WNBA Owner Pushes Paige Bueckers’ ROTY Case in Clear Caitlin Clark Statement

It is showering endorsements from all sides for Paige Bueckers. Right from head coach Chris Koclanes crowning her an undisputed ROY, the likes of Rebecca Lobo and Candace Parker have nearly shut the talks on the race. That 44-point performance against the Sparks even had Kelsey Plum admitting, “She was the best player on the court tonight.” So any threats Sonia Citron and Kiki Irifen had posed up until then seemed to dim just a little more. But if you ask the Seattle Storm minority owner, Sue Bird, it isn’t just the stats setting her apart.

Paige Bueckers’ Rookie of the Year case faltered a tiny bit when Iriafen took away the Rookie of the Month honors for May. The injury concerns and Dallas’s failing season only worsened the case for the young guard. But only until she didn’t let it. Regardless of the Wings’ progress, or the lack of it, Paige never stopped dropping masterclass performances. “I am just focused on moving my foot forward one at a time. How do I get better every single day,” was her mindset. And perhaps, there lies Sue Bird’s reason. 

Making a Caitlin Clark comparison, she said, “There’s probably going to be a ton of conversation around her numbers as it gets put into historical context, but that’s not at all what has jumped out to me about Paige. Similar to Caitlin last year, it’s been so fun just to watch her play. It’s been fun to watch her learn and adjust to the WNBA in real time. It’s fun to watch her get loose a little bit, like when she hit that step-back 3 in front of Kyrie. It’s also been fun to watch her grow into her pro game.”

Paige Bueckers began her season with a 10-point performance on an inefficient 3-of-10 from the field. But every day since has been a challenge. You can now see her shooting even against multiple defenders, drop a step-back three in front of her childhood idol (Kyrie Irving), and make it a habit to post double-digits every single night. Moreover, she isn’t just bringing the offense.

Bueckers is equally focused on getting her teammates involved, averaging 5.2 assists, while also stopping opponents with the steals. She is the only player to be rank in the top 10 for points, assists, and steals. Paige is bringing in the fierceness, while also enjoying the game she loves. Playing against the Mystics earlier this month, the rookie had dapped it up with TikToker and basketball superfan, Janae Sims, mid-game. Yes, she had just dropped a catch-and-shoot three to give her team a lead. 

In a season where Dallas Wings’ fans haven’t had much to cheer, she has been a ray of sunshine. So Bird had the most special compliment for the young guard. 

“The best compliment you can give a player, especially coming from someone like me who gets to go to WNBA games for free, is that I would actually pay to watch them (Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark) play,” the Storm icon added on her podcast, Bird Eye View. 

When someone who is not only the owner of a rival team but also a four-time WNBA champion showers you with such high praise, it shows the impact you have made in the league. What’s even scarier is that neither Caitlin Clark nor Paige Bueckers is even close to their prime. That’s what the Dallas rookie seemed to be getting at with her recent remarks. 

Paige Bueckers returns to court, takes a page off Warriors’ books

With just 4 games remaining in their schedule, the Dallas Wings are off on a four-game road trip before ending their season at home to the Phoenix Mercury. In a season where playoff hopes were floated around, the Wings headed home way too soon. But it isn’t all gloomy. 

After she missed the game against the Connecticut Sun due to an illness, there were some concerns about her availability for the game against the Atlanta Dream. However, Bueckers suited up for the short-handed Wings, only for it to end in a 31st loss. But Bueckers isn’t giving up yet. Only in her rookie year, the UConn alumna assures that the Dallas community could look forward to better seasons ahead. 

“I remember Steph Curry before the Warriors became the Warriors, like he tweeted out like just stick with us, like we’re going to figure it out. Like that’s the message. Like the people we have here and the belief that I have in like the core and the pieces that we’re building and how we’re doing it,” she said after a disappointing 100-78 loss to Atlanta. 

The Warriors were able to do it, generational talent on board. The Wings are halfway there, and with the new CBA rules switching things up, the franchise has got a good opportunity to pivot. Paige has enough to be the engine, Curt Miller just got to load the team with right support.