On Sunday, in her second WNBA game, Paige Bueckers recorded 19 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block.
It was a strong all-around effort in a 79-71 loss that highlighted her ability to both score and facilitate – especially on a Wings team struggling to find offensive rhythm from its veterans.
With Arike Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington shooting a combined 4-for-23, it was the rookie who kept the team within striking distance.
But it was her dazzling full-court assist to NaLyssa Smith that set social media ablaze – and not for the reason the Wings expected.
Mahomes comparison draws backlash from Dallas fans
The Wings’ social media team shared a clip of the assist with the caption: “Paige Mahomes to Lyss Jett Jefferson omggg what theeeee.”
In Dallas, comparing any athlete to Patrick Mahomes is risky business. Though Mahomes hails from Texas, he leads the Kansas City Chiefs – a team many in Cowboys Nation view as a threat to the star on their helmet.
To add insult to injury, Mahomes led the Chiefs to multiple Super Bowl wins during the Cowboys’ decades-long drought, which only widened the rivalry.
Then, he was defeated in Super Bowl LIX by none other than Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles – a team some Texans prefer now because of Hurts’ own Texas roots.
So, when a Wings fan responded to the post saying: “We rock with Hurts here, not Mahomes,” it wasn’t just shade – it was a declaration.
For many fans in Dallas, Mahomes doesn’t symbolize homegrown pride. He’s the quarterback who rose elsewhere. Hurts, on the other hand, is seen as a hometown figure who did what Dallas hasn’t – take down the Chiefs.
It may seem minor, but this moment touched a nerve in a city that doesn’t play when it comes to its sports heroes. Dallas isn’t just a football town – it’s Cowboys country.
And no matter how impressive Mahomes is on the field, comparisons to him will always stir tension here. The moniker “America’s Team” isn’t just marketing – it’s personal.
Ironically, while the Wings look to Bueckers as their rising star, the NFL’s own scheduling twist rubbed salt in the wound. The 2025 schedule handed the Chiefs seven prime-time games – more than any other team, including Dallas.
That’s led to even more fan frustration in Texas. One NFL executive didn’t help either, saying: “The Chiefs have almost kind of surpassed the Cowboys as the bell cow.”
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