Bueckers helped the Wings score an upset in Seattle.
For most rookies, assuming a leadership role is not a natural thing. But Paige Bueckers is not most rookies.
After a historic college career at UConn, Bueckers joined the Dallas Wings, where it was hoped the former NCAA champion would form a dangerous backcourt partnership with All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale.
But while Ogunbowale has struggled for consistency, Bueckers has emerged as an All-Star herself. A virtual shoo-in for Rookie of the Year honors, Bueckers leads all rookies in points (18.2) and assists (5.5) per game. On Tuesday night, she might have accomplished her most impressive feat yet in a Dallas uniform: leading the Wings to a blowout win in Seattle, proving her mettle in one of The W's toughest arenas.
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Bueckers scored 14 points and added six assists as the Wings blew out the Storm, 87-63, in a game that saw Ogunbowale go off for a team-high 20 points -- her best scoring output in nearly a month. Now recovered from a thumb injury, Ogunbowale thanked her teammates for standing by her in what has been a difficult season personally; she is averaging a career-low 15.9 points per game.
Ogunbowale though had special praise for Bueckers, calling her a "true leader" who "always has everybody’s best interest at heart." For Bueckers, that quality just comes naturally.
"The way that I play basketball is the way I try to live my life," Bueckers said following the win in Seattle.
At just 23 years old, Bueckers' workload is already among the most demanding in the league, and the Wings' 7-17 record might be a bit alien to a player who is used to winning nearly every game. But Dallas' win in Seattle -- its first road victory over a team other than the Connecticut Sun -- is a firm step in the right direction for a young, growing team.
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Category: Basketball
