When Paige Bueckers helped the UConn Huskies capture their 12th women’s college basketball championship on April 6, many believed she was destined for stardom in the WNBA.
Those expectations came with weight, and while her first few weeks with the Dallas Wings showed some growing pains, the rookie guard is now proving why she was considered one of the most promising players of her generation.
Paige Bueckers Etches Her Name in WNBA History With Scoring Outburst vs. Sparks
On Wednesday, in a game against the Los Angeles Sparks, Bueckers scored 44 points and tied the all-time WNBA scoring record for a first-year player originally set by Cynthia Cooper in 1997.
FORTY-FOUR POINTS FOR THE ROOK 🏆
After tonight’s performance, Paige Bueckers has scored the most points by any player this season & tied for most points by any first-year player while shooting 81% from the field. pic.twitter.com/2F4tBfvMOT
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) August 21, 2025
This achievement placed Bueckers in elite company, as neither Caitlin Clark nor Candace Parker reached this milestone during their rookie seasons, posting season-highs of 35 and 40, respectively.
The young guard connected on 17 of 21 field goal attempts, posting an incredible 81.0% shooting percentage. That made her the first player in WNBA history to score 40 or more points while maintaining a shooting percentage above 80%. Her 44-point performance also stands as the highest single-game scoring output by any player during the 2025 season so far.
Paige Bueckers with a night FOR THE AGES 👑
▪️ Most points by a rookie in WNBA history
▪️ First player in league history with 40+ on 80%+ FG
▪️ Highest scoring game this yearFINAL STATS VS. LA: 44 PTS, 17-21 FGM (81%), 4 REB#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/SJyc1t5rM8
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 21, 2025
This isn’t the only record Bueckers has already claimed in her young career. Earlier this month, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to surpass 500 points and 150 assists, reaching the milestone in just 28 games.
She also made history in May by becoming the quickest guard since Sue Bird to record 50 career points and 25 assists.
Through 28 career games:
Caitlin Clark Paige Bueckers
497 PTS 526 PTS
232 AST 150 ASTThe WNBA is in good hands 🔥 https://t.co/5US18kVWW8
— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) August 17, 2025
Clark and Parker also left their marks during their first seasons. Clark’s 2024 campaign was sensational, as she averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Along the way, she set rookie records for most points in a single season (769) and most assists in a season (337).
Parker made a spectacular entrance in 2008, scoring 34 points in her WNBA debut against the Phoenix Mercury. That performance set the rookie record for points in a debut game, surpassing Cooper’s 25-point opener in 1997. She is also the only player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season (2008).
Currently, Bueckers is averaging 19.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. Unfortunately for Dallas, her brilliance has not yet translated into wins. The Wings sit at 9-27 and lost the Aug. 20 game against the Sparks by a single point (81-80) after Kelsey Plum dropped in a floater at the buzzer.
Kelsey Plum, take a bow! She wins the game with a buzzer-beater at the rim. pic.twitter.com/zO4YmWg6nF
— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) August 21, 2025
The Wings have been knocked out of playoff contention, but Bueckers isn’t to blame, as she has been a steady, bright spot all season.
