Paige Bueckers finally delivered her first WNBA win, and she did it in front of familiar fans.
Back in Connecticut, where her legendary college run at UConn unfolded, the Dallas Wings rookie put on a show with 21 points and 7 assists in a 109-87 blowout over the Sun.
She earned a standing ovation, reminded everyone why she’s considered a generational prospect, and helped the Wings get on the board after a disappointing 0-4 start.
But beneath the celebration, deeper problems persist. The Wings are navigating a complete rebuild, featuring a new coach in Chris Koclanes, fresh management, and only three returning players from last season. Even with Bueckers’ star power, the team’s foundation appears fragile.
Murdock slams Wings’ playstyle, questions Ogunbowale’s role
National NBA and WNBA writer Logan Murdock voiced strong concerns about Dallas’ early-season struggles on The Ringer WNBA Show.
“Just seeing a whole bunch of just terrible sets, just uninspired play except for Paige,” he said, bluntly assessing the Wings’ stagnant offense.
Much of the scrutiny has fallen on Chris Koclanes, who took over head coaching duties for 2025. A former assistant and video coordinator under Curt Miller in Los Angeles and Connecticut, Koclanes has never led a team before.
His limited experience is showing, and he now faces the challenge of navigating a league where most successful coaches are deeply embedded with their franchises.
As Murdock put it: “That’s what I see every game, like this team sucks. Damn, Paige is a gamer. Wow! And then that’s… my game recap for every Dallas Wings game. ‘Oh, s-, did you see what Paige just did?'”
Indeed, Bueckers has been the lone bright spot. Following a 10-point debut, she’s become a consistent dual-threat. Through five games, she tallied 73 points and 32 assists-setting a new WNBA record for rookies through that stretch.
Her performance against the Sun, featuring 21 points on 80% shooting, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists, was the most efficient all-around rookie stat line since Temeka Johnson in 2005.
While Bueckers thrives, Arike Ogunbowale has yet to find her rhythm. Murdock questioned her effectiveness: “Where the h- is Arike?”
The 28-year-old, who averaged over 21 points per game in 2024, is scoring just 13.8 this season. She managed 19 against Connecticut and 21 versus the Lynx but hasn’t consistently looked like herself.
The team’s offensive structure has also been underwhelming. Dallas ranks 10th in assist percentage (59.6%) and struggles to generate open looks.
Bueckers‘ shot attempts are down from 19.2 per game in college to 14.0 in the WNBA, despite her continued efficiency. Unless Koclanes finds a way to better integrate both guards, the Wings will continue to underperform.
Defensively, the problems extend further-Dallas ranks near the bottom in defensive rebounding. But even with all these setbacks, the dominant win over Connecticut offered a glimmer of hope.
With the Chicago Sky, winless and mired in controversy, up next, the Wings have a chance to build momentum.
Bueckers may be setting records and rewriting rookie history, but without better systems, more consistency from veterans, and stronger leadership from the bench, her brilliance risks being overshadowed by a franchise still trying to find its identity.
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