Paige Bueckers now has three homes! She’s Minnesota’s own, Connecticut’s forever star, and now Dallas’ biggest hope. But well, her start in the WNBA was not exactly dreamy. The No. 1 pick dropped her first four games as a pro, and she couldn’t even remember the last time she lost this many in a row. For someone who basically breathed winning at UConn, this was unfamiliar territory. But then came game 5 vs. Connecticut Sun. And how could Paige possibly not shine at her own breeding ground? As expected, she did…in spectacular fashion.
Her return to Mohegan Sun Arena felt like one giant family reunion. You know that moment when the hometown crowd sees their golden girl again? That was Bueckers walking onto the court. The opposing team’s fans didn’t hold back…cheers, signs, love. It was her court, again. And once the ball tipped, she made sure everyone knew it.
Bueckers dished out assists on Dallas’ first three buckets, and then went to work herself. By the end of the night, she dropped a season-best 21 points, leading the Wings to their first win of the season with a 109-87 over the win-less Sun. With this, she’s still undefeated at Mohegan Sun Arena. A 15-0 including four Big East titles with the Huskies. That’s what we call owning a building.
But hold on, it gets better.
Paige Bueckers’ return to Connecticut:
21 PTS (career-high)
8-10 FG
5 REB
7 AST
Joins Temeka Johnson (2005) as the only rookies to ever go for at least 21-5-7 on 80% shooting.pic.twitter.com/fVcYDymZOk
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) May 28, 2025
Bueckers also made WNBA history while doing it. She became the first ever player to tally at least 60 points and 30 assists in her first five career games. But that’s not the only history she touched. She also joined LSU legend Temeka Johnson as the only rookies ever to drop a 21-5-7 line on 80% shooting in a single game.
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Johnson was selected into the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame on the same night. Now, the former Tigers star is officially being inducted into not one, but two Hall of Fames this year. She is also being named to the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame. But this isn’t just about accolades. It’s a celebration of a career that rewrote records and inspired generations. A four-time All-American from 2002 to 2005, Johnson was the heartbeat of LSU’s powerhouse squads in the early 2000s.
She capped her collegiate career by winning the 2005 Nancy Lieberman Award, given to the best point guard in the country. Johnson still holds the title of LSU’s all-time assist leader with a staggering 945 dimes, a mark that ranks eighth in NCAA Division I history. And before she became a Tiger, Johnson was already a four-time all-state selection, who led the Bruins to a 111-20 record. Now, she will be inducted into the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 during a ceremony on Aug. 2.
So, when Paige starts touching records like that, you know something special is brewing. Not to forget, while the team’s start to the season hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, Paige Buckets is already finding her rhythm. The rookie didn’t waste any time showing what she’s made of. In her WNBA debut on May 16, she dropped 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Just three days later, against the Seattle Storm, she turned up the heat with 19 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds.
In only her third game, she recorded her first professional double-double with 12 points and 10 assists, becoming just the third rookie ever to reach a double-double in assists within their first three games. And now, the cherry on top: her first W.
Paige Bueckers and Co. bag the first win
“I don’t think I ever lost here. I was trying to carry that into tonight,” Bueckers said after the game. Well, mission accomplished. Both Connecticut and Dallas came in at 0-4, desperate to stop the bleeding. But only one team left with a smile. The Wings snapped a brutal 13-game losing streak that stretched back to last season, while the Sun dropped to 0-5—matching their worst start since 2020.
Dallas’ 109-point explosion was the highest by any WNBA team this season, and just eight shy of a franchise record. It wasn’t just Paige carrying the load. Arike Ogunbowale chipped in 19 points and got scorching hot in the third, draining long threes on three straight possessions. DiJonai Carrington, making her own return to Connecticut after four seasons with the Sun, poured in 16 points off the bench.
The rookie Aziaha James got her WNBA career started with a bang too. Her first basket sparked an 11-0 Dallas run in the second quarter. Tina Charles tried to keep the Sun afloat with a game-high 27 points. But the Wings just kept coming. They shot 56% from the field and feasted off Connecticut’s 16 turnovers, turning them into 19 points.
The first quarter was a wild back-and-forth wit seven lead changes and a buzzer-beater three by Bria Hartley to give the Sun a one-point edge. But then Dallas said enough. They took over the second quarter, extended the lead to 17, and didn’t look back. Connecticut tried clawing back – Saniya Rivers got them within 14 before the half – but Bueckers wasn’t about to let this one slip.
May 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks on during the second half against the Seattle Storm at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
By halftime, Dallas had already posted a season-high 56 points, with star rookie leading the way with 15 on her signature pull-up jumpers. In the third, she blocked a shot, raced down the floor, and finished the play herself. When the Sun made one last push to start the fourth, Dallas slammed the door with an 8-0 run.
Paige checked out for good with just over four minutes left. So now, finally, the Wings are 1-4. And next up is a double-header against Angel Reese and the 0-3 Chicago Sky. If Bueckers keeps lighting up the court like this, we might be looking at Dallas’ real turning point.
The post Paige Bueckers’ Connecticut Return Turns Blissful as Wings Rookie Matches Temeka Johnson’s Record on Her Hall of Fame Night appeared first on EssentiallySports.
