Paige Bueckersâ WNBA career is off to a stellar start, but the No. 1 overall pick will need to wait before accomplishing much else on the court.
Bueckers has been placed in concussion protocol, the Dallas Wings announced Friday, meaning she will miss at least two games.
The Wings host the Chicago Sky on Saturday and visit the Seattle Storm on Tuesday. The earliest she could be back is June 6, when the Wings return home against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Bueckers sustained the concussion during Thursdayâs 97-92 loss to Chicago, which dropped the Wings to 1-5 overall. Itâs not clear when the incident occurred, as Bueckers played 36 of a possible 40 minutes. She finished with 15 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks on 6-of-11 shooting in perhaps her most complete performance as a rookie.
Bueckers Off to an Impressive Start
Bueckers was hyped coming into the WNBA, and with good reason. For the most part, sheâs been worth the wait. The top pick in Aprilâs draft is averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals through her first six games. Her 40 assists are tied for the league lead with Phoenixâs Alyssa Thomas, and she is eighth in minutes per game (34.0).
Itâs earned her wide praise.
âShe just continues to do things that should be surprising but arenât,â Wings coach Chris Koclanes said via the Associated Press earlier this week. âI take a step back to just appreciate the type of player and even more so the type of person she is.â
With Bueckers sidelined, more of the onus to perform will fall on the shoulders of guard Arike Ogunbowale. The four-time WNBA All-Star has been one of leagueâs most proficient scorers since her rookie season in 2019 but is currently averaging a career-low 17.7 points. Her 3-point (31.3%) and overall field goal (36.8) percentages are also down, though she is coming off a 37-point performance against Chicago.
Bueckers dealt with significant injuries in college.
After exploding onto the scene as a freshman to win national player of the year during the COVID-impacted 2020-21 campaign, Bueckers was limited to just 17 games over the next two seasons. She suffered a tibial plateau fracture as a sophomore, then missed the entire 2022-23 season after tearing her ACL during an offseason pickup basketball game.
Bueckers returned to form her final two seasons as a Husky, earning back-to-back All-American honors. She capped her illustrious college career in April by leading UConn to its record 12th national championship, averaging 24.8 points and shooting 48% from 3 in the NCAA Tournament.
She won the Wade Trophy, given to the nation’s top player, and was the draftâs consensus top overall pick.
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