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The first half of the 2025 WNBA season is in the books as the All-Star break is set to begin. For Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers, the first half of the '25 campaign came with ups and downs. Bueckers was tremendous from an individual standpoint, but the Wings have struggled at an alarming rate and Paige has battled injury concerns. With all of that being said, let's give Bueckers' first half of her rookie season a grade.
Paige Bueckers' historic rookie season
The Wings hold a lackluster 6-17 overall record. Dallas is last in the Western Conference and only the 3-19 Connecticut Sun hold a worse overall record. Bueckers certainly is not to blame for the team's struggles, though.
The 23-year-old is averaging 18.4 points, 5.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per outing. She is only turning the ball over 2.4 times per game as well, something that is quite impressive for a rookie who deals with immense defensive pressure on a consistent basis.
Bueckers' mid-range game has been almost automatic. She is also a quality finisher around the basket. The Wings rookie is shooting 44.9 percent from the field. When she is locked in with her shot, all defenses can do is hope that she misses.
Bueckers' defense has also been impressive. She is capable of guarding multiple positions. Paige has also stepped up as a leader on both ends of the floor.
“I think it's more so how much work she puts in,” head coach Chris Koclanes said of Bueckers' success before Wednesday's game against the Las Vegas Aces. “Not just on the floor but off the floor in terms of making sure her body and her mind are right to be able to perform at a high level every single night. And to be a leader for this team and an example for this team.
“So, just the work she puts in in the weight room after hours and then to the mental side of the game, just understanding how much that is going to benefit her individually but then also as she steps into her voice and her leadership role with our group. Really unique in just how much time and effort she puts into those areas.”
So, are there any negatives to discuss in reference to Paige Bueckers' start to her WNBA career? In all reality, her three-point shooting has been a letdown.
Bueckers' three-point shooting
Bueckers was known as a three-level scorer in college at UConn. At the college basketball level, Bueckers shot 42.3 percent from beyond the arc while recording 4.5 long-range attempts per game. In the WNBA up to this point, however, she hasn't shot the basketball with as much confidence from behind the three-point line.
Is it a product of a lack of true play-makers around her? Perhaps Koclanes' free-flowing offense has played a role? Or, maybe Bueckers simply has endured trouble with the transition to the WNBA — although that is difficult to believe given how well she has performed with her mid-range shot.
Through the first half of the '25 campaign, Bueckers shot just 32.8 percent on her three-point attempts while averaging only 3.4 long-range attempts per contest. Nevertheless, Paige Bueckers is far too talented to continue to struggle from deep. She will surely improve as she grows more comfortable within the Wings' offense.
Paige Bueckers' first half grade
We could factor in team performance into the grade. However, Bueckers has only positively impacted her team. It wouldn't necessarily be fair for the rebuilding Wings' underperformance overall to negatively impact Bueckers' grade. After all, she was selected as an All-Star starter for a reason.
The only reason her first half isn't going to receive an A+ is due to her mixture of a lack of three-point shooting and underperformance on her three-point shots. Otherwise, Bueckers has been incredible in most other areas of the game. She features the potential to be much better, though, and that is surely a frightening thought for opposing teams.
Final grade: A
