Paige Bueckers is one of the marquee names expected to play the second season of Unrivaled, the high-octane 3v3 offseason tournament, featuring some of the league’s finest.
Unrivaled, valued at an estimated $340 million, officially announced, adding two new teams, Breeze Basketball Club and Hive Basketball Club. Paige is expected to pivot to the league with the Dallas Wings, finishing their 2025 WNBA season early.
Is Paige Bueckers Amped for “Challenging” 3v3 Format?
According to DallasHoopsJournal.com’s Grant Afseth, Bueckers weighed in on the format. “It’s really challenging because it’s basically one-on-one in space,” the rookie said.
“It challenges your defense and your ability to sit down and guard, keep people in front of you. Offensively, it just helps you be able to create in isolation, create space. And it’s a lot of technique too. I mean, there’s a lot of three-man action in a five-on-five basketball game.
She further dissected the format. “You see a lot in the triangle set offense. So it’s a lot of scheming, and it’s just fun — the pace. Obviously, the court is smaller, so everything is essentially in transition. I’m really looking forward to that too.”
Bueckers heads into the tournament with ample experience and solid form from her rookie season. She was key in Team USA winning gold at the 2018 Youth Olympics and also won national 3v3 titles. Her maiden WNBA run saw her average 19.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks.
It will be interesting to see how the former UConn star fares in her first Unrivaled appearance.
ESPN Panel Predicts Paige Bueckers As Frontrunner To Win Rookie of the Year
Bueckers was listed as an early candidate to win the Rookie of the Year honors despite stiff competition from Mystics’ Sonia Citron. Earlier, ESPN’s panelists for the ROY forecast — Kendra Andrews, Kevin Pelton, Alexa Philippou, and Michael Voepel all predicted that Bueckers would win the award, with Citron as the runner-up.
ESPN’s award panel unanimously picks Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers as the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
The No. 1 pick is averaging 19.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in her debut season.
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— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) September 11, 2025
While it was yet another forgettable season for the Wings, Bueckers exceeded expectations with her mercurial style of play, her scoring milestones, and top-level consistency. The guard missed a handful of games due to injury, but has been a vital cog in the Dallas setup.
As for Dallas, they will hope that health and form will be on their side as they gear up for the next season. They are 9-34 with one game remaining this season after injuries and inconsistency derailed their 2025 campaign. Only time will tell if Bueckers and the Wings can make the playoffs in her sophomore season.
