The No. 1 overall pick from UConn has finished her season in the WNBA and with the Dallas Wings in style. Paige Bueckers was officially named Rookie of the Year, but that wasn’t the only distinction she received.
Even though she finished the season with a 10-34 record and didn’t make the playoffs, a WNBA legend didn’t hesitate to praise Paige.
“Bueckers is the best player 99.99% of the time”
The 23-year-old rookie closed out her year averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 36 games with the Wings.
In addition, she became one of only 10 rookies to start in the All-Star Game and racked up 692 points and 194 assists, the third-highest total in league history for a rookie.
For this and more, TIME recognized her as one of its 100 rising stars of the year, one of only five athletes on the list. And as if that weren’t enough, basketball legend Diana Taurasi was chosen to write Paige’s profile and did not skimp on praise.
“Paige Bueckers is the best player on the court 99.99% of the time,” the former Phoenix Mercury player began.
However, in her words, Taurasi set aside the Dallas point guard’s incredible statistics and went further. She highlighted the Wings star’s teamwork, leadership, and ability to unite and encourage the growth of the entire team, not just her own:
“When we talk about great competitors and champions-to get there, your teammates have to like you. And she gets the best out of her team because they love her,” said the three-time WNBA champion.
Continuing with her words, the six-time Olympic gold medalist recalled when she saw her win the NCAA title with UConn, stating that she was “beaming” because the joy of the title was not only hers, but the team’s: “That’s what makes her special: she wants to do it for everyone.”
Meanwhile, Bueckers is ready to continue showcasing her talent in January at Unrivaled Basketball, the league co-founded in 2023 by Napheesa and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty.
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