After a four-game absence, Paige Bueckers came back like she never left. The Dallas Wings rookie lit up the court in Phoenix on Wednesday night, scoring a career-high 35 points. She shot 13-of-19 from the field and grabbed six rebounds, reminding everyone why the hype has never been misplaced.
The Phoenix Mercury still walked away with a 93-80 win, but the night belonged to Bueckers.
Alyssa Thomas Praises Paige Bueckers’ Performance
Even after helping Phoenix secure its seventh win of the season, Alyssa Thomas took time to praise Bueckers’ performance.
“Paige [Bueckers] is a hooper… Very calm out there. She just controls the game so well. The sky’s the limit for her,” Thomas said in the postgame video provided by Mercury reporter Hayden Cilley.
Alyssa Thomas shared her impressions to @jeffmetcalfe about Paige Bueckers’s first game in Phoenix.
“Paige is a hooper… she just controls the game so well. The sky’s the limit for her.” pic.twitter.com/qX7wT663MJ
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) June 12, 2025
Head coach Nate Tibbetts echoed the praise. While applauding his team for slowing down Arike Ogunbowale—who finished with just 10 points on 2-of-10 shooting—Tibbetts noted Bueckers was a different challenge.
35 PTS.
Paige Bueckers is the 4th rookie in franchise history to record 30+ points in a single game. Last to do so, Arike Ogunbowale in 2019. @albertapp | #WingsUp pic.twitter.com/mPZ5brvMz3
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) June 12, 2025
“I thought Paige had a really good night. I thought we competed with her. We competed all night against her. She’s going to be a really good player in our league,” Tibbetts said.
Despite the loss, Bueckers joined elite company with her performance. According to ESPN Research, she became just the fourth rookie in Wings history to score 35 points in a game. The last to do it was Ogunbowale in 2019.
She also became the fourth-fastest rookie in WNBA history to reach at least 100 points, 25 rebounds, and 25 assists in her first seven games—trailing only Caitlin Clark, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, and Candace Parker.
Thomas Returns From Injury With Statement Performance
The night also marked Thomas’ return after a five-game absence due to a left calf injury. She played just 23 minutes but still posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists.
Her chemistry with Kitija Laksa remained strong, as Laksa scored 14 points off the bench. Satou Sabally led the Mercury with 20 points and nine rebounds.
ALYSSA THOMAS STEAL AND SCORE pic.twitter.com/pdM93JTsTA
— PHNX Mercury (@PHNX_Mercury) June 12, 2025
Thomas made an immediate impact on the Mercury’s offense. Tibbetts credited her ability to create advantages and space for shooters, noting that she had 21 “painted grade 3s” in her first 10 games—more than any other player on the team.
“She did a good job of getting to the paint and finding our shooters,” Tibbetts said postgame. “When you’re able to have that kind of spacing, it puts the defense in trouble.”
Phoenix will now prepare for its next matchup on the road, facing the Las Vegas Aces on June 15 at 6 p.m. ET.