Whether you support the Dallas Wings or not, it was heartbreaking to watch Paige Bueckers break down during the postgame presser after losing the series-decider against the Golden State Valkyries. This was the Wings star’s first playoff appearance, and the team’s first since 2023, and it seemed Bueckers took on a lot of the blame.
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While the 2025 Rookie of the Year was struggling with self-doubt in the face of the Valkyries comeback win, head coach Jose Fernandez supported her during the post-game press conference, going as far as to say they couldn’t have come this far without her.
“Paige is taking it hard because she carries that load, and she’s a winner. It’s why she’s one of the best players in the world. This series should not have any [influence] on the type of year that she had for us.”
“We don’t get to this point without Paige. She takes a lot of ownership and a heavy load. And the great ones do,” Fernandez told reporters in the postgame interview.
The Wings missed last season’s playoffs and had the worst record (10-34) in the WNBA. They pulled off arguably the biggest turnaround in WNBA history. They won 27 games this season, the most in franchise history. They also qualified for the playoffs for the first time in three years, and Bueckers led her team from the front.
She led her team in both points and assists. In 42 appearances, Bueckers averaged 20.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. She shot 51.2% from the field and 41.0% from the 3-point line. However, during the Wings’ first-round series against the Valkyries, Bueckers struggled on the scoring end.
In three games, she averaged 16.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Bueckers shot 40.5% from the field, including 40.0% from the 3-point line. However, her overall shooting percentage reached this mark because she shot 90% from the field in Game 1.
Bueckers was perhaps upset about how she performed in the last two games, especially Game 3. In Game 2, she scored just 10 points while shooting 23.1% from the field and 25.0% from the 3-point line. But the Wings managed to win the game in overtime, securing a chance to lead the series.
It seemed like the Wings would move to the next round after they took a 16-point lead in the third quarter. But the Valkyries went on a 20-0 run to take the lead and lost the game 77-73. Bueckers’ struggles were worse than in Game 2. She scored 17 points while shooting 21.4% from the field.
It’s hard for a player of her caliber to block the thought that had she played better, the Wings would have been in the semifinals. But Bueckers has only received love from her teammates.
“She willed us throughout the whole season,” Arike Ogunbowale said postgame. “Should be first-team All-WNBA. If not, I feel like that s—’s rigged because she’s done everything for this team.”
It is unlikely that Paige Bueckers would make the All-WNBA first-team list ahead of players like A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, Olivia Miles, Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Mitchell. Nonetheless, her inclusion won’t be too odd. She was part of the AP All-WNBA second team.
This was Bueckers’ first playoff appearance in the WNBA. Her struggles were not expected, but shouldn’t be a big shocker. Where transitioning to WNBA basketball from college is already hard, playoff basketball raises the bar even higher. Olivia Miles and even Caitlin Clark struggled in their first postseason appearance.
It’s not an excuse, but part of a transition for most of the players. Next season, if the Wings make it to the playoffs, we might see a playoff version of Paige Bueckers.