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Paige Bueckers could hardly hope for more realistic baptism of fire for its first season in WNBA. The former university star could not do miracles with the Wings, still nailed to the bottom of the League ranking. The Dallas leader, however, showed all her individual talent (19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists) in a rare season for a rookie. Only Caitlin Clark, a year earlier, had already signed a first professional season in 19 points – 5 assists, which only 13 players in the history of WNBA.
Even more than its figures, Paige Bueckers has packed the wings by its ability to do not sink in a season where nothing happened as hoped for in Dallas, weighed down by many injuries. “” “It’s incredible to have it as the leader“Enthusiastic about his coach Chris Koclanes on Thursday after the last game of the regular season, a victory against the Mercury.” “She shows the example. And you want her to be an example by what she brings, not only by her words, but by her behaviors, by her actions day after day. So having Paige in this locker room and then with everyone surrounding him in this locker room, the links they have built and just the regularity in the way the players have done the work and invested in each other, it gives me incredible confidence for the future.”
A rare season for a rookie
Despite its status as a rookie, Paige Bueckers had to take on increasingly large responsibilities over the season, between the absences and the failure of its association with Dijonai Carrington, which has never adapted to its new team and was sent to Minnesota during the season. The former NCAA champion with Connecticut did better than to respond with a remarkable end of the season (20.6 points at 51.7%, 5.1 assists in August and September), and a 44-point outing against the Sparks, the only performance above 40 points from all season WNBA.
“She does not care about statistics, records“Entertains Chris Koclanes, however.”She cares about her teammates. She cares about winning. She cares about doing things the right way. And when you have someone like that which is also authentic in this attitude, it’s just contagious. I could not be more proud to be able to train it.”
Paige Bueckers would not exchange this season “for nothing in the world”
Chris Koclanes said he was impressed by the ability of his young player to deal with the context, between “natural” difficulties for first steps among the pros, and results at half mast (10 victories – 34 defeats). “” “To impose itself in this role of leader as rookie, to be outside a comfort zone but to remain faithful to itself … What I remember is how it has faced this situation to be what the team needed it, to bring what we needed that it brings while remaining as faithful to which it is. And it’s not easy to do.”
“I have already faced a lot of adversity in Uconn, and you see the progression, the strength that it builds individually and for the whole collective, and all that it brings you in the long term”Deciphered Paige Bueckers to the media, with its characteristic maturity.“Being able to experience this as a rookie, and in particular with this group, I would not change this season against anything in the world. People can see the results and wonder how we can be happy with a season at ten victories. But I know that when I would look back at the end of my career, I will be really grateful for this season.”
A season that saw him score more than A’ja Wilson during his Rookie year, or distribute more passes than Sue Bird, just that.
