Paige Bueckers has taken the WNBA by storm, and her rookie season left a lasting impression on fans and legends alike. The Dallas Wings guard wrapped up her first year as both an All-Star and Rookie of the Year, averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals. Beyond the stats, she played with a level of confidence that Miami Heat icon Dwyane Wade could not help but admire, Yahoo reports.

On his show The Timeout, Wade praised Bueckers for backing up her bold words with action. He recalled the viral moment when she told Kelsey Plum she would punish her on the block. Days later, she delivered exactly as promised. “She put her little bitty stuff on that block and she hit her with the boom boom fade. You too little,” Wade said. He admitted that at first he thought, who is this cocky rookie? But by the end of the game, Bueckers had silenced any doubt.

A rookie already chasing greatness

That bravado and execution have become defining traits of Bueckers’ rookie campaign. She scored 692 points and dished 194 assists, both ranking among the top three marks ever by a first-year player. Her 44-point outburst against the Sparks set the WNBA rookie single-game scoring record. These feats put her in a category with legends long before her second season begins.

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Bueckers has also expanded her profile beyond the WNBA. She signed a three-year contract with Unrivaled, the women’s 3-on-3 league backed by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. Not only will she play, but she also invested in the league, betting on women’s basketball in the same way she bets on herself. According to reports, her first-year salary in Unrivaled will eclipse what she earns in four full seasons of her WNBA rookie deal.

Wade, who knows firsthand the weight of expectations, has already compared Bueckers to all-time greats like Maya Moore, Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi. “To me, I was looking at Paige like, ‘Oooh, I think she's going to be one of those GOATs,'” he said.

For Wade, his admiration isn’t based on friendship. He hasn’t even met Bueckers, but the respect is genuine. “She just looked cool to me, bro. Like, I want to be her friend. She just looked that kind of cool,” he said. More importantly, he believes this is only the beginning.

Bueckers’ seamless style, relentless confidence, and early achievements have already given her a place in the conversation about the future faces of the league. If Wade is right, her name will soon be mentioned alongside the players who defined generations.