Paige Bueckers and Wings to measure success in terms of growth

Japan Times

09-05-2025

Asked on Thursday what she's enjoyed most about being a member of the Dallas Wings, Paige Bueckers said the easy answer was, "everything."
"Just the people here," Bueckers said during a conference call. "Coach Chris (Koclanes) talked about how obviously finding success is important, but you want to find great people first. I think they've done a great job from top to bottom finding people who are easy to work with, easy to work for."
Bueckers is gearing up for the start of her WNBA career, which officially begins May 16 when the Wings host none other than Bueckers' hometown team, the Minnesota Lynx, on opening night.
The UConn star and No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft could play a major role in revitalizing a Dallas franchise that missed the playoffs in 2024 with a 9-31 record.
Bueckers said the city and franchise have been welcoming in the few short weeks she's been in town since being drafted April 15.
"It's been fun getting to know new people and build new relationships within the organization," she said.
Bueckers was brought into an franchise that hasn't won a WNBA title since 2008, when it was known as the Detroit Shock.
But turning around a team that just posted its worst winning percentage in 13 years starts with a single step, and Bueckers sees her growth as a player tied to the growth of the organization around her.
"Success, it looks like being a great teammate, being a great leader, trying to get better every single day," Bueckers said. "Lots of learning, lots of asking questions. And just being here, being present with the team. We're all trying to grow, we're all trying to get better. ... We're setting the foundation for what we want to look like in the future, so success is being our best selves every single day."
Bueckers also enters the WNBA one year after Caitlin Clark took the league by storm, amassing a bevy of fans and detractors alike. As back-to-back No. 1 draft picks, they're bound to draw comparisons to one another, but Bueckers said in a recent interview that those "narrative-driven" assessments don't paint the full picture, as they don't play similar styles despite both being guards.
Bueckers will share a backcourt with veteran Wings shooting guard Arike Ogunbowale, who has averaged 20.6 points and 3.9 assists per game in her six-year career in Dallas. Ogunbowale called Bueckers one of the best players to come out of the college game.
"It's been fun these last couple weeks playing with her, and it's only going to continue to get better, but I'm excited about the future," Ogunbowale said.
There's a new coach at the top of the food chain in Koclanes, who replaced Latricia Trammell after serving as an assistant coach for Southern California in 2023-24.
"We're trying not to skip any steps," Koclanes said Thursday. "We're talking a lot about the balance of patience, and that goes to talk about our connections on and off the floor, and our relationships, to have patience.
"You don't want to force anything — those are going to grow over time — and at the same time, having urgency. ... It's always a balance, but I'm super encouraged by this team and the way they're treating each other and respect each other and how it's all coming together early."