Paige Bueckers returned to the court against the Phoenix Mercury after missing four games due to concussion protocol and illness. Fans filled the Footprint Center in Downtown Phoenix to witness what would be a career night for the number one overall pick of the draft.
Bueckers would tally 35 points, with 5 shots coming from behind the arc, being only the second rookie in league history to achieve that stat line. (Caitlyn Clark, 2024) She would also become the third player in league history to record a 35-point game within the first ten games of her career. (A’ja Wilson & Chennedy Carter) The Dallas Wings would subsequently lose the game by a final score of 93-80 despite an impressive output by their rookie point guard.
During Wednesday night’s matchup against the Mercury, the Wings rookie shot an astonishing 68 percent from the floor and 71 percent from the three-point line. Not typically known for shooting the deep ball, Bueckers would surprisingly take 7 shots from behind the arc. She added 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Last season against the Dallas Wings, Caitlyn Clark was the first WNBA athlete to score 35 points and drain five threes in the same contest as a rookie. Elite company for the former Uconn star to join early in her WNBA career. Besting her previous career high by 14 points, we could be seeing the next great combo guard develop in real-time.
The most impressive attribute of this 35-point performance is the efficiency. In her first game back delivering an all-time performance for a struggling Wings team, Bueckers only missed six shots. Early on she has been a do-it-all player by leading the team in points, assists, steals, and blocks per contest. This performance further proves that she should indeed be in the conversation with some of her great predecessors.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
