The long-anticipated professional debut of Paige Bueckers was more than just a basketball game for the people of Hopkins, Minnesota. Her hometown went all out to honor the young star’s leap to the WNBA even temporarily renaming itself “Paige Bueckers” for the occasion.
The city held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony filled with local flair—craft beers, ice cream, and even sushi rolls (which were also named after Bueckers), lined the celebration. The buzz was real, the excitement tangible. But once the lights dimmed and the ball tipped in Dallas on May 16, reality quickly set in.
The UConn legend, who recently led the Huskies to their record 12th NCAA national championship, made her regular-season debut for the Dallas Wings against the Minnesota Lynx. Despite giving maximum efforts, Bueckers couldn’t prevent her team from falling (99-84) to the Lynx. And after the game, she had a message regarding what she realized about playing in the big league.
Paige Bueckers’ Realization About Playing in the WNBA
After the game, during a postgame interview, Bueckers spoke candidly about the significant differences between college basketball and the professional level.
“Yeah. I mean, like the speed, like I’ve talked about before, shorter shot clock. So you’re trying to get it across half court faster, to get into more actions, and to change sides of the floor. And then there’s like a level of physicality, of course.”
“That’s leveled up a notch from college. And then just the size at positions, I would say, is a little bit different. The fours are a lot bigger than the fours I’ve had to guard in college. So all of those things combined,” said Bueckers during the interview.
“The speed… shorter shot clocks… and then there’s like a level of physicality of course that’s leveled up a notch from college.”
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers on the biggest differences from college and the WNBA.
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If we look at the game itself, the Wings actually started off strong. They ended the first quarter with a narrow two-point lead, and the score was tied at (46-46) going into halftime. But from that point forward, things began to unravel. Napheesa Collier asserted herself with dominant play and the Wings had no answer for her offensive and defensive presence. The second half saw Dallas outmatched and unable to recover.
Despite the loss, Bueckers showed signs of promise. In her debut, she scored 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 30 minutes of play—solid numbers for a rookie facing one of the league’s toughest teams.
“It is a learning process. We will not be perfect early, but we will learn and get better. We want to best support our players and put them in positions to succeed. I am encouraged. I like our group of players, staff, our camaraderie, demeanor, and work ethic. This group will learn and continue to improve,” said Head Coach Chris Koclanes.
The learning curve is steep but Bueckers has the tools, mindset, and work ethic to adjust. Her next opportunity to grow comes quickly, as she and the Wings will face the Seattle Storm on May 19.
Bueckers Previously Spoke on the Difference Between the WNBA and the NCAA
In her final season with UConn, Bueckers proved why she’s considered one of the most promising young stars in women’s basketball. Averaging 19.9 points and 4.6 assists per game expectations were high for her WNBA debut.
However, when Bueckers made her first WNBA appearance during the preseason game against the Las Vegas Aces, she got a true taste of the challenges of the big league.
The Wings suffered a heavy defeat, falling (112-78) and after the game, Bueckers reflected on the experience and spoke candidly about the difference between the NCAA and the WNBA.
“You’re playing against, especially the Aces, five Olympic-level players and a great team and organization. The pace, the flow of the game, the talent level, that’s what stood out,” said Bueckers during the postgame interview.
Despite the loss, Bueckers managed to put up a respectable 10 points and grab four rebounds in her preseason debut. As the WNBA season unfolds, she is expected to adjust to the pace and intensity of the league and continue to grow into her role as a future star in professional women’s basketball.