“The goal for us is still to win.” With that phrase, Curt Miller, general manager of the Dallas Wings, made the direction for 2025 clear. After a 2024 season marked by injuries and inconsistent rotations, the franchise went all in on the brightest college gem: Paige Bueckers.
Her rookie season not only met expectations-it exceeded them. Averaging 19.7 points, 5.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals over 31 games, the shooting guard broke records and shined with a memorable 44-point performance. Her efficiency even surpassed Caitlin Clark’s historic debut, which had revolutionized the league in 2024.
The comparison between Caitlin Clark and Candace Parker
Star player Clark, the current Rookie of the Year, had rewritten the books by leading the Indiana Fever into playoff contention. However, even she couldn’t match the mythical feat of Candace Parker in 2008, when Parker won both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors simultaneously. With Bueckers, that possibility felt close again-until Dallas’s collapse dashed her candidacy.
On the WNBA on NBC podcast, analysts Natalie Esquire and Terrika Foster-Brasby highlighted that Paige came closer than anyone in 17 years to repeating Parker’s achievement. Her dominance and maturity, they said, place her in a tier reserved for legends.
Bueckers’ historic night
The best example of her impact came against the Los Angeles Sparks. With 44 points, Bueckers surpassed Parker’s rookie mark, who in 2008 had posted 40 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 assists against Houston. The difference was that Parker’s performance ended in victory, while Paige’s explosion couldn’t prevent Dallas’s elimination from playoff contention.
That loss not only ended the young star’s MVP hopes-it also exposed the fragility of a team lacking depth and a clear identity.
The Clark vs. Bueckers debate
The discussion between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark didn’t stop throughout the season. ESPN fueled it by publishing its “25 under 25” list, placing Clark as the league’s most promising player despite missing 16 games. Paige, meanwhile, ranked second after proving that the mid-range game still has a place in modern basketball.
With averages of 19 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds, Bueckers was just below Clark’s rookie numbers. However, her offensive efficiency and immediate impact have led many experts to believe that the 17-year wait may soon come to an end.
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