SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers drove into the teeth of the Las Vegas Aces’ defense during the first quarter of her WNBA preseason debut Friday night.
Launching from the left side, Bueckers connected on a left-handed floater from five feet, then fell hard to the baseline. It was a welcome to the league moment that might leave a bruise.
Bueckers, the No. 1 overall selection in the WNBA draft after leading the University of Connecticut to the program’s 12th national championship a month ago, scored 10 points in 23 minutes on Notre Dame’s home floor as the rebuilding Wings lost 112-78 to Las Vegas, a perennial title contender.
Jackie Young scored 28 points for Las Vegas. She was one of three former Notre Dame players in the game, with the others Aces teammate Jewell Loyd and Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale.
Bueckers hopes to turn around a franchise that went 9-31 in 2024. The playmaking guard averaged 24.8 points in this year’s NCAA Division I tournament for UConn, finally delivering the title that she’d been chasing since her sensational freshman season for the Huskies.
Now she’s trying to reset after grinding her way through a 40-game college season that ended a month ago.
“It’s super surreal in terms of the turnaround from where I was two weeks ago to where I am today,” Bueckers said. “I’m just soaking it up and enjoying every moment, getting used to new routines, traditions, new teammates, new organization. I’m just excited to be playing basketball again with this new group and continue to grow and get better every day.”
Bueckers said the pace of the game and the level of talent in the WNBA are much different from anything she has experienced. She noted the Aces had five former Olympians in their lineup.
The physicality of the league appeared to get to Bueckers at times. She questioned a no-call when she was trying to ignite a fast break and ran into Young, who stole the ball and turned it into a pair of free throws for the Aces.
She looked unhappy with the three fouls called on her. Fighting her way through screens was a challenge.
A year ago, top draft pick and NCAA scoring champion Caitlin Clark came into the league with unusual star power and immediately boosted attendance and ratings while clashing at times with the WNBA’s more established players.
The Wings hope to help Bueckers have a smooth transition into the pro game.
“We have that example to learn from already, and I think we’re prepared,” Wings coach Chris Koclanes said. “Paige is unique and special, and she’s prepared to be able to handle everything that comes her way, on and off the floor, and we’ll do everything we can to support her.
“You try to prepare and teach and put her in positions to be able to find success, and then you’ve got to let her go, and you got to let her live and let her experience it. So it’s a balance just feeling out what that ultimately ends up looking like.”