WNBA Notebook: Bueckers taking first year in stride
Dallas Wings rookie guard Paige Bueckers drives the lane during a WNBA game at Connecticut on May 27. Through June 16, Bueckers leads all rookies with 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per game. PHOTO CREDIT: Dallas Wings
Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers spoke exclusively with WGRamirez.com during her visit to Las Vegas on June 13, on her rookie season and how she’s stayed balanced both on the court and mentally.
By W.G. RAMIREZ
LAS VEGAS -- One month into the season, No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick Paige Bueckers hasn't had an "ah-ha" moment, but is certainly appreciative of playing with and against some of the best players in the league.
"All these women are professionals at the highest level, so I'm extremely impressed by everybody," Bueckers told WGRamirez.com before her June 13 game in Las Vegas. "It takes a lot of work and effort, and determination to get to this level."
Something the 23-year-old knows all too well, as the Dallas Wings rookie guard has put her fair share of hard work into quickly becoming one of the most exciting rookies in recent history.
Heading into Tuesday's home game against the Golden State Valkyries, Bueckers leads all rookies with 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per game. Her 4.5 rebounds per contest rank third among WNBA rookies.
She's already registered the first double-double of her career, in Minneapolis against the defending league runner-up, and continues to look like a veteran.
"For a first-round pick, she's got incredible poise and maturity," Aces coach Becky Hammon said. "She looks like she's been playing this game forever. She plays the right way, is what jumps out to me every time.
"She's beyond her years. Most rookies, especially in a pick and roll, like, how well do they read, what's their reading level? She reads at a doctorate level."
High praise from one of the best coaches in the WNBA, no doubt.
Bueckers said she's taken the first month in stride, despite the fledgling Wings struggling to find wins during a 1-11 start to the season.
“Just running my own race, standing firm in who I am, not looking to either side and the comparison of other rookies, what other rookies have done in the past, success of wins losses, but just trying to be the best version of myself I can be every single day, and staying present.”
"Just like I always have been saying, just running my own race, standing firm in who I am, not looking to either side and the comparison of other rookies, what other rookies have done in the past, success of wins losses, but just trying to be the best version of myself I can be every single day, and staying present," she said. "And trying to just be where my feet are. I think living in the past, if you're not learning from it in a positive way, can distract you from where you are. And then trying to build for the future can be a distraction as well. So, just building on what your day is today."
That's nothing new for the 6-foot guard, whose philosophy has never been to look past where she was playing at the moment.
Whether she was starring for Hopkins High School in the Twin Cities, or winning the National Player of the Year as a freshman at UConn, or overcoming two knee injuries in successive years before eventually closing out her senior season with a national championship, Bueckers has relied on her faith to stay grounded and balanced.
"It was hard to kind of imagine or envision what it was gonna be like until you actually get into the shoes," she said. "But just playing at this level against the best women in the world, this level of competition, the support, the fandom, everything that's been a part of it - the teammates, the environment, just us going together as a unit - it's been a dream come true.
"It's just a complete blessing to be here, and I'm extremely thankful for it."
FINE-TUNED ENGINE - Phoenix Mercury veteran Alyssa Thomas moved into third place all-time in the WNBA with her 25th career points-assists double-double when she finished with 14 points and 13 assists in a 76-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces.
Of her 25 double-doubles, Thomas has registered most of them (6) against the Lynx. After that, in order: Chicago (4), Dallas (3), Los Angeles (3), Las Vegas (2), New York (2), Phoenix (2), Seattle (2) and Indiana (1).
Thomas, affectionately known as “The Engine,” can register her first-ever double-double against the Sun on Wednesday, when the Mercury visit Connecticut, where she played the first 11 years of her career.
NOBODY QUICKER - Former first overall draft pick Rhyne Howard became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 career 3-pointers when she drained four treys during an 89-56 victory over the Mystics on June 15, doing it just 114 games.
One game earlier, Howard became just fourth player in league history to drain nine 3-pointers in a game, tying Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Mitchell.
Howard ranks second in the WNBA with 3.3 3-pointers made per game, second to Caitlin Clark (3.6).
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DOUBLE TAKE - Only two players in the WNBA are averaging a double-double: New York's Jonquel Jones and Chicago's Angel Reese.
Jones is averaging 13.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, while Reese is scoring 10.4 and grabbing 11.9 boards per contest.
Both Jones and Reese have turned in five double-doubles this year.
ODDS TO WIN IT ALL - Despite dropping their first game to the Fever on Saturday, the defending champion New York Liberty (Even) are favored to win the WNBA championship at the Westgate Superbook. Minnesota is second (+250) followed Indiana (+450).
From there: Las Vegas (+1600), Phoenix (+2500), Seattle (+2500), Atlanta (+2500), Los Angeles (+20000), Washington (+30000), Golden State (+30000), Dallas (+50000), Chicago (+100000) and Connecticut (+100000).
The Liberty are looking to become the second straight team to win back-to-back titles after the Aces did it in 2022 and '23. Las Vegas became the first team to repeat as champion since the 2001-02 Sparks. The Houston Comets won the title the first four years of the league's existence.
MVP ODDS - Minnesota's Napheesa Collier (-350) is the overwhelming favorite to win the MVP trophy, well in front of Clark (+275).
From there: Breanna Stewart (+3000), A’ja Wilson (+4000), Satou Sabally (10000), Allisha Gray (15000), Sabrina Ionescu (15000), Thomas (25000), Kelsey Plum (25000), Jones (25000), Nneka Ogwumike (25000), Bueckers (50000) and Reese (100000).
POWER RANKINGS - The weekly WGRamirez.com power rankings arrive every Tuesday night, one day after the weekly notebook. Part of the notebook teases the first half of the rankings, giving you a peek at the top six teams.
1. Liberty (9-1) - (LW: 1) New York remains atop the rankings despite losing for the first time, as its closest competitor to being the top-ranked team also suffered its first loss. Put simply, the Liberty were due for a loss and will be tested by tough guests this week, as the Dream and Mercury arrive Tuesday and Thursday.
2. Lynx (10-1) - (LW: 2) Minnesota dropped its first game, with a hard-fought loss in Seattle. A much anticipated Western Conference battle against the Aces may not be as competitive without A'ja Wilson in the game. The Lynx only two games this week are at home.
3. Mercury (8-4) - (LW: 3) Phoenix won twice last week, with a home win over No. 13 Dallas, and a road win in Las Vegas. The Mercury continue a four-game road trip with three in the Eastern time zone, including back-to-back nights in Connecticut and Brooklyn.
4. Dream (8-3) - (LW: 5) The Lynx might have the MVP favorite in Collier, but the Dream boast Gray, who has the hottest hand right now. She's been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week twice, and was the East's Player of the Month in May. Atlanta's showdown in Brooklyn on Tuesday will tell us more.
5. Storm (6-5) - (LW: 6) Seattle learned just how good Golden State can be when the expansion team continued to mow down Western Conference powers. The Storm visit Los Angeles and Las Vegas this week, before hosting the Liberty on Sunday. This will certainly be a battle-tested week.
6. Aces (5-5) - (LW: 4) Las Vegas started last season 5-5 and ended up fighting back to a semifinal showing. The Aces need their star back, though, as they won't survive long without A'ja in the lineup.
