Just when Paige Bueckers was beginning to look like the star Dallas Wings dreamed of, life threw her a curveball. The No. 1 overall pick was finally finding her rhythm.
But now, all that momentum has hit a sudden pause. In a tough break for both Bueckers and the Wings, she’s been placed in concussion protocol, and now, the team will have to manage without her, at least for a couple of games, as she recovers from the head injury.
Paige Bueckers To Miss Two Games After Head Injury vs. Sky
It all unfolded Thursday (May 29) night in a 97-92 loss to the Chicago Sky. Late in the second quarter, Bueckers was making a move with the ball when she accidentally collided heads with Sky veteran Courtney Vandersloot. It didn’t seem significant initially, but the aftermath told a different story.
Got hit in the head 2mins before this play. Then head to head collision pic.twitter.com/8aosFKWOLb
— yapyap (@ForGoodAri) May 30, 2025
 The Dallas Wings confirmed what fans feared: Bueckers had entered concussion protocol. She will now miss the upcoming back-to-back matchups – Saturday’s home rematch against the Sky and Tuesday, June 3, road game against the Seattle Storm. She’ll be re-evaluated after the Seattle game.
Before the injury, Bueckers was doing what she does best – filling up the stat sheet with 15 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Through her first six WNBA games, she’s been averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per contest.
Bueckers was adjusting fast to the pro level, and her confidence was beginning to show.
Now, all of that gets put on hold.
Concussion protocol in the WNBA is no small matter. It’s a safety-first system that requires players to be pulled immediately after any head-related injury. From there, they must go through a series of medical evaluations and a step-by-step recovery process before they’re allowed to return to play.
It’s all about protecting the player long-term, even if it means short-term sacrifice.
And for Dallas, that sacrifice couldn’t come at a tougher time.
Wings Face Uphill Climb Without Bueckers
The Wings are already struggling, having dropped five of their first six games. Losing Bueckers, even if it’s just for two games, only adds more pressure on a roster that’s still trying to find its chemistry.
The good news is that Tyasha Harris, who missed Thursday’s game due to injury, has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday, May 31, rematch. If she suits up, she could slide into Bueckers’ spot and take on the playmaking duties.
Harris isn’t a flashy scorer, but she’s a steady hand. Known for her pass-first mentality and ability to control the tempo, she can get her teammates involved, keep the offense organized, and take care of the ball.
She’s also efficient, shooting 44.4% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc so far this season. That kind of accuracy could go a long way for a team desperate for consistency.
But the biggest load may fall on the shoulders of Arike Ogunbowale. The four-time WNBA All-Star is already Dallas’ leading scorer at 17.7 points per game. With Bueckers out, she’ll likely be asked to take on more ball-handling and leadership responsibilities.
Ogunbowale is more of a score-first guard, but in this situation, the Wings will need her to do a bit of everything – create offense, set the tone, and carry the team through these next two games.
