How Paige Bueckers will instantly change the game in Dallas and the WNBA

Paige Bueckers was widely projected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft all the way back at the beginning of the season, way before the Dallas Wings even won the first pick in the WNBA Draft Lottery. Her legendary run in the NCAA Tournament only solidified her position.

Bueckers' senior season concluded with a storybook ending as the UConn Huskies captured their 12th NCAA Division I National Championship. She overcame a tibial fracture that sidelined her for the majority of the 2021-22 season and an ACL injury which caused her to miss the 2022-23 season, and delivered when her team needed her most.

Needless to say, she persevered through this circumstance and her level of play continues to rise. If the 6-foot guard is indeed selected with the first pick in the draft, it will push Dallas into another stratosphere and impact the league in a variety of ways.

2024 was a rough season for the Dallas Wings

Last season, Dallas finished the season in 11th place with a 9-31 record and the team only won two road games. The franchise played a majority of the season without Satou Sabally, due to a shoulder injury. She requested a trade at the end of the season and was sent to the Phoenix Mercury in a deal that netted the Wings the No. 12 pick.

Arike Ogunbowale carried the offensive load, finishing second in points per game last season with 22.2, 4.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.1 steals while shooting a low 38.3 percent from the floor.

Natasha Howard who is now a member of the Indiana Fever got off to a rough start last season, due to an injury which heavily impacted the team. With a new roster, the addition of Bueckers will help this franchise stabilize its backcourt.

Paige Bueckers gives you Wings

The addition of Bueckers instantly changes the Wings' backcourt dynamic because it provides the team with a ball handler who doesn't have to look to score. She may not be a traditional point guard, but she has balance, a high IQ, and knows what her team needs in the moment.

Over the last few years, Dallas has not had a guard who can mesh with Ogunbowale and still score when needed or set others up for quick baskets. The UConn guard can score at all three levels of the floor, she can move without the basketball, and she lives in the pick-and-roll. In theory, she could help Arike Ogunbowale become much more efficient, similar to how the addition of Caitlin Clark helped Kelsey Mitchell have a career season for the Indiana Fever last year.

Not to mention, Bueckers focuses on the defensive side of the floor, which the Wings struggled with last season. The franchise finished the 2024 season last in opponents' points per game with an average of 92.1 and they struggled to defend the 3-point line (36.5 percent).

Adding the Huskies legend will change the focus point of the team to defense first. Her ability to lead will cause people to buy in and her level of composure is a skill that is often overlooked.

There is no doubt that the Minnesota native will help this team improve on the offensive side of the floor. However, her shooting efficiency will help this team tremendously.

Bueckers doesn't always shoot a lot of 3s and takes with the offense gives her. She shot 41.9 percent from three, and she shot a strong 53.4 percent from the field. Last season, Dallas struggled to generate easy points, and Ogunbowale had to break down three levels of defense every game, which can be exhausting.

During the offseason, the team acquired Dijonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris, NaLyssa Smith, and Myisha Hines-Allen which will take some of the scoring pressures off the team.

The 23-year-old guard may not start right away due to the veteran experience on the roster or she could get pushed into the starting lineup. Needless to say, she will have two veterans in Harris and Carrington who can show her the ropes and help her develop in the W.

Unlike Caitlin Clark, Bueckers will have time to develop and not have the entire weight of the franchise on her shoulders right off the bat.

WNBA effect

Last season, Clark took the WNBA to another level with her jersey sales, sell-out crowds, and she added another layer of fans. Lastly, she helped the Fever make the playoffs for the first time since 2024.

Bueckers will help continue to push the league, and another rivalry could be in the making that fans didn't get to see in college. As the league continues to expand, there is going to be a need for more franchise talent.

The 6-foot guard could be the centerpiece for the Wings, who are going through a rebuild with new general management Curt Miller at the helm. She is going to help the WNBA with viewership because of her scoring efficiency and how clutch she is at the moment.

It's easy for some to forget but before Clark exploded on the scene Bueckers was dominating the college scene. Now that she is fully healthy it will be an interesting 2025 season.

The WNBA Draft will take place on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN.