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Dallas Wings Rising Star Paige Bueckers composed one of the best performances of a WNBA -rookie in history, but it was a Los Angeles Sparks veteran who spoiled the show.
Bueckers, the former Uconn Huskies stand out, which was No. 1 Collected Selection of 2025 WNBA Draft, scored 44 points in Wings ’81 -80-loss to the sparks. Those were the most points in a single game of a rookie in the WNBA story and most points for any player this season.
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Dallas Wings Guard Paige Bueckers dribbles against La Sparks Forward Rickeea Jackson in Crypto.com Arena. (Kirby Lee/Imag- Pictures)
She was 17-of-21 from the field and made all her four 3-point attempts. She added four rebounds and three assists.
Cynthia Cooper of the then Houston Comets scored 44 points in the league’s opening season in 1997. All players were considered in their “first year” at that time. Sparks legend Candace Parker scored 40 points in 2008 and was the proprietor of the true rookie record.
“I’ve always proud of myself and the team to win, so it’s obviously the main goal,” she said. “Honestly, I think I’m just most proud of this team, just like the way we fight. This team just means so much to me.”
Dallas Wings Guard Paige Bueckers shrinks for the ball against La Sparks Fremad Azura Stevens in Crypto.com Arena. (Kirby Lee/Imag- Pictures)
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Bueckers are 60 points shy for Arike Ogunbowale’s record for most points in a single season of a rookie. She scored 630 points in 2019.
The wings would have wanted to win. Bueckers scored Wings’ last 13 points. But it was Sparks star Kelsey Plum who got the last word.
Plum had the ball in his hands in the last seconds and was strongly protected by several Wings players. She came around a defender and took the ball into the paint and put a float.
The ball went out of the back plate and into the net when the buzzer sounded.
La Sparks Guard Kelsey Plum shoots the ball against Dallas Wings Center Luisa Geiselsoder and Guard Grace Berger in Crypto.com Arena. (Kirby Lee/Imag- Pictures)
Plum had 20 points in the win. Rickeea Jackson led the sparks with 25 points, including six 3-Pointers.
