Paige Bueckers took a monumental step in her basketball journey Friday night, officially making her WNBA debut with the Dallas Wings in a highly anticipated matchup against the Minnesota Lynx. While the night was undoubtedly a milestone for the former UConn standout, it was her father, Bob Bueckers, who gave the evening its most emotional moment.
As cameras panned to him during the game, Bob was visibly overwhelmed with pride. Speaking with WNBA media, he teared up reflecting on what the debut meant for both him and his daughter.
“I’m very proud of her, but also just happy for her,” he said. “She’s living out her childhood dream right now. And to have her first game playing her hometown of the Lynx who she grew up idolizing is just surreal and just so thankful for this.
“I started crying during warm-ups. It’s something that she’s dreamt about her whole life and she’s been working really hard.”
The heartfelt words captured the emotional weight of the moment, as the former Huskies phenom began her professional career in the same city where her love for the game was born.
A tough shooting night for Bueckers draws criticism
While the debut was special in many ways, not everything went perfectly on the court. Bueckers struggled offensively, shooting just 30 percent from the field. That performance drew immediate criticism from some fans and analysts who expected more from one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory.
Selected as the top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Bueckers arrived in Dallas with high expectations after a stellar but injury-hampered college career at UConn. Her debut was under the microscope, and the less-than-ideal shooting night left some questioning whether she could live up to the lofty standards placed upon her.
But for those familiar with Bueckers’ resilience and poise, there’s little doubt that she’ll bounce back. She’s battled adversity before-most notably recovering from a significant knee injury in college-and returned stronger.
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