Paige Bueckers Ruled Out vs Aces for Rest, Sparking Debate Among WNBA Fans
Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces for rest.
The reasoning has sparked debate online with some fans supporting the decision the Wings made for the rookie––with one fan on X saying, “Rest up Paige. Why the hell are the Wings putting 35 plus minutes per game on a player with 2 knee surgeries coming off a college season? She has one of the heaviest minutes loads in the WNBA. Mismanagement.”
Rest up Paige. Why the hell are the Wings putting 35 plus minutes per game on a player with 2 knee surgeries coming off a college season? She has one of the heaviest minutes loads in the WNBA. Mismanagement.
— CaitlinFor3 (@CaitlinForThree) July 26, 2025
Others are more critical arguing that “A 20 something rookie sitting out for rest is crazy.”
Wings Rookie Paige Bueckers Will Miss Sunday's Game Against the Aces For Rest
Bueckers suffers from patellar tendonitis and spoke on the issue after missing a June 28 game against the Washington Mystics.
"It's difficult. But at the same time, I want to play 40 minutes, I want to play every single game,” Bueckers said in a video shared by Grant Afseth on YouTube. “But also being smart and understanding that there's a long season.”
Bueckers later added, “Not so much a load management. Just being smart. I've been dealing with patellar tendonitis since I was in high school…and it is, in a sense of you're managing it, at all times."
Paige Bueckers missed the second game of the Wings’ back to back last weekend. She said she’s struggled with patellar tendinitis since high school and often manages the pain.
— Myah Taylor (@t_myah) July 2, 2025
“It usually never feels great the day after a game,” she said. pic.twitter.com/QHylfJipEL
The Wings have leaned heavily on Bueckers in her rookie season, both as a scoring option and floor leader. She’s averaging almost 35 minutes per game—which is among the highest in the WNBA.
With a compressed schedule (Dallas has a back-to-back facing the New York Liberty Monday) and lingering injuries across the league, the Wings appear to be prioritizing Bueckers’ long-term health.
Whether the decision draws criticism or praise, it signals an understanding that her value as a franchise player extends well beyond one regular season game.
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Rosalina Lee is one of the premiere content creators in the women’s basketball space. She has written for such companies as Red Bull Sports and has teamed up with notable brands such as Madison Square Garden, going behind the scenes with the New York Knicks and Rangers. She is currently offering analysis and fresh takes into the world of women’s basketball on her YouTube channel, and now with Indiana Fever On SI and Women's Fastbreak On SI, keeping fans in the loop with all the latest action!
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