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Even though a month still remains in the Unrivaled regular season, Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has already begun to formulate an opinion about why it and the WNBA should be put into different categories based on the type of women’s basketball that gets played.
While the WNBA has a traditional basketball ruleset with slight differences compared to the NBA, Unrivaled operates entirely with a 3-on-3 format, prioritizing excitement and a race to the target score as opposed to the traditional final score of a four-quarter game.
It may have its pros and cons, but ultimately, the biggest difference Bueckers told TNT Sports is the pace of play, alongside a sense of urgency not often seen as much in WNBA competition.
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“Yeah, I think the physicality [is] No. 1,” Bueckers said Thursday as the main difference. “We all know that the W is physical, but I feel Unrivaled is even more physical than that, and then not being able to have help side, like you’re basically on the island, so at points you’re gonna have to be okay with getting cooked.”
Bueckers said that even with fewer players on the court at once, the in-game assignment remains the same: play tough, physical defense while still attempting to score the ball.
“But that’s not to say like you’re not gonna wear defense with pride and try to just defend on the island and guard your yard and keep people in front of you,” Bueckers added. “But at the same time, these are the best women in the world, and you’re competing against them. So that’s a lot different for sure.”
Bueckers appears used to the grind of a winter season. After all, the spring is right around the corner, as is her second season in Dallas as one of the faces of the Wings’ franchise. It’s a balance Bueckers has seemed to master, whether it’s getting used to her short stint in Miami, training with Team USA, or playing in Dallas every few nights during the spring, summer, and September, Bueckers can do it all with little signs of burnout (that are known publicly).
Even as such, Bueckers is showing no signs of disinterest. Her team has been one of the league’s most exciting through the first few weeks and it’s hard to suspect anything will change immediately.
