Bueckers sparked injury worries in a loss to Phoenix.
A recent stretch of winning basketball has highlighted the progress made by the Dallas Wings' rookies.
Amid injuries to veterans DiJonai Carrington and Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings have turned over the keys to Paige Bueckers -- and entering Monday night's game against the Phoenix Mercury, Dallas had won five of its past seven games after a 1-11 start to 2025.
At PHX Arena on Monday, though, Bueckers and the Wings suffered a setback.
Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb scored a career-high 36 points to lead Phoenix to a 102-72 blowout win over Dallas. And to make matters for the Wings, Bueckers took a hard hit while trying to get around Mercury center Kalani Brown for a layup.
The sequence immediately sparked fears of another concussion for Bueckers; the All-Star guard missed three games earlier this season after she suffered a concussion against the Chicago Sky on May 29. And with a showdown against Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever looming next week, fans do not want to be denied another chance to watch the last two top overall picks go head-to-head for the first time in the WNBA.
Fortunately, Wings head coach Chris Koclanes was able to assuage fears around Bueckers after Monday's game.
"(Paige Bueckers) is feeling okay," Koclanes said Monday.
Chris Koclanes' full answer on how Paige Bueckers is feeling after taking a hard hit during tonight's game:
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) July 8, 2025
"Yup. We talked to her here, she's feeling okay." https://t.co/KsU3j1H0s7
MORE: Wings’ Paige Bueckers makes WNBA rookie history with efficient stats only reached once before
Bueckers scored 11 points in 24 minutes on Monday as her stellar rookie year continues. Through 15 career games, Bueckers is averaging 18.2 points, 5.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor and better than 35 percent from 3-point range.
Bueckers' immediate adaptation to the intensity of the WNBA portends a bright future ahead in Dallas, despite the Wings' 6-14 record this season. And for fans, the prospect of Bueckers and Clark squaring off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday -- after Clark missed their first showdown -- represents one of the season's blockbuster games, even if neither team is a ready-made championship contender.
MORE WNBA NEWS:
- Caitlin Clark terrifies Fever fans with 4-word message
- Phoenix Mercury waive Murjanatu Musa presumably to sign DeWanna Bonner
- Clark must choose: draft Angel Reese or keep the rivalry alive?
- A'ja Wilson admits Indiana Fever 'embarrassed' the former league champions in recent game
- WNBA All-Star rosters 2025: Full list of starters, voting results headlined by Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier
Category: Basketball
