Even with debates swirling about her candidacy for WNBA Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers made a statement that’s hard to ignore in 2025.
Though her Dallas Wings were already out of playoff contention on Wednesday, Bueckers nearly carried the team to a win against the Los Angeles Sparks on her own. She tied a WNBA rookie record by scoring 44 points—the most by any player in the league this season—before falling 81-80 on a game-winning buzzer-beater by Kelsey Plum.
Her performance left no question about her rapid rise into the league’s elite, even in her debut season and while playing for a struggling Dallas squad. Remarkably, Bueckers achieved something no WNBA or NBA player has done in almost six decades.
Earlier this year, on March 29, Bueckers scored 40 points for UConn in the Sweet 16 against Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament. Less than five months later, she put up 44 against the Sparks—a team just a half-game out of the playoffs.
This made her the first player since 1968 to score 40 or more points in both an NCAA Tournament game and an NBA/WNBA game in the same calendar year. Only two other players have managed this feat—basketball legends Oscar Robertson (1960) and Elvin Hayes (1968).
Bueckers in 2025:
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March 29: 40 points for @UConnWBB in NCAA Tournament
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August 20: 44 points for @DallasWings in WNBA
After her career night on Wednesday, Bueckers’ scoring average rose to 19.7 points per game—leading all rookies and ranking fifth across the WNBA. Despite the Wings’ struggles, she has strengthened her hold on the Rookie of the Year conversation and is trending toward potential All-WNBA first team honors.
