Dallas Wings GM Curt Miller Praises Paige Bueckers After WNBA Debut
Paige Bueckers' first WNBA game may not have ended in a win, but her performance left a strong impression on Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller.
Following the team's 99–84 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on opening night, Miller spoke with reporters about the early stages of the Wings' rebuild—and singled out Bueckers' leadership and presence in her WNBA debut.
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'I'm not gonna critique the basketball near as much,' Miller said, via DallasHoopsJournal.com, 'but you know, I just—I appreciate the command that she has of the game. And again, we're just gonna get better and better. They're all learning to play with each other. Training camps are so fast. But I'm just really excited about the potential. This group is gonna look a lot different in July than they do in May.'
Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, opened the scoring for Dallas with a putback layup and went on to tally 10 points, seven rebounds, and two assists in 31 minutes.
She joined a new-look starting lineup featuring Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, Myisha Hines-Allen, and NaLyssa Smith—all of whom reached double figures in scoring aside from Smith.
While the Wings stayed competitive in the first half—entering the break tied at 46—the Lynx took control in the third quarter behind a dominant run from Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams. Despite the result, Miller remained focused on long-term development and chemistry.
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'They're all learning to play with each other,' he said. 'We're asking players maybe to have a higher role than maybe what has been asked for many of them in the past. And I look forward to watching them embrace that and see if they can step into those opportunities.'
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) reacts against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half at College Park Center.Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Bueckers' debut was one of several bright spots for a young Dallas team navigating its first steps in a new era. Her performance offered the Wings a glimpse of the leadership they'll be counting on as the season progresses and throughout her career.
The Wings return to action Monday, May 19, against the Seattle Storm at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Related: WNBA GMs Make Big Paige Bueckers Prediction Before Debut
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