This is how it’s done. Paige Bueckers to the WNBA probably. And also her own team. When the star rookie’s injury status was announced before Friday night’s game, we kind of knew how this was going to go for the Dallas Wings. So there you have it. The Wings have suffered their 23rd loss of the season. While not every loss has to do with Paige on or out the floor, it enables a fan-spun narrative that the Wings are way too dependent on her. Today, it showed even from the sidelines.
Ahead of the game against New York Liberty, all hopes for a star-studded matchup fizzled out early. The injury report ruled out Paige Bueckers due to a back injury. She sustained the injury during Tuesday’s loss to Liberty in New York. Dallas was hosting Sabrina Ionescu & Co. today but redemption it was not.
Bueckers upgraded from questionable to unavailable, marking the seventh game she’s missed out this year. She was instead on the bench, providing much needed support to her team.
At one point during the second quarter, cameras captured Bueckers calling shots from the Wings bench. It came to fans’ notice that even they pointed out that Wings Heach Coach Chris Koclanes should feel threatened for his job.
BREAKING: Paige Bueckers to replace Chris Koclanes as head coach for the Dallas Wings pic.twitter.com/7xFCtSjS9t
— fifi⁵ (@fifibuckets) August 9, 2025
This isn’t something new. It might be a byproduct of being coached by Geno Auriemma even. Bueckers’ time in UConn was marked with severe injuries too but she had several sideline moments of assistant-coaching effectively.
But it doesn’t have quite the charm as Paige Buckets on the floor. The Wings lost 77-88 to the Liberty, extending that three-game skid to four. It just made fans more upset at her team who’ve felt that the Wings have only been a letdown for the top draft pick of 2025.
Paige Bueckers’ is still batting for her team
Despite an injury-ridden start to her WNBA career, Paige Bueckers is averaging 18.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.8 steals. Her stats have not gone lower than second place among the current rookie class which shows just how strong her offensive abilities are. Unfortunately, fans feel the Wings are putting too much burden on her which is resulting in more injuries. And when there are injury concerns, the ire is also directed at referees.
Unlike her girl next door charm, Paige Bueckers is a baddie who is not afraid to take on a ref or two. Previously, while playing against a Caitlin Clark-less Indiana Fever, she challenged officiants on a no-call. Just like Clark, Paige too has called out the WNBA’s officiating. Fans even made a case for the league’s double standards when it comes to superstar newbies like CC and Paige.
Even this game, while sitting on the sidelines Bueckers had a moment where she was batting for Myisha Hines-Allen after a questionable block.
A general on the floor and on the sidelines is exactly the Paige Bueckers we’re used to. She has the chops for an alternate career whenever she wishes too (hopefully way out in the future). This contrasts the team she’s on however. Fans are campaigning for Dallas Wings to step up and be better for their superstar. And that would mean pulling some miracle with that 8-23 record.
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