This Paige Bueckers Trend Can't Continue for Wings
The Dallas Wings' offense was lethal during their first game of the 2026 season, which was a 107-104 victory on the road against the Indiana Fever.
Dallas got scoring contributions from many players in that contest, as they had five players score in double digits and three (Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and Odyssey Sims) scoring at least 20 points. Plus, key players like Azzi Fudd and Alanna Smith didn't have good games, which suggested the Wings' ceiling could be even higher.
As impressive as this performance was, the fact that Dallas shot 59% from the field and 52% from three-point range showed it was unsustainable. And this was proven during the Wings' 77-72 loss to the Atlanta Dream on May 12. Only three players scored in double digits, just one (Arike Ogunbowale) had 20, and the team shot 38% from the field and 15% from three.
In reality, the Wings offense's true position falls somewhere between these two games, and it's too early to tell where it will rank among the league's other offenses.
But there's one trend Dallas needs to kick if they're to maximize their offensive potential: Paige Bueckers' usage.
Paige Bueckers Usage Stat Suggests Early Issue for Wings' Offense
In May 13, Wings reporter Landon Thomas made an X post that read, "In the first two games, Paige Bueckers has the 5th highest usage % on the Dallas Wings.
"Arike Ogunbowale - 26.9%
"Aziaha James - 25.9%
"Odyssey Sims - 22.7%
"Alanna Smith - 19.0%
"Paige Bueckers - 18.3%
"Jessica Shepard - 17.5%
"Maddy Siegrist - 17.0%".
In the first two games, Paige Bueckers has the 5th highest usage % on the Dallas Wings.
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) May 13, 2026
Arike Ogunbowale - 26.9%
Aziaha James - 25.9%
Odyssey Sims - 22.7%
Alanna Smith - 19.0%
Paige Bueckers - 18.3%
Jessica Shepard - 17.5%
Maddy Siegrist - 17.0%
Bueckers is arguably the most efficient and effective player in the league with the ball in her hands. Not only can she create her own offense, but she can create for her teammates, as well. This is why seeing Bueckers having the fifth-highest usage on the Wings is troubling and something Dallas needs to address.
Her field goals per game (11) through two games are second-most on the team, but they are also more than four shots fewer per game compared to last year. Granted, two games are a small sample size, but it still points to a trend that will ultimately inhibit the Wings' ability to thrive offensively.
Head coach Jose Fernandez's system might make it so Bueckers isn't on-ball as much as her rookie campaign. But if this system means she isn't the Wings' main offensive orchestrator, the team won't reach its potential.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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