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Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers will “absolutely” become the best player in the WNBA in the eyes of legend Diana Taurasi.
“Paige’s instincts on the court are just incredible, and it takes a special skill and talent when you can galvanize a group of people,” Taurasi said on The Athletic’s No Offseason Podcast. “I’ve been around her long enough to know that once they get the right group around her, things will change because of her skill set and her ability to distribute and score. Paige just has tremendous talent, and once it’s unlocked, I’m going to be really excited to watch her play.”
The Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark finished fourth in the MVP voting as a rookie in 2024. Breanna Stewart hoisted the trophy in her third year with the Seattle Storm, and that’s the point in A’ja Wilson’s career when she won the first of her three MVPs with the Las Vegas Aces.
And of course, Candace Parker is the gold standard, collecting an MVP and helping get the Los Angeles Sparks to the Western Conference Finals as a rookie in 2008.
Special talent can ascend quickly in the WNBA, and Bueckers certainly displayed enough potential at UConn to believe she’s that kind of player.
For now, the 23-year-old remains a work in progress. She’s averaging 13 points on 34 percent shooting along with 4.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists through four games.
An adjustment period was inevitable. This time last year a lot of people were wringing their hands over the start of Clark and the Fever, only for her and Indiana to turn things around in the second half.
Granted, similar improvement may not be in the offing for the Wings. Their 0-4 start is reinforcing existing concerns with a roster that lacks continuity and has a first-year head coach on the sideline. The backcourt partnership between Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale is taking more time to jell than expected, too.
Still, none of that changes Bueckers’ long-term outlook.
It’s going to be a crowded field for the title of best player in the WNBA, especially when factoring in the college stars who are coming through the pipeline. But Bueckers possesses the talent and intangibles to climb to the top of the heap in a few years.
