Paige Bueckers showed why she holds keys to Dallas Wings' season in win over Indiana Fever

Atlanta DreamChicago SkyConnecticut SunDallas WingsGolden State ValkyriesIndiana FeverLas Vegas AcesLos Angeles SparksMinnesota LynxNew York LibertyPhoenix MercuryPortland FireSeattle StormToronto TempoWashington MysticsScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsNewsletterNo Offseason NewsletterWNBA Tip-Off Paige Bueckers, center, had 20 points in the Wings' season-opening victory in Indianapolis. Jeff Dean / Getty Images Share articleINDIANAPOLIS — The Dallas Wings were at rock bottom in 2025 when they selected Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick. They were fresh off a nine-win season and moving on to their third coach in four seasons when Bueckers became the rope thrown to the drowning franchise. But even she can’t work miracles. At least, not in Year 1 anyway, as the Wings missed the playoffs. But Saturday, as the Wings opened the 2026 season against the Indiana Fever with a 107-104 win in Bueckers’ sophomore season debut, a franchise that’s been adrift looked like it could finally see land. “I’ve been saying, I feel like this is the best roster we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Wings four-time All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale said. “It’s just complete.” Bueckers wasn’t the final piece of the missing puzzle, but she was the catalyst. After her rookie season ended with 10 wins, the Wings’ second-straight without a postseason, Dallas opted to find its fourth coach in five years as it fired Chris Koclanes. The Wings then went against the coaching trend of hiring from the NBA in favor of a well-respected, winning college coach in Jose Fernandez from South Florida. When free agency finally opened following a contentious 17-month-long negotiation period for a new collective bargaining agreement, general manager Curt Miller signed players, such as forwards Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard, who looked on paper like they could make the Wings legitimate playoff contenders. But not before drafting Buecker’s familiar backcourt UConn running mate in sharpshooter Azzi Fudd. The result of every move over the last 13 months was on full display Saturday, and the early grade passed with top marks. Bueckers finished with 20 points, four assists, three rebounds and just one turnover. “She’s special,” Fernandez said. “She reads how she’s being guarded. Having coached against her and seeing her now, I mean, she sees things two, three times ahead of stuff. That’s remarkable.” Bueckers is fresh off a busy offseason that included her first season playing with Unrivaled, the professional three-on-three league, and with Team USA’s senior national team. Individually, she committed to bulking up in an effort to withstand the toll of a 44-game WNBA season, the results of which are apparent in her noticeably stronger frame. Bueckers said she lived in the weightroom, ate better and even prioritized better sleep. One area of Buecker’s development that can’t be visibly measured is her leadership. “She’s one of those generational talents that not only shows up on the court, but off,” Smith said. “She leads by example. She holds herself to a certain standard, which I think is really important for people in leadership positions. You gotta walk the walk to talk the talk. That’s something she naturally does, which is really rare for a young player to do.” Beyond Smith, Bueckers has garnered the respect of a team full of WNBA veterans, including Ogunbowale, who for six seasons shouldered the weight of the Wings’ expectations. “We just got to have our hands up, because we know she’s going to make the right read,” Ogunbowale said. “She’s super efficient every night. … She’s just really elite.” The Wings entered the 2026 season with lofty expectations surrounding them. At minimum, they’re widely predicted to get back to the playoffs. But at the peak of possibilities for the Wings is title contention. “I’m not one to live in the past,” Bueckers said. “But I’m not sure how long it was until we got our first win last year, and three counting the preseason. It’s not to say get complacent, or oh, we got one win, we’re going to go 44-0. We’re so focused on winning the day, winning the practice and getting better every single day, which leads to wins in total.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms