The Dallas Wings took another hit, losing 85-76 to the defending champion New York Liberty, slipping to 8-22 and drifting further from any playoff hopes this year. The one bright spot is top draft choice Paige Bueckers, who picked up her second consecutive Rookie of the Month honor right before tip-off. Bueckers wrapped up the night with 21 points, marking her fourth straight 20-point outing and her 13th such performance this season. She’s firmly on course to claim Rookie of the Year, but she’s dealing with a strained back muscle and plans to handle it day by day.
“I was dribbling when I felt this tightness hit,” she explained about the injury. “It’s day to day. Fingers crossed it doesn’t keep me out. I’ll focus on treatment and recovery.” Should she sit out, topping Caitlin Clark’s standout rookie campaign from last year might prove tough, especially since Bueckers is tracking toward breaking the all-time rookie scoring mark.
Paige Bueckers Dazzles with Kyrie Irving-Like Moves
During her recent outing against the reigning champs, the New York Liberty, a spry Bueckers impressed with a slick crossover straight out of Kyrie Irving’s playbook. That shot was one of eight field goals she converted for 21 points total, her 24th straight game hitting double digits. Her numbers stack up closely to Caitlin Clark’s remarkable first-year stats, though she lags in assists-Clark’s strong suit, where she shattered records for the most in a single season and in one game across the WNBA.
When it comes to scoring, Bueckers is on track to set a new benchmark for rookie points, a record Clark established last year at 769 over 40 games. Sitting at 446 points through 24 contests, staying healthy and consistent could let her surpass it. It would add a silver lining to the Wings’ dismal run, stuck at 8-22 with postseason dreams fading fast.
Bueckers Chases Milestones as Wings Face Uphill Battle
In just 24 games this season, Bueckers has made a big splash, already ranking in the top 10 for first-year players in points, assists, and steals for the Wings. She hit 400 career points on July 30, matching Cynthia Cooper’s 1997 achievement by reaching 100 assists in just 22 games.
For her Rookie of the Month, since it started in 2010, seven stars have each won four times: Tina Charles (2010), Nneka Ogwumike (2012), Elena Delle Donne (2013), Breanna Stewart (2016), Michaela Onyenwere (2021), Rhyne Howard (2022), and Caitlin Clark from last year. If Bueckers can keep up her momentum and avoid any setbacks, she’s on track to join that exclusive group.
For Bueckers and the Wings, making the playoffs seems unlikely, especially if an injury forces the rookie to sit out, and their upcoming schedule is tough. They’ll rematch the champion Liberty on Friday the 8th, followed by a Sunday showdown on August 10 with the Washington Mystics and their promising rookie Kiki Iriafen, who snagged Rookie of the Month in May, before taking on the Fever, who probably remain without Caitlin Clark.
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