As the WNBA hits the final stretch of its longest season ever, a few things are crystal clear. The Minnesota Lynx, last year’s runners-up with a stellar 24-5 record, stand out as the playoff favorites, boasting a 5.5-game lead. Guided by reigning Defensive Player of the Year and MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, they recently notched the biggest road win margin in league history-a 53-point blowout, 111-58 over Las Vegas, the second-largest overall. On the flip side, the Connecticut Sun’s dismal 5-22 mark means no postseason for them. And sealing her spot as the top newcomer, first overall pickPaige Bueckers is all but locked in for Rookie of the Year after claiming her second straight Rookie of the Month honor.
Bueckers Claims July Rookie of the Month, Eyes Record Books
Dallas Wings standout Paige Bueckers has snagged the WNBA Rookie of the Month award for July, marking her second in a row and making her the fourth rookie in team history to achieve that feat. Throughout July and the season so far, she’s the lone player league-wide in the top 10 for scoring, assists, and steals per contest. In July, she posted team-leading figures of 18.2 points (ninth overall), 5.2 assists (10th), and 1.8 steals (fourth).
Season-long, Bueckers tops all first-year players in points (18.3) and assists (5.5), sits second in steals (1.8), fifth in blocks (0.6), and sixth in rebounds (3.9). Her points rank seventh among everyone, assists ninth, and steals fifth. She hit 20-plus points in five of her nine July outings, leading rookies in such games, and overall, she’s sixth in the WNBA for 20-point performances, moving past Sandy Brondello for third in Wings rookie history.
In only 23 games this year, Bueckers has vaulted into the franchise’s top 10 for rookie points, assists, and steals. She crossed 400 career points on July 30, matching Cynthia Cooper (1997) as the quickest to hit 400 points and 100 assists in just 22 games.
Since the award started in 2010, seven players hold the mark for most Rookie of the Month honors with four each: Tina Charles (2010), Nneka Ogwumike (2012), Elena Delle Donne (2013), Breanna Stewart (2016), Michaela Onyenwere (2021), Rhyne Howard (2022), and Caitlin Clark last season. If Bueckers keeps up this pace without missing time, she could easily join that elite group.
Bueckers’ Standout Season Amid Team Struggles
Bueckers has exceeded expectations this year, earning a starting spot in the All-Star Game to back up her impressive averages. She has scored at least 10 points in every game and has had 11 games with 20 or more points. Last year, Caitlin Clark broke the rookie scoring record with 769 points. Bueckers has scored 425 points so far. Maintaining her 18.5-point average over the final 16 contests won’t surpass Clark’s record, but some explosive performances could close the gap.
Despite the Wings’ rough patch, Bueckers has been a bright spot. With 15 games left, a playoff push isn’t impossible, though it would require near-flawless play. The schedule doesn’t help. It starts with back-to-back matchups, first on the road and then at home, against the New York Liberty (18-10), the second-best team in the league. Then comes a Sunday clash on August 10 versus the Washington Mystics and their standout rookie, Kiki Iriafen, who was named Rookie of the Month in May.
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