Kaila did what no one else in the league had managed so far — she ended Paige’s 30-game double-digit scoring streak. “We matched [Kaila Charles] up with her cause Paige just had a 44-point game, we all watched it, we all saw her!” said coach Natalie Nakase. “She is an elite scorer in this league, rookie or no rookie, that’s impressive what she’s been doing.” Call it fate or call it luck, but the Valkyries now have two players who’ve managed to stop Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.

Kaila was left without a WNBA team after Dallas decided she wasn’t good enough to keep on their roster — not once, but twice. But their loss turned out to be Golden State’s gain. The Valkyries picked her up right after the All-Star break when Kayla Thornton was ruled out for the season. After three hardship contracts and now an end-of-season deal, Charles finally delivered her best performance of the year against her former team this Sunday.

She locked up her former teammate and Rookie of the Year candidate Paige Bueckers, holding her scoreless in the first half and eventually limiting her to just 9 points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field. In doing so, Charles matched her career-high of 16 points in a 90-81 win over the Wings. Well, welcome to the Caitlin Clark treatment, Paige! (More on that later). This is what happens when you become the first player in league history to drop 40+ points while shooting at least 80% from the field. All eyes turn towards you. Charles’ teammate, Veronica Burton, was quick to praise her resilience, highlighting how Charles bounced back after being waived to make such a strong impact.

Speaking in the post-game conference, Burton said, “I think some people may limit or not understand the challenge that can come from being cut. Her ability to come in and effect everything, not just offensively and defensively, but who she is as a person. It’s a major testament to come in back to the team that waived you this season and play 35 minutes and impact the game. That is a big testament to who she is as a player but also a person.”

If there’s one player who knows what it’s like to be waived by the Dallas Wings and rise like a phoenix, it’s Veronica Burton. Drafted 7th overall by the Wings in 2022, she was cut at the start of the 2024 season. But Burton, who posted the second-best defensive rating among all WNBA players averaging 10+ minutes in 30+ games last year, didn’t stay down for long. In the playoffs, she was tasked with guarding Caitlin Clark (who had posted 24+ in 5 of 8 games in September, including a 35-point monster performance) and delivered a flawless performance. She restricted Caitlin to 25 points on 10-23 shooting from the field. This helped the Sun clinch the game and, ultimately, the series 2-0.

Burton, who owns the record for the most 10-assist, 0-turnover games in a WNBA season, was unstoppable once again. She dropped 25 points, dished out 13 assists, and added 4 blocks, proving she can dominate on both ends of the floor. For the shorthanded Valkyries, this win couldn’t have come at a better time. It not only snapped their three-game losing streak but also kept them right in the mix for the final playoff spot. That said, Paige Bueckers has struggled to perform since her historic performance against the Sparks.

Reasons behind Paige Bueckers’ struggles

It’s been quite a struggle for the Dallas Wings guard since she-

• Recorded the most points by a first-year player in a single game
• Broke the record for most points in a game by a rookie in franchise history
• Became the first player in league history to drop 40+ points while shooting at least 80% from the field
• Tied franchise record for most FGM in a game
• Moved to No. 1 in franchise history for most 10+ point games in a rookie season
• Tied Arike Ogunbowale for No. 2 in franchise history for most 35+ point games in a rookie season
• Recorded the most points in a game by a player this season

While she has already shown that she can adapt to circumstances, like when she dished out nine assists against Golden State, coach Koclanes said, “Other people around just have to step up and make some shots, too,” when she is having a bad game. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case this season. Still, the Wings front office knows what needs to be done to get better, and that gives Paige a solid reason to stay optimistic moving forward.