The first overall pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, Paige Bueckers, coming off a national championship with the UConn Huskies, is embarking on a new journey. She is making the transition from being a collegiate athlete to a professional one.
That is not always an easy transition, but lucky for her, she has a lot of resources coming from a list of UConn greats to enter the WNBA, including Diana Taurasi.
Paige Bueckers Shares What She Likes About the Dallas Wings’ Offense
During a post-practice interview on Monday, April 28, Bueckers shared how much advice Taurasi has given her heading into her rookie season with the Wings.
“She talks to me all the time when I was back at school. She had been communicating with my assistant coach at UConn, which is my guard coach,” said Bueckers.
“She is always there when I need her for communication and advice … It’s been great to have her as a resource.”
Bueckers’ all-around game and natural scoring ability are what make her a good fit for the WNBA, despite this being her rookie season with the Wings. The team’s scoring output could be equal to or greater than last season if they effectively utilize her strengths within their offensive system.
Bueckers spoke about the Wings’ offense being very “free-flowing,” according to Drake Keeler. Wings coach Chris Koclanes emphasizes a read-and-react approach, where players are given concepts, ideas, and foundational tools instead of strict set plays. Through his system, athletes like Bueckers can thrive in a more fluid and decision-based offense due to his encouragement of creativity and instinct.
“I think what makes her special is she can fill the gap, and she can fill whatever gap,” Koclanes said of Bueckers. “We can put her on the ball, we can put her off the ball, and she’ll be just as good, just as efficient, just as effective, and, most importantly, just as willing. And I think that speaks to her unselfishness. I’m excited as a coach to be able to talk to her and find out what works. ”
One WNBA GM also praised Bueckers’ high IQ and said her game will translate from college to the WNBA. “She understands the game. Her IQ is very high. She comes from a winning program, and all that stuff translates when you have multiple tools like she does,” the GM said.
“She could be 1-for-9 from the field but have eight assists. Most people can’t flip the switch. When you have multiple skills like she does, it allows you to assimilate faster.
“She’s not Caitlin Clark, she’s built differently, but she can make people better, and she’s hypercompetitive, and she can get to her spots at the same time. And she’s going to have even more weapons around her in our league, so her playmaking will be even more on display.”
Bueckers Reveals Concerning Challenges From College to WNBA
Bueckers acknowledged the stark differences between college and the pros immediately after her first practice with the Wings, pointing out the physicality and pace as immediate eyes-openers.
“The screens I got hit with,” she said. “That’s the first thing that made me go, ‘Wow, OK, this isn’t the same.”
She cited the differences in the rules, such as the defensive and offensive three-second calls, that disrupt the flow she was accustomed to in college. “The speed and how much they let slide in the WNBA,” she shared.
It’s a common wake-up call for rookies, and Bueckers is no longer unfamiliar with it. Although she’s bonding with her new teammates, adapting to this adult game is her biggest challenge to date.
