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Although she had a star-studded career with the UConn Huskies, the transition to the WNBA hasn’t been easy for Paige Bueckers. Many had hoped that Bueckers, who led the Huskies to a national championship last season, would have a similar immediate impact in the WNBA after going first overall to the Dallas Wings.
Unfortunately, it’s been a struggle. Sure, Bueckers is putting up solid numbers and leads the team in assists, steals, and blocks. However, those numbers just haven’t given Dallas the spark they hoped Bueckers would give.
The Wings are a WNBA-worst 1-7 this season, and with Bueckers currently sidelined due to a concussion, it’s starting to have an impact on her Rookie of the Year chances.
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While Bueckers is sidelined and the Wings remain in the WNBA’s cellar, it’s an opportunity for Washington Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen to narrow the gap and flip the script.
Iriafen, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is off to an impressive start this season, averaging 14.6 points and 10.0 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game. She’s been a key factor in the Mystics 3-5 start to the season, spearheading a youth movement in Washington alongside Sonia Citron.
While it’s still early into the WNBA season, it’s clear that Bueckers will have some competition to be named the league’s top rookie for the 2025 season. The only way she can do that is with her play on the court and once Bueckers is cleared from concussion protocol, she can give the Wings a spark just like she did for the Huskies during her storied UConn career.
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