Ranked 2 in the list,  Bueckers apparently “has largely lived up to the hype,” according to Alexa Phillipou and exceeded high expectations associated with the athlete. Moreover, her 44-point explosion was a cherry on the cake.

“Bueckers’ efficiency has mostly carried over from UConn, with her 46.6% field goal shooting the best of any guard averaging at least 16 points in the league. She has shown the midrange game still has a place in modern basketball, even in 2025,” Phillipou further stated. “Her crowning achievement came last week when she became the first player to drop 40-plus points in a game on 80% efficiency.”

But while Bueckers averaged 19.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds this season and is a strong rookie contender, her statistics fall behind the reigning rookie’s, who clinched 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds last year. While the debate is never-ending, the ESPN ranked another Indiana Fever player, Aliyah Boston at third place, who was closely followed by yet another rookie in Dominique Malonga in fourth place.

Surprisingly, Angel Reese ranks fifth on the list. But having shared the list ahead of the final award announcement, even ESPN confessed, “Ranking these young players required making some hard calls, particularly at the top, where Boston, Bueckers and Clark have all shown MVP potential.” With Bueckers’ eliminated from the playoffs race, it will be exciting to see which teams settle into the top 8