Dallas Wings No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers is already making waves at the start of her first WNBA training camp, showing flashes of the elite competitor she was at UConn—and giving teammates a firsthand look at what she brings to the table.
Dialed in from day one, Bueckers has been working on every aspect of her game while building chemistry with her new squad ahead of her pro debut. But in true Paige fashion, she’s also turning practices into a battleground.
On Wednesday, Wings assistant coach Nola Henry shared on X that Bueckers beat out veterans Arike Ogunbowale and NaLyssa Smith in a casual team shooting contest.
“Paige won competition shooting. Arike & Nai both took Ls. Keep yall posted on the next one,” Henry posted—then added that Bueckers herself urged her to go public with the result: “Go tweet that,” Paige told her.
The former UConn star is already showing she’s not just here to fit in—she’s here to lead. Known for her fire and poise under pressure, Bueckers averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists last season while leading the Huskies to a national championship.
Make it a better place: Paige Bueckers shares her goal with the Wings
While Dallas hoops fans are still reeling from Luka Dončić’s blockbuster trade to the Lakers, the Wings may have found their next superstar in Bueckers. And she’s not shying away from the spotlight.
During her April 23 introductory press conference, Bueckers, complete with a white cowboy hat, outlined her vision for her new team.
“The goal is making Dallas a place everyone wants to be—and everyone who is already here wants to stay,” she said. “Just building that culture, building that foundation of enjoying being around each other, playing together, being together on and off the court.”
The Wings are hungry for a turnaround after a brutal 9-31 season, the worst in franchise history. And with Bueckers leading the charge, they’ve got a fresh spark heading into 2025.
Dallas opens the season at home against the Minnesota Lynx on May 16 at College Park Center.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through [email protected]. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
