Paige Bueckers' 3-Point Surge Isn't as Surprising as It Seems

Dallas Wings star guard Paige Bueckers is shooting 42.6% from three-point range this season, which is fourth-best in the WNBA.

This is a massive jump from the 33.1% clip from behind the arc that Bueckers produced in her rookie season. However, this jump should not be seen as a surprise, given several aspects of Bueckers' past.

For one, Bueckers was a career 42.3% shooter from three-point range during her five seasons with the UConn Huskies. This suggests that the real surprise was Bueckers' three-point struggles as a rookie, and that this season's resurgent success was more of a return to form than the result of some dramatic offseason improvement.

And perhaps these rookie season struggles shouldn't be seen as surprising at all, given that Bueckers went straight from an entire season with the UConn Huskies (which culminated in a national championship) to an entire season with the Dallas Wings, after getting just a few weeks of rest in early April.

There's no question that Bueckers was physically tired during her first professional season. And the first place her playing on tired legs would have manifested is through her three-point shooting. This serves as further proof that Bueckers being one of the WNBA's best three-point threats in her second WNBA season — which comes after an actual offseason break — makes more sense than if her sharpshooting struggles could have continued in 2026.

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Dallas Wings Deserve Credit for Paige Bueckers' 3-Point Resurgence

What's more, the Wings have made it easier for Bueckers to produce from three-point range.

Head coach Jose Fernandez has a much better conception of how to let his star players thrive on offense than Chris Koclanes did last year. Plus, Dallas' front office did a great job of adding other talent to the roster, which helps space the floor and make it so defenses can't focus on stopping Bueckers like they did when she was a rookie.

This is especially true with them drafting Azzi Fudd, who is even more of a pure sharpshooter than Bueckers.

What Does This Say About Azzi Fudd's Three-Point Percentage?

All of these facts add interesting context to Fudd's shooting percentage this season. She's currently shooting 38.6% from three-point range this season, which, while respectable, is a noticeable decrease from her career 42.2% from range at UConn and her 44.7% from her senior season.

Fudd is also coming off a full season at UConn, and is surely feeling the same physical fatigue that Bueckers did last year—likely contributing to her own shooting percentage not matching that of her UConn tenure.

There's still plenty of time for Fudd to improve her percentage. But even if she doesn't, fans can probably expect her shooting to return to what it was at UConn in 2027.

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