With two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sitting at courtside, Paige Bueckers dazzled in the Dallas Wings’ 89-76 win over the Toronto Tempo on Sunday. She tallied 22 points, 7 assists, and 3 rebounds in front of a near sellout crowd that gave SGA a loud welcome before the game started.
Before Bueckers headed to the tunnel exit after the game, she shared a moment with the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar point guard, sparking strong reactions from the WNBA world.
Paige Bueckers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Courtside Moment Sparks Reactions
Amid the Tempo-Wings showdown, fans inside the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto gave their appreciation to Gilgeous-Alexander, a Canadian basketball hero. Despite the Thunder’s failure to defend their 2025 NBA championship, the four-time All-Star had another impressive season.
SGA gave the Thunder a big push but lost a grueling, highly entertaining seven-game series to their rival, the San Antonio Spurs. The superstar point guard’s superb campaign earned him a warm welcome from the Tempo home fans.
PB5 🤝 SGA pic.twitter.com/xqrgg4DinA
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) July 5, 2026
After Toronto lost at home to Dallas, SGA unsurprisingly spent some moments with Bueckers, one of the WNBA’s biggest stars.
The interaction sparked reactions from the WNBA community.
“Get that flopper away from Paige. Eew,” an X user wrote.
Get that flopper away from Paige. Eew
— Punyal (@PulangPunyal) July 5, 2026
“Was Paige assessed a foul for getting that close to SGA?” another X user commented.
Was Paige assessed a foul for getting that close to SGA?
— Dan WHENESOTA (@WHENESOTA) July 6, 2026
“Two foul baiters.”
Two foul baiters 😂
— Jaylin Alexander Mayo (@jaylin_mayo) July 6, 2026
“LOVE Paige, but SCREW that OKC hack. NOT a Maverick, so he’s an enemy. #GOWINGS”
LOVE Paige but SCREW that okc hack. NOT a Maverick so he’s an enemy #GOWINGS
— SSDirk (@SSDirk1976) July 5, 2026
“He helps her get to the foul line, it’s over for Cathy’s League,” another Wings supporter reacted.
He helps her get to the foul line it’s over for Cathy’s League #whew
— Jalen🇫🇷 (@JalenWynn) July 5, 2026
“Shai gotta teach Paige how to flop man,” a WNBA observer tweeted.
Shai gotta teach Paige how to flop man
— Xxx (@big_x32) July 5, 2026
The Thunder and their superstar point guard have often been criticized for their foul-baiting tactics.
Over the past few seasons, they have been labeled floppers by many. When SGA has the ball, opposing arenas often erupt with “foul merchant” chants.
None of that trolling came at the Tempo home arena, but the 2025 NBA Finals MVP couldn’t escape the smoke from social media reactions following his meeting with Bueckers.
While some WNBA observers want Bueckers to adapt SGA’s style, others are urging her to refrain from replicating it.
Regardless of the strategy, Bueckers might want to be a little more aggressive in hunting mismatches as she is averaging just 3.3 free-throw attempts this season.
This season, Bueckers is averaging 20.2 points per game, sixth in the WNBA. A’ja Wilson, who tops the league in scoring with 25.7 ppg, goes to the free-throw line nearly eight times per outing.
More attempts from Bueckers could easily increase her scoring and, at the same time, create more opportunities for the Wings to win games.
Perhaps that brief meeting with SGA could give her the inspiration to do just that.
